INDUSTRY OF COUNTIES. 
483 
markets of the east. In addition to this the Wolf river pineries and the 
Lake Superior mining region draw largely on the resources of this county, 
and the prices obtained by farmers are several per cent, higher than the 
average in the state. 
WOOD COUNTY. 
BY L. P. POWERS, GRAND RAPIDS. 
The county of Wood is situated nearly in the geographical center of the 
state, and contains 468 square miles. The surface is level, or slightly roll¬ 
ing, there being but very little broken land in the county. The soil in the 
southern portion is a sandy loam, interspersed with hay and cranberry 
marshes; and in the northern portion, embracing about two-thirds of the 
county, is a deep, rich, clayey loam, well fitted for agricultural purposes. 
The county is remarkably well watered; the Wisconsin river passes through 
the eastern portion, the Yellow river (a tributary of the Wisconsin) trav¬ 
erses the entire length of the cbunty from north to south, and the east fork 
of Black river passes through the western portion. These streams, togeth¬ 
er with Will Creek, Hemlock Creek, and numerous smaller streams, furnish 
an abundance of water to all parts of the county. The climate is mild and 
equable; climatic and miasmatic diseases are almost wholly unknown. 
The business of agriculture as yet has been prosecuted to but a limited 
extent.. The larger portion of the population attracted by the magnificent 
pine forests, and attracted by a desire for more rapid gains, have embarked 
in the business of lumbering, and have neglected the slower but surer 
business of tilling the soil, so that the county instead of being an exporter 
of farming products, has been a large importer. But enough has been 
done to show that the soil will produce, with proper cultivation, all the field 
crops common to the climate, in great abundance. The soil is especially 
adapted to the raising of tame grasses, wheat and oats, together with pota- 
« 
toes and other root crops. 
But little has been done in the produt.ion of fruits; apples have been 
raised to some extent, and succeed well. 
The strawberry culture, wherever tried, has been successful. Wild fruits, 
such as plums, cranberries, blackberries, whortleberries and raspberries^ 
are produced in great plenty, and it is believed that no portion of the 
state is better adapted to fruit culture than Wood county. 
Valuable minerals abound. Beds of iron ore, thought to be rich in 
quality are abundant. Several quarries of building stone have been opened, 
and tested sufficiently to prove that there is enough of good quality to supply 
the future wants of the community. “ Kaolin,” or porcelain clay, pro¬ 
nounced by experts to be the best on the continent, is found in unlimited 
