dmit of its successful
application to purposes of agriculture.

"This is an erroneous opinion, and one which will most certainly be
corrected, as the facts with regard to this part of our State come
more fully to be known. The inhabitants of Flat, Royale, Muskegon and
White Rivers, and the Ottawa Indians, living on the Grand and Little
Traverse Bays, and on the Manistee River, have extensive cultivated
fields, which uniformly produce abundant crops.

"The country on Flat and Royale Rivers is generally rolling,
interspersed with level and knobby tracts; but none is so rough as to
prevent it from being successfully cultivated. The timber in the
vicinity of the streams consists of black, white, and burr oak, which
is scattering, and forms what is denominated openings and plains;
small tracts of pine barrens, beech, maple and oak lands, interspersed
with tracts of white pine.

"Settlements are rapidly advancing in this part of our State, and much
of the land under cultivation produces excellent crops of wheat, oats,
corn, potatoes, etc., and so far as experience has been brought to the
test, is not inferior to, or more subject to early frosts in the fall,
than more southern counties of the State.

"The soil varies from a light sand to a stiff clay loam.

"The country on the Muskegon is rolling, and may be considered as
divided into beech and maple land, pine lands, pine barrens, oak
openings, plains and prairies. Small tracts of the latter are situated
near the forks of the river, about forty-five miles from its mouth,
and between thirty and forty-five miles north of the Grand River.

"Crops of corn, oats, wheat, etc., were here as flourishing as those
of the more southern part of State. The soil of the prairies and
openings is sandy, while that of the beech and maple lands is a sand
and clay loam.

"The Indians on Grand and Little Traverse Bays and vicinity, also
obtain good crops of corn, potatoes, squashes, etc. Some of the most
intelligent Indians informed me that they were seldom injured by
frosts in the fall or spring. They also have many apple trees which
produce fruit in considerable quantities.

"The soil is strictly a warm one, and, exposed as the whole country,
bordering on Lake Michigan, is to the influence of the southern winds
during summer and parts of spring and fall, it seldom fails to be
productive."

Professor Thomas, Geologist, has placed in our hands the following
report of the Geology of Ma