Annual Report of the 
be able to proceed understands gly in the description of the eight 
classes of soils that occupy the eastern portion of the state. By 
this term I mean those counties that border on Lake Michigan, and 
the eastern half of those that adjoin these on the west, this being 
the region that has come under my inspection during the past sum¬ 
mer in connection with the geological survey. 
But I must further explain that the following descriptions relate 
rather to the permanent subsoil, than the mere surface-soil, or in 
other words, to the real soundness of the bank and not merely to 
the cash that may lie on the counter. 
1. PRAIRIE LOAM. 
The first class to which our attention is invited, is that common¬ 
ly called prairie loam. This is too well known to require much des¬ 
cription. It sometimes arises from the decomposition of the under¬ 
lying limestone, sometimes from the disintegration of limestone 
gravel, and sometimes it is the deposit of an ancient lake. There 
are several varieties of this class, but all possess at least a moderate 
degree of fineness, but are still light and porous, in chemical com¬ 
position silica is the chief element, with a much less proportion of 
aluminous, and a small quantity of calcareous and magnesian ma¬ 
terial. This at first seems strange, since it is chiefly derived from 
magnesia-limestone, but it becomes clear enough when we consider 
that the soil was formed by the dissolving out of the lime and mag¬ 
nesia, leaving the residue. 
Vegetable matter, in the form of humus, constitutes an important 
element of this soil, and penetrates to greater depths than most of 
the following classes. 
It usually works with the greatest ease and is highly fertile, but 
is less enduring than some of the following: 
Within the region under consideration, it is chiefly confined to 
Racine, Kenosha, and Walworth counties, but elsewhere in the state 
it occupies extensive areas. This map of soils, constructed to ac¬ 
company my Geological report, shows more definitely the extent of 
this class. 
2. THE LIGHTER MARLY CLAY SOILS OR CLAYEY LOAMS. 
This is a drift soil, having been derived chiefly from a calcareous 
bowlder clay, which in turn was formed by the powdering of vari- 
