Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1878-10-22
1rOOstOOE.
PHYSICAL De ,CRIPTIoN.

OF Rhode Island. q third larger than Con-
necticut, three-iourihs as large rs Yer
mont, iour-fiths rs large as New lamp
shire and nearly us largo as Mass,chu
sets. 1t is situated between forty SIX
and forty seven degrees and thirty min
ules OF north latitude, being farther south
than most of the State OF Mich an, the
northern part OF Wisconsin anu more
than half the State OF Minnesota. BY
the terms OF the. Observation-Disclosures
treaty, the line between Aroostook CUun-
~ and the Dominion of Canada, known
as the North Eastern Boundary, extends
from the source oil the ST. CroiX River,
due north. until II strikes the ST. John
river at point north of Hamin Planta-
ton; thence along the middle OF the riv.
er 10 The ST. Francis river, thence along
the center of the st. Francis to the point
where the southwest branch flows from
ST. Francis Lake; thence southw esterly,
with but one angle, TO the southwesterly
branch OF the St. John. 1t is watered by
the ST. John and It's tributaries, the pr!n
cip4l OF which are the Aroostook, the
MaGawaska and the Meduxnekeag. The
general direction OF ell the rivers and
their principal tributaries is eastward.
toward the st. John, tho water shed ex.
tending westward TO the height Of land
betw cen that river and the Peno bscot and
its tributaries. There are few elevations
that can be digniied by the name OF
mountains. Mars Hill near the eastern
boundary in the town of the same name,
being the most important.
GEOLOGY.
IL regard to its geology, Aruostook
County differs from all other paris oil the
State. In many respects It closely Ie-
sembles portions of the State Ut Michi-
gan and also OF Canada West. One
marked feature which at once attracts the
attention oi the stranger from tho central
and western parts OF the State. is the AO-
senco OF boulders. and the almU,. entire
absence OF cobble stones. pebbles, gravel
and other material usually den0mina'od
dritt One may travel for days without
seeing rock oi any kind. The t"w
rocks found in some localities. ARE gen-
orally ca careOus aud the bed TOGS watch
undcrles The whole county Is either clay
or caicllr,u- sI,.e, with "cCAs i'nsl veins
OF trap. luiS bed rex OF edge is every
where reach At iTom t~e"ty 10 fifty
feet belrw the surface. aud rarrl, c7n
wei . DO sunk so a. To obtain water. ms
soil II clay loan strongly impree' Ted
with lme. anu vegetable mould is found
ten ieol below the surface. For cereals,
and in fact for almost any crop, no soil
can have a better composition. The
character OF the rocky formation may be
studied Ut Grand Falls, where the ledge
is mixture OF states and limestone, the
strata having an anliclinal, the Two sides
dipping northwest and southwest. In
the matter OF building. the absence OF
rocks would be seriously felt. were 1t not
for the giant cedar trees which are every
where mixed with the hard wood growth
and which are used for fencing, Tor max
ing bridges and culyerts and even for
walliDg up cellars.
TIE FLORA
The general reader will have but little
interest in a description OF the smaller
vegetation which helps TO make up the
aJra oi Aroostook county, but the com.
position OF the forests is matter OF great
importance 10 those who think OF gong
there to live The vegetation is very
different in different parts OF the county.
The country bordering on both sides OF
the 81. John. from Boundary branch al
the northwestern part OF the county, TO
Grand Falls. has the flora peculiar TO
northw eslern localities in the same lati-
tude, and is distinct from any other part
Of Maine. Here we find the AStragUltlS
Alp,nlS. the OrYtropis UralenStS. the
ArtemeS.d GoreGLiS. the HedysGrNm bore
ale, and numerous other Alpine plants,
while the whole region through which
they are distributed is covered with q
heavy growth OF cone-besring trees, such
as spruce, tir, hemlock and pine, this be-
ing the most valuable part OF the county
Tor numbering purposes. South OF this
limit, lot at once, but gradually, there is
a marked change in the character OF the
smaller vegetation, while The cone bear
ing tore sis give place 10 areas OF hard
wood, consisting OF maple, beech and
oak. We do not wish 10 be understood
as saying that there are no timber lands
south OF the limit We have described, but
thai The hard wood growth predominates.
Mixed in with the hard wood. almost ev
erywhere, may be found gigantic cedar
trees. as large and as tall as the sugar
NAPLES, and growing by their side. These
cedars are worked up into shingles and
fencing material, besides being used as
substitute for stone. as already stated.
THE PUBLIC LANDS.
Formerly the entire County OF Aroos-
took was the property OF Maine and Mas
hnt for nna nnrnOsa and an