ing a little north-eastwardly between the lower peninsula and the States of Wisconsin and Illinois. The northern part, together with the straits, separate the two peninsulas from each other. Lake Huron is next in dimensions, and is situate on the north-eastern border of Lower Michigan, separating it from Canada West. The shape of this lake is extremely irregular ; its principal indentations are Saginaw Bay, which extends down into the interior, and two others, one immediately north of Manito Islands, and the other south-east of them. The latter, sometimes called the the Manito Bay or Georgian Lake, is very large, estimated at one fourth of Lake Huron. It empties through the Strait St. Clair into St. Clair Lake, the smallest of the five bordering on Michigan; and this again discharges itself through Detroit Strait into Lake Erie. More than 30 miles of this latter borders Michigan, and opens to the state a free navigation to the principal ports along its coasts- Buffalo, Dunkirk, Erie, Sandusky, &c. Nor is this state merely surrounded by lakes, but the interior is interspersed with them from one border to the other. The country indeed is literally maculated with small lakes of every form and size, from an area of 1 to 1000 acres; though, as a general rule, they do not, perhaps, average 500 acres in extent. They are sometimes so frequent that several of them may be seen from the same position. They are usually very deep, with gravelly bottoms, waters transparent, and of a cool temperature at all seasons. This latter fact is supposed to be in conse

quence of springs which furnish them constant supplies. Water fowl of various sorts inhabit their shores, and their depths are the domain of abundance of fish, trout, bass, pike, pickerel, dace, perch, catfish, sucker, bullhead, &c., which often grow to an extraordinary size. It is usual to find some creek or rivulet originating in these; but what is a singular fact, and not easily accounted for, many of these bodies of living water have no perceptible outlet, and yet are stored with fish. A lake of this description, with its rich stores of fish and game, forms no unenviable appendage to a farm, and is properly appreciated. But with all its length of lake coast, Michigan can boast of but few good harbors; yet there are several that afford excellent shelter from the storms that frequently sweep over these great inland seas, and lash them into turmoil.

CLIMATE.

There is a marked dissimilarity between the climates of the upper and lower peninsulas of Michigan, arising from their different geographical positions. The former is subject to great extremes of heat and cold, to sudden and severe changes, while the latter enjoys a comparatively mild and uniform temperature. Long and cold winters, followed by short and hot summers, are the principal seasons in the upper peninsula; fọr the transitions are so rapid as to afford but a brief interval of spring or autumn. The contrast between the two portions of the state, in this respect, is owing,

doubtless, to the varied influences of the winds from the lakes. The general adaptation of the climate to human health may be said to equal that of the central portions of Indiana and Illinois. Among the diseases most common are fever and ague, and other maladies originating in malaria. In some seasons, affections of the lungs, of the bowels, the limbs, &c., prevail to greater or less extent, depending upon atmospheric agencies. The goître, or swelled neck, is a disease. peculiar to the inhabitants residing on the lake shores.

SURFACE AND SOIL.

Michigan proper presents a diversity of surface. It is mostly either level or slightly swelling, but is occasionally rough and hilly, and towards the central points, between the eastern and western shores, is elevated to a height of some 600 to 700 feet, forming rugged and irregular ridges. On the western side of this range of eminences, the land slopes gently and smoothly towards the lake, but again rises on the coast into steep and broken sand banks and bluffs. The northern half of this peninsula is as yet but sparsely peopled; and its soil is regarded as inferior to that of the southern portion, although most of the lands in the inte rior are said to be, in general, well adapted to agricultural purposes. In the settled parts, the soil is quite productive, and flax, hemp, and all the varieties of grains, garden vegetables, &c., are raised in abundance. The forests yield excellent timber, of almost every descrip

tion known in this climate; as the oak, walnut, hickory, elm, ash, maple, sycamore, whitewood, hackberry, cottonwood, poplar, butternut, cherry, &c. There are also large tracts of pine, spruce, and hemlock trees in the northerly parts of the state. Of the upper or

northern peninsula, no very great amount of knowledge has yet been obtained beyond what is, in some degree, connected with the recent geological survey of this region. It is but thinly inhabited by permanent residents, its soil promising but poor remuneration to the cultivator. Mountains, valleys, hills, plains, forests, and rivers variegate the surface. The most lofty of the elevations ascend to a height of 2000 feet; some of the forests embrace millions of acres of pines and other evergreens; and a hundred rivers, large and small, affording valuable mill sites, flow from the uplands into the lakes, on either side of the Porcupine Mountains, the grand ridge which towers as a sort of dividing barrier between Lakes Superior and Michigan.

AGRICULTURE.

There were in this state in 1855 over 2,000,000 acres of improved land, and 2,500,000 acres unimproved land. Cash value of the farms, $60,000,000. Value of the implements and machinery attached thereto, 3,000,000. Value of live stock, horses, oxen, and

other cattle, $8,110,000.

The wheat crop of 1855 was 9,000,000 bushels, rye, 115,800; Indian corn, 8,000,000; oats, 3,000,000;

barley, 100,000; buckwheat, 600,000; peas and beans, 100,000; potatoes, 3,000,000; sweet potatoes, 1400 bushels; products of the orchard, $150,000; products of the market gardens, $17,000; pounds of butter made, 8,000,000; pounds of cheese, 1,100,000; maple sugar, 2,800,000 pounds; molasses, 22,000 gallons; flax, 8000 pounds; tobacco, 1275; hay, cut, 413,000 tons.

INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.

This youthful state has made rapid advances in internal communication, although she has been provided by nature with an excellent and cheap highway to nearly all her borders, in the inland seas which surround her. In January, 1853, she had 474 miles of railroad completed, which connect Detroit and Monroe with Chicago, Illinois, and various interior towns in Michigan. Detroit is also connected with Pontiac, and Adrian with Toledo, Ohio. A portion of the Southern Railroad leaves Michigan and passes into Indiana, about 40 miles east of Lake Michigan. A contract was entered upon in 1853 for constructing a ship canal round the rapids on St. Mary's River, to connect Lakes Superior and Huron, and to be completed in 1855. This work, when in operation, must add greatly to the commercial importance of Michigan, and enhance the value of the copper, iron, and lead mines on the shores of Lake Superior.