WISCONSIN.

WISCONSIN (or Ouisconsin) was admitted by act of Congress, February 9, 1847, as an independent state of the American Union. Portions of its original territory were settled by the French as early as 1670. It passed from French to British jurisdiction in 1763, and so remained until 1794. After being connected with, and successively disconnected from, the respective States of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Michigan, it was organized as a distinct territory of the United States in 1836. In 1838 it was further diminished in size by the separation from its present south-western border of what now forms the State of Iowa; and, in 1849, still further lessened, by setting off the remainder of the region lying west of the Mississippi, now known as Minnesota Territory.

BOUNDARIES AND EXTENT.

The state, as now established, extends from the Illinois line, in latitude 42° 30' north, to latitude 45° 20', and reaches from Lake Michigan on the east to the Mississippi River on the west. Its extreme length, measured angularly, from north-east to south-west, is about 380 miles; its breadth, from east to west, varies from 150 to 200 miles; and its estimated area, as officially returned, is 53,924 square miles.

RIVERS.

The principal rivers are, the Mississippi, which flows along its western border for a distance of 275 miles. The Wisconsin has its entire course within the state, flows centrally, and enters the Mississippi on its western border. It is navigable to the portage of Fox or Neenah River, where a canal is being made, which, when completed, with the contemplated improvements of Fox River, will make a navigable communication between the Mississippi and the lakes. The Chippewa enters the Mississippi farther north-west, and is a large river, and St. Croix River forms a portion of its extreme west boundary. Rock River rises and flows partly in this state. The other principal rivers are the Menominee River on its east border, enters Green Bay, and the Montreal Lake Superior; and there are several other small streams entering Lake Superior. The Milwaukie, Sheboygan, and others enter Lake Michigan. The other most noted streams are the Wolf, Bad Axe, and Black Rivers. The principal lakes within its borders are Winnebago, Horican, Kashkohong, and the four lakes in the south, and many small ones in the north.

CLIMATE.

This thriving state, which has surpassed every other, except California, in the unexampled rapidity of its growth, is the theme of almost unmingled praise of the tourist and the emigrant from every part of Europe

and America.

Its beautiful lakes, rolling prairies, swelling uplands, and "oak openings," (i. e., lands covered with a scattered growth of oak,) fertile soil, its fine angling, abundance of game, and healthy climate, tempt thither alike the permanent settler, the sportsman, and the lover of the picturesque. The climate, though severe, and the winters long, is more regular, and more free from those frequent and unhealthy changes that prevail farther south. The lakes, too, exert a mitigating influence, the temperature being 610 higher on the lake than on the Mississippi side. The lake shore is also more moist, but the state generally is drier than in the same parallels farther east. From records kept between 1835 and 1845, it appears the Milwaukie River was closed on an average from November 22 to March 26; and steamboats arrived at Mineral Point from February 26 to April 16, closing from November 16 to December 4. The diseases consequent upon clearing lands are less frequent, it is said, in this than other new states, owing to the open nature of the country in the oak openings. The number of deaths in the year ending June, 1850, were 2884, or less than 10 in every thousand persons; while Massachusetts had about 20.

SURFACE AND SOIL.

The natural feature peculiar to Wisconsin is the uniformity of its elevation and shape of its surface, which is neither mountainous, hilly, nor flat, but gently undulating. The country west of Sugar River and

south of the Wisconsin is somewhat broken, principally by the dividing ridge upon which the road from Madison to Prairie du Chien passes. In this section, known as the Mines, are several peculiar elevations called Mounds. West of the Wisconsin River is a range of high hills, being the only elevations in the state either deserving or assuming the dignity of mountains. The south-eastern portion of the state is marked by ravines at the streams, but little depressed below the surrounding level. Its prominent features are the prairie, destitute of tree or shrub, covered only by a luxuriant growth of grass, interspersed with flowers of every hue; the oak opening, the lake, the woodland on the border of streams, and the natural meadow. Proceeding north, to the Fox and Wisconsin Rivers, and Green Bay, the timber increases, and the soil gradually changes from the vegetable mould of the prairie to a sandy loam. The surface also becomes somewhat depressed and uneven, diversified with timber, rolling prairie, large marshes, and extensive swamps, having an abundant growth of cranberries and wild rice. Still north and west the surface becomes more uneven, and the streams rapid, affording an abundance of water power for the manufacture of lumber from the immense forests of evergreen scarcely surpassed on the western continent.

The soil of the prairie consists of a dark brown vegetable mould, from one to two feet in depth, very mellow, and entirely destitute of stone or gravel, and, for fertility and agricultural properties, cannot be surpassed.