situated on, or among
the mountains, and others extend their eastern borders up the west-
ern slope. About a quarter of the county is mountainous, or has
a soil of similar characteristics. The soil of this tract is generally
loam of variable compactness, and some is gravelly or sandy. Some
of the hills are so stony or steep as to be better suited for pasture
than for tilling. But large portions are not too stony or steep to be
excellent tilling lands, and are quite productive of many valuable
crops. When opened for a season to the influence of the sun, they
produce good crops of corn, spring wheat and other grains, and they
are especially valuable for grazing. The alluvial lands on the
branches of White River in the eastern towns, and on other streams,
are especially valuable forthese purposes. The towns west of the
mountains are in part very level, and in part, what may be called
HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY. »
rolling, with a few hills too prominent to bear that designation.
Among -which is Snake Mountain, a long ridge of moderately ele-
vated land, lying on the borders of each of the towns of Addison,
Weybridge and Bridport. In these towns, the prevailing soil is
clay, of different degrees of stiffness, with some loam, gravelly and
sandy land, on the more elevated portions, which rise above Avhat is
said by geologists, to ha.ve been once covered with water.
On the borders of Lake Champlain, especially in the towns of
Addison, Panton and Ferrisburgh, are very extensive flat lands,
composed of clay, with a mixture of vegetable substances, which
were obviously once the bottom of the lake.