TOMPKINS COUNTY. 
475 
This kind of soil covers a large portion of the southern half of the county, more exclusively 
the higher grounds ; rounded and worn materials occupy only the valleys of the larger streams, 
diminishing as we ascend from them. The “flat gravel” consists of the materials of the rocks 
in place near, and appears never to have been transported to any great distance. These rocks 
consist of soft shale, argillaceous and calcareous sandstones; consequently the soil is of the 
same nature, varying in proportion as the rocks beneath vary, sometimes more sandy and 
at others more clayey. It may be described as a clayey loam, becoming tenacious when wet, 
but not cohering when dry. The coarse materials consist mostly of argillaceous sandstones 
in thin angular fragments, and in some places still undecomposed shale. The transported 
materials in this part of the country are confined to those valleys which are connected with 
others farther south, and through which the north and south current found an outlet. In this 
soil there is a much larger proportion of lime, and we find it more productive of certain crops 
than the higher grounds. The valley of the eastern branch of Cazenovia creek, and the northern 
branch of Eighteen-mile creek, have a much greater surface covered with this kind of soil 
than the others, and we find that these communicate more directly with the Cattaraugus creek 
at the south. 
Along the Cazenovia and Seneca creeks, above their junction, there is much gravelly soil, 
forming an almost level surface for considerable extent. This continues below the junction of 
these streams on the south side, and is seen in isolated patches, mounds, and low ridges, 
extending to the lake, four miles west of Buffalo. 
The same soil is found along the Cattaraugus creek, and at about the same elevation above 
the lake; it also occurs, in less extent, in several other places, and is characterized by a 
growth of oak. It is evidently a deposit from coarse materials brought into the lake by 
streams, and by the action of its waters spread evenly over the bottom. The same features, 
to a small extent, are now to be seen on the shores of the present lake, where a large stream 
.flows into it. 
TOMPKINS COUNTY. 
The northern part of this county, between the Seneca and Cayuga lakes, (being the wes¬ 
tern half of the county,) is occupied by the rocks of the Portage group, with the exception 
of the lake banks and the deep ravines of the same. In these situations we find the Genesee 
slate, the Tully limestone and the upper part of the Hamilton group, each one in its order 
disappearing beneath the lake level as we proceed southward. These rocks from the Tully 
limestone upward are well exhibited in the deep gorge of Halsey’s creek, below Taghannuc 
falls. The Genesee slate, which is visible for more than one hundred feet above the Tully lime¬ 
stone, is succeeded by nearly three hundred feet of the rocks of the Portage group, consisting in 
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