468 
WISCONSIN STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
rivers is generally a strip of level bottom land, varing in width; these usu¬ 
ally terminate in sharp ridges or bluffs, with an undulating or rolling sur¬ 
face at the summit. These bluffs are composed of potsdam sandstone at 
the base, capped with magnesian limestone and vegetable loam. The sand¬ 
stone is usually from 200 to 450 feet thick, while the limestone is from 20 
to 50 feet. 
The county is well watered. The Mississippi forms part of its southern 
boundary, and the Black, Buffalo and Trempealeau rivers, with their tribu¬ 
taries, pr ss through different sections of the county. Besides these we 
have the Beaver and Tamarack creeks, with trout brooks and innumerable 
springs of soft water. 
Most of the streams are lined with belts of hard wood timber, consisting 
mainly of oak, maple, ash and basswood. On some of the small creeks 
there are belts of tamarack. The balance of the timber is principally white 
and burr oak. In the northern portion of the county the timber is not 
abundant; in the southern and western part there is a good supply. The 
climate is dry and healthy. The temperature of our winters is cold yet 
even, with less snow than in some other portions of the state; it 
seldom thaws so as to be muddy, and is really warmer than in more 
southern latitudes. Much of this county is thinly settled, but as the land 
is cheap and of excellent quality, and the demand for farm products is great, 
we hope at no distant day to be able to compete with any of the older 
settled counties of the state. 
VERNON COUNTY. 
BY G. W. NUZUM, VIROQUA. 
Vernon county is situated in the western part of the state, between 43d 
and 44tli degree of latitude; its western border for 22 miles being watered 
by the Mississippi river. The soil is good, and covered with a heavy growth 
of hard wood timber, such as is usually found in timbered countries. The 
product of small grain is equal, per acre, to any part of the state, and in 
vegetables it excels the prairie. The surface of the county is rolling, and 
in some place hilly, but all valuable for timber on such portions as cannot 
be cultivated. It is well watered by springs and brooks, and well adapted 
for grazing purposes, for which it will soon become noted. Like all timbered 
land, it is natural for grass and having abundance of water, it will soon be¬ 
come the dairying portion of*the state. With an abundance of water power 
furnished by the Baraboo and Kickapoo rivers, and a superior quality of 
timber that could be used for the manufacture of furniture and agricultur¬ 
al implements, this part of Vernon county offers inducements equal to any 
part of the state. We have in prospect a railroad known as the Baraboo 
Air Line , from Cliigo to La Crosse, which as now surveyed will traverse 
