78 
ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN’S ASSOCIATION. 
Having given a brief outline of the origin and forma 
tion of soils*, I will, as I understand, give the order of their 
distribution, explaining the soils and climates best adapted 
to dairying A sufficient and equal rainfall through the 
sprint summer and fall months, and an equable climate 
not subject to the extremes of heat or cold, are as essential 
to successful dairying as a fertile soil. The soils formed 
from the primitive rocks, even before the existence o 
organic life, being mostly volcanic and mineral-bearing as 
surface rocks, are, with sufficient rainfall with a mild anc 
equable climate, well adapted for dairying ; as in Oregon, 
Washington, British Columbia and Montana. These coun¬ 
tries and Great Britain, Belgium, Holland and Denmaik, 
owing to their mild and equable climate, are in my opinion 
the best adapted of any countries known for dairying. All 
of these countries are situated between 45 J and 50 of north 
latitude. The equatorial currents of the Pacific ocean, 
flowing with their warming influences northeasterly to the 
shores of California, Oregon, Washington Tentory and 
British Columbia, passing through the valley of the Sacra¬ 
mento and the valley of the Columbia river, and through 
the great gap in the Coast Range of mountains, 150 mi es 
in width at Vancouver’s, their currents of warm atmos¬ 
phere, passing northeasterly through Oregon, Washington 
and British Columbia, till they meet the polar currents; 
then their course veering southeasterly through Montana, 
o-ive these countries a mild and equable climate and su 1- 
cient rainfall, similar to the climate of England, Belgium 
and Holland—caused by the equatorial currents passing 
through the gulf stream across the Atlantic northeasteuy 
to the shores of Western Europe. 
The soils next in their order of formation are derived 
from the decomposition of carboniferous rocks which were 
first elevated during the early part of the middle portion o 
geological periods. Elevation and subsidence continued 
through all ages of this formation with that portion of the 
earth covered by these rocks. Stratum upon stratum of coal 
was formed, with layers of rocks between each stratum o 
coal. Often the central portions of these coal basins were 
covered with drift, to the depth of 2,000 or 3,000 leet; 
while the outside rim of these coal basins came to the sur¬ 
face. The distribution of soils derived from these rocks 
west of the Alleghanies and north of 37 ° of latitude and 
