The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1847-11-29

these ranges, equal to any heretofore found far
Their east on Lake Superior, as they constitute a
portion OF the same ranges; In the vicinity OF
good, and generally covered with a rich growth
OF the sugar maple.
At the Falls of St. Croix, fifty to sixty miles
from the Mississippi, there is grand outburst of
ing. series of dykes, ITO feet and more in ele-
Val ion, above the streams, and traversed by
veins OF native copper, carbonate, and probably
grey sulphuret.
At the falls of ST. Croix, Immediately in juxta-
position with the trap, in some places entangled
In the disrupted portions Of these rocks; are
beds highly charged with lingulas and orbcu-
lars, some, IT not all Of them, probably, of unde
scribed species. These beds differ in lithalogl-
cal character, from anything observed elsewhere,
IN the protozoic strata of the west, and perhaps
IN any portion OF the United States. These lin
gular and orbcular beds, though often crowded
with remains OF these genera of molusca, are
found to be subordinate to quartZose sandstone,
also containing lingulss and orbiculars probably
oil the same species as equivalent beds OF Pots,
dam sandstone of New York, making them of
great geological interest, as they are undoubted-
ly the lowest fossiliferous beds ever noticed in
the west, and as rich in remains of these forms
OF molusca as any of the most fossliferous beds
of the Ohio valley. Some distance above these
angular and orbicuar beds, but yet considerably
below the lower magnetism limestone of Wis
consin, we nave strata OF the Theological cha
are OF great geological interest, as they make us
| acquainted with some of the earliest forms of
| organic existence yet brought to light in this
| country, and furnish new clue to the identif-
| cation OF strata. In the rents of the trap are
found portions OF the adj acen fossilferous strata
indurated, altered, and even cemented to por-
tons OF trappean rocks with their fossils unob.
liberated and even well formed
The magnetic variations in these granite and
traperan ranges, Is often great, at times so much
SO, as TO reverse completely the direction of the
poles. variation huctuating from five to twenty
degrees On either side Of the true meridian, was
not uncommon.
There are about thirty different species of ami
mails in this region, many of them valuable for
their furs.
The rivers and lakes contain large variety of
fish, In the greatest abundance, and OF superior
esculent qualities.
The attention of the corps has been particular
ly directed to. botanical discoveries There
are found in this district, so far as ascertained
torty.hve distinct species of forest trees, con-
shutting twenty-five genera, and embracing
twelve OF the natural orders OF these, the
most valuable are the white and yellow pine,
(plnus strobus and pinus resinosa) the hemlock,
(abes canadensis-lin) and the sugar maple,
(acer saccharlnum linz
OF the resinous trees there are some eleven or
twelve species, OF which the most important are
| the white and yellow pine, on account of the
immense amount of lumber which they furnish;
| and the hemlock, for the great quantity of tan
ners' bark 1t will afford. Some idea may be
formed OF the immense loss which the United
States government sustains in the destruction of
| timber In the extensive pineries of this region,
when we reflect that lndepende nty of the large
quantity which is RATED oil In logs, square tim
Der, shingles and laths, there are in operation OH
| the waters Of the Wisconsin, forty-fve saws on
the Black river, sixteen saws; on the Chippewa
| seven saws; on the st. Croix, twelve SAWS
making IN the whole, eighty saws. AS eact
saw Is capable OF turning out annually half
| sawed iorty millions of feet Of lumber, worth il
st. Louis nearly half million of dollars.
On the head waters OF the streams on the cas-
| side OF the Mississippi, there are extensive 70
rests of hemlock, capable of afiording an ample
| supply OF bark for all the tanneries which may
hereafter be established in the West-a want OF
which material has been an impeachment to the
of the upper Mississippi, and which has forced
| US TO export our raw hides to the East, and i'm
| port their leather in return.
| The sugar-mape tree grows so abundantly and
yields so luxuriantly in the Minnesota territory,
that at some future period it will be second only
| to Louisiana in the production OF sugar. An In
dian squaw, performing all the labor herself, can
| obtain, during the sap season, 300 pounds OF su-
gar with her imperfect Indian utensils.
The wild rice, (zlZania aquatica,) infinitely
| superior in taste, and far more nutritious than
| the rice Of the Southern States, grows abundant
| ly as an Indigenous vegetable, and can be cult
waited to almost any extent In the lakes which
abound in this territory, and will, in all probabi
lily, at no very distant period, compete with the
Southern production. After the tops of the rice
| plants have been tied up in small sneafs, as II
stands growing in the water, an Indian squaw
with her canoe will gather from five to ten
bushels of rice per day.
The cranberry (oxyc0ccos macrocarpa,) is an
| indigenous vegetable of this region, and grows
very abundantly in its wild state, and will, in all
probability, be extensively cultivated in the wet
and swamp lands of this section, and which are
| almost useless for other agricultural purposes.
We look forward with great interest to the Off
clal report which, we hope and expect, will con-
tain full and minute statement of all the disco
veres and researches that have been made in re-
lation to the animal, vegetable and mineral re-
West.