Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1915-05-05

ling Of a great variety Of rocks. This
is the reason why the farm lands in
Minnesota are unsurpassed in fertili-
ty by those Of any other state or
country in the world.
In the extreme southeastern por-
ton Of the state, especially in Hous-
ton, Fillmore, and Winona counties,
there lies beautiful and picturesque
region cut by numerous deep valleys
with winding streams, steep rock,
bluffs, and turreted cliffs. This is a
part of the driftless area, so called
because it was left untouched by the
ice fields Of the glacial period. Here
the prevailing soil is clayey loan,
light yellow or rusty in color and con-
sisting of fine dust-like particles. This
is loose loan of great fertility
whose origin has not been definitely
determined. It may have been a
rock-four manufactured by the gla-
cial grinding and distributed by the
winds of those times over the ada
cent driftless region.
Ancient Lake Agassiz.
In the Red River Valley lies the
great lake-bottom plain Of ancient
Lake Agassiz. Towards the close of
the glacial period, about ten thousand
years ago, the retreating ice field
served as a dam across the valley and
blocked the northward drainage of
the streams. AS the ice wall retreated
to the north, the lake increased in
size until finally it found an open out
let into Hudson bay. 1t was truly a
great lake, since it's area, 10000
square miles, exceeds the combined
areas of the five Great Lakes of the
St. Lawrence system of today.
At first, Lake Agassiz overlooked
the divide at the southern end of
Lake Traverse and discharged it's wa
ters through the present valley Of the
Minnesota. The river of that time has
been called the glacial River Warren.
It was a powerful stream of great
volume, and it widened and deepened
it's bed and made room for the fertile
flood plains for which the Minnesota
River Valley of today is noted.
Gradually and by stages, first the
southern outlet at Browns Valley and
later the northern outlet into Hudson
Bay cut themselves deeper, and the
lake waters sank from level to level
At each halt, beaches were formed by
the shore currents and by the waves
breaking against the land. These
beaches are today rounded ridges of
gravel and sand, few feet high and
about two rods wide, extending great
distances along the ancient shorelines
of the lake. They furnish slightly To-
cations for many farm homes, and
give to farmers dry cellars and good
wells Of pure water They likewise
furnish excellent road beds for some
of the states best highways. ~
Lake Bed Worlds Bread Basket.
Large quantities of silt and soil
were washed into Lake Agissiz from
the melting glaciers. These materials
were assorted and distributed BY the
waters of the lake and were deposited
in its bed. Later, when the lakes
waters had subsidized, luxuriant grass:
es covered the former lake bed, and
in time, furnished food for countless
herds Of buffalo. 1t was during those
times that vegetable humus anc
abundant organic matter was added
to the fine lake sediments already
rich in varied mineral plant foods
Thus were formed the fertile soils OF
the Red River Valley which have
earned for that region the title Of
"the Bread Basket of the World