278 
STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
south part of the county there are good mill-streams, on which 
are several mills. 
Lakes. — Swan Lake, Mud Lake, George’s Lake and other 
small lakes (names unknown). 
Waste Lands. — In respect to waste land in this coun ,y, 
there is in almost every township more or less swamp land 
that is worthless, being wet and too low to drain. There are 
also in the town of Caledonia high bluffs along the Wisconsin 
river, that are not capable of cultivation. 
Prairies. —Portage Prairie in the north-east, Fountain prai¬ 
rie in the south-west, and Empire prairie, south. Nearly one- 
half of the county is prairie; soil of the richest and best 
quality. The rest of the county is openings. The timber, 
except along the streams, is mostly burr and black oak; the 
soil variable from very good to very poor. 
Wheat is the principal crop grown on the prairies and best 
openings. The average yield per acre for past years has 
probably been about 15 bushels. Rye and corn are grown 
quite extensively on the lighter soils; average yield of rye 
from 10 to 15 bushels ; of corn from 20 to 30 bushels per acre. 
Potatoes average about 100 bushels per acre. 
There has been a very decided improvement in the agricul¬ 
tural industry of the county within a few years; in building 
houses, barns, and in a more thorough system of farming. 
There are Flouring Mills in the following towns : Courtland 
two, (one of them steam) Wyocena two, Portage City one, 
Dekora two, Fountain Prairie one, Columbus one, Lodi two, 
Westpoint one. 
There is no lumbering of any amount carried on in the 
county; there are three or four saw mills, but they do but 
little business. 
There is a Tannery at Portage City, but the amount of busi¬ 
ness I cannot state. 
There are two Lager Beer manufactories at Portage City 
doing an extensive business. 
