Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XII.djvu/607

 OHIO 593 found in one or two localities in 1ST. E. Ohio, associated with coals No. 1 and No. 4 ; but the most important deposit overlies coal No. 7, at the base of the barren measures, in Tuscarawas and Stark cos., where it attains a maximum thickness of 16 ft. It is there of considerable economic value, and is used in the manufac- ture of iron at Massillon, Dover, and Port Wash- ington. The ores chiefly used in the exten- sive iron manufactures of Ohio, which ranks second among the iron-producing states, are obtained from the Lake Superior region, whence they are shipped to and distributed from Cleve- land. Several varieties of fire clay underlie the coal seams, and at certain horizons clays are ob- tained which are valuable hi the manufactures of pottery, fire brick, &c. ; as those under coal No. 3 and coal No. 5, which are largely used on the upper Ohio and elsewhere in the E. part of the state. The products manufactured from these clays reach an annual value of over $1,000,000. Some of the finest building stones found in the country are obtained from the sandstones of the Waverley group at Amherst and Berea in northern Ohio, and from Waver- ley and Buena Vista in the S. part of the state. From all these localities large quantities of free- stone, as well as flagging and grindstones, are exported to other states. The cornif erous lime- stone has already been mentioned; and the sandstones of the coal measures also yield good building stone. Large quantities of white limestone have been taken from the great quarries in Montgomery and adjacent counties. Gypsum is mined from the Salina group at Sandusky, and is used both for architectural purposes and as a dressing for land. Salt is produced in many localities, as at Pomeroy in Meigs co., in Athens, Morgan, and Tuscarawas cos., derived mainly from the rocks of the Wa- verley group. Oil is obtained in small quanti- ties from Mecca, Trumbull co., Grafton, Lo- rain co., and Liverpool, Medina co., from the "Waverley ; and more abundantly in southern Ohio on Duck creek, Noble co., from the coal measures, though its source is in the deeper strata of the Devonian. Lime of excellent quality is made from the Niagara and cornif er- ous limestones in many localities in the western half of the state. Hydraulic cement is made in Belmont, Lucas, and Auglaize cos. At Barnesville in the former county 12,337 bar- rels were made in 1873, of a quality equal to any produced in this country. The climate is pleasant and healthful. There are great and rapid changes in temperature, but the con- stantly varying winds prevent long continued extremes. In 1874 the mean temperature for the year was 49 '76 at Cleveland, lat. 41 30', and 55-24 at Cincinnati, lat. 39 6'; the amount of rainfall was 38-43 inches at the for- mer and 33-38 inches at the latter city. Ohio holds a very high rank as an agricultural state. Its broad area of fertile valleys and undulating and table lands, its extensive hills, so favorable for raising sheep and other stock on a large scale, its great shipping facilities on the north- ern and southern borders, and its network of railroads, afford unusual advantages for this industry. According to the federal census of 1870, Ohio ranked first among the states in the production of wool, flax, flax seed, and maple molasses ; next to Illinois and New York in the extent of improved land in farms and in the total value of farm productions ; to New York in the cash value of farms and the value of orchard and forest products ; to Illinois in the amount of wheat produced and the value of animals slaughtered or sold for slaughter; to Pennsylvania in the production of clover seed ; to Illinois and Iowa in Indian corn ; to Vermont and New York in maple sugar ; and to Indiana in sorghum molasses. According to returns made by the state authorities in 1874, Ohio ranked fifth among the states in the production of wheat and oats, third in In- dian corn, and sixth in barley. In regard to the production of wheat, Ohio may be divided into three districts stretching across the state from E. to W. In 1873 the average yield per acre was 14'02 bushels in the northern, 12-61 in the central, and 10'36 in the southern dis- trict. More than a fifth of the entire wool clip of the country in 1870 was produced in Ohio, which contained more than a sixth of all the sheep in the United States. In 1874 there were more sheep reported in California than in Ohio, but their value was less. Of the 27,133,034 Ibs. of flax produced in the Uni- ted States in 1870, 17,880,624 Ibs. were the product of Ohio. As a dairy state Ohio with New York and Pennsylvania is in the first rank. In 1870 each of the latter states con- tained more milch cows and produced more butter than Ohio ; but in the amount of cheese produced and the quantity of milk sold Ohio ranked next to New York. The leading dairy counties are in the N. E. part of the state, known as the "Western Eeserve, the most im- portant being Lorain, Trumbull, Ashtabula, Geauga, Portage, Medina, Cuyahoga, Summit, and Ashland. During the 14 years ending with 1873 the average annual production of butter was 37,613,639 Ibs., and of cheese 23,- 981,990 Ibs. According to the federal cen- sus of 1870, the state contained in farms 14,- 469,133 acres of improved land, 6,883,575 of woodland, and 359,712 of other unimproved land. The total number of farms was 195,953, containing an average of 111 acres each; 7,028 contained from 3 to 10 acres, 13,794 from 10 to 20, 55,286 from 20 to 50, 71,066 from 50 to 100, 48,072 from 100 to 500, 454 from 500 to 1,000, and 69 had over 1,000 acres. The cash value of farms was $1,054,465,226 ; of farming implements and machinery $25,692,787; total amount of wages paid during the year, inclu- ding value of board, $16,480,778 ; total estima- ted value of all farm productions, including betterments and additions to stock, $198,256,- 907 ; orchard products, $5,843,679 ; produce of market gardens, $1,289,272; forest products,