ORLEANS COUNTY. 
435 
Oak-orchard creek is the principal water course in Orleans county. On the east side of 
the creek, at the mouth, we saw two or three mounds about three feet high, and ten feet in 
diameter, containing human bones. 
It will be noticed, upon reference to the map of this county, that all the creeks have a ge¬ 
neral bearing to the east. This may be owing to the direction of the rock fissures, which are 
generally northeast. 
The Tonawanda marshes extend along the southern edge of Orleans county, and occupy a 
part of Clarendon, Barre and Shelby. 
Immediately south of the ridge, in the north part of Murray, is a tamarac swamp, about 
three miles in length, which communicates at one end with Marsh creek, and at the other with 
Sandy creek. Its reclamation has been commenced by drainage. 
Soils. 
The prevailing character of the soil north of the ridge is sandy. Limited tracts of a clayey 
nature occur, which were observed more especially near the lake. 
Proceeding from Ridgeway to the lake, we find a sandy soil extending from the ridge to 
within two miles of the lake; then clay predominates, and the soil consists of a clay loam, 
which is a strong and warm soil, producing good crops. But little plaster is employed as 
manure. 
From Sandycreekville, the country inclines very gradually to the lake ; about three miles 
north of the village, we cross a tract of clay land about one mile in width. Two miles west 
of the village, it approaches quite to the ridge. 
In Carlton, the soil is a sandy loam. 
The northern part of Orleans embraces many fine farms, which although the soil is sandy, are 
very productive. Farms immediately along the ridge are also more productive than we should 
expect from the character of the soil; but the sand of the ridge we suppose to be not exclu¬ 
sively siliceous, but to contain considerable lime. 
In the immediate vicinity of Albion, clay prevails in the soil; and about two miles east there 
is a very sandy tract, of limited extent. 
The soil upon the limestone range in the towns of Shelby, Barre and Clarendon, appears to 
be an excellent mixture of clay, sand and lime, and is very productive. But little plaster is 
used in this part of the county, and there is evidently but slight necessity for it, inasmuch as *• 
the soil is the result, chiefly, of the underlying limestones, and limestone shales. The road from * 
South-Barre to Clarendon runs upon the limestone range. 
55 
