The most level part of Vermont is that which lies on the banks of Lake Champlain, though the surface is broken by numerous water courses. Near the banks of the lake are some low swampy tracts, from which the country rises gradually to the base of the mountain region, and becomes hilly in approaching it, but the hills have such gentle slopes as to admit of cultivation almost everywhere. This plain is about 100 miles long, and in its southern districts less than 10 miles wide, but widens northward to 30 miles. The soil varies greatly, con sisting in many places of coarse gravel, while in others it contains much clay or loam, but a large portion of it is productive. It enjoys i great facilities by the lake and the Sorel Riverfor exporting its produce to Montreal in Canada.
Ilydrography, Commanications.—More than two-thirds of the drain age of Vermont rues into Lake Champlain, which is navigable by large vessels. [Cuatcrt..tax.) The largest rivers falling into that lake are Otter Creek, Onion River, Lamoille River, and Missisque River. Otter Creek rises on the western declivity of the Green Mountains, near 43' 15' N. 1st, and runs north by west, nearly parallel to Lake Champ lain, draining the southern part of the fertile plain on the east of the lake. Lake vessels ascend it to Vergennes, about eight miles from Its mouth, where the first falls occur ; it is navigable by boats to Pitts ford, 17 miles higher. Onion River originates in the mountain region of the centre; runs south-west past Montpelier, and falls into Lake Champlain, 5 miles N. from Burlington. Much of its course is remarkable for the romantic character of its scenery, and it is of great value for irrigation and for mechanical purposes. The Lamoille, which rises In the same region, also affords great hydraulic power. Both are greatly interrupted by rapids; have a very impetuous cur rent, and are unnavigable. lifissisque Rirer rises in Canada, and at first flows southward, parallel to Lake Memphramaseg. In approach ing Vermont it turns westward, but soon afterwards enters that state by a south-western course. At Sheldon, about 10 miles from its mouth, it becomes navigable for river-boats, and falls into Missisque Bay, the north-eastern arm of Lake Champlain, which is about 15 miles long and 8 miles wide, and in its whole extent navigable for lake vessels. The northern portion of Missisque Bay is within Lower Canada.
A few small rivers which drain the northern district of the moun tain region fall into Lake Memphramagog, of which about one-fifth part lies within Vermont. This lake has a curved form : it is nearly 90 miles long, but in no part exceeds 2 miles in width. It is sur rounded by mountains covered with forest-trees, and it discharges its waters into the St. Francis River of Canada by a channel which is
called Magog, and which enlarges about the middle of its course into a small lake called Scaswaninepua. Lake Memphramageg contains several kinds of fish, especially salmon-trout.
The Connecticut River, which divides Vermont from New Hamp shire, presents in the upper part of its course a continual succession of rapids and cataracts. The last of these cataracts, which entirely prevent navigation, are the Barnet Falls, which occur near 15'. Farther down there are several small falls and rapids; but from Haverhill (44' N. lat.) downwards the river is usually navigable for boats. All the rivers falling into the Connecticut from the Green Mountains are email, and none of them navigable.
The only canals in Vermont are three short cuts, altogether not a mile in length, made to avoid rapids and falls on the rivers. The railways are nearly all portions of the great trunk lines which connect New York, Boston, and the coast of New England with Canada and the North-Wee. On the 1st of January 1855, there were in Vermont seven lines of railway, having 419 miles in operation, and 59 miles were In course of construction. The ordinary carriage-roads are numerous, and generally well kept.
G:eology, Mineralogy, &c.—Tbo geology of Vermont belongs almost entirely to the Green Mountain system of M. Marcell, or the Oldest Meridional and Homan Mountain system of Professor Hitchcock. The rocks are for the most part eruptive, consisting chiefly of granites, but there are also many metamorphic rocks, including very fine crystalline limestones ; Mr. Logan has pointed out metamorphic fossiliferous rocks about Mempbmmagog Lake. The only non-igneous rocks are the bower Silurian strata, which skirt the eastern bank of Lake Cham plain. The minerals are as might be expected numerous. At several point. of the Green Mountain, quartzes° veins traverse itscolumites (a qnartzose conglomerate, which in South America and India forms the matrix of some of the most precious gems), and contain native gold, though not as far as is known in sufficient richness to be profit ably worked. In the neighbourhood of Brandon on the Otter Creek, copper of some richness has been found, in some instances in union with silver. Lead, zinc, and manganese are also met with. Iron-ore occurs In great abundance along the western base of the Green Moun tains. Sulphuret of iron is found in several localities, and an immense quantity of copperas is manufactured from it. Kaolin, or porcelain earth, is extensively wrought Marbles of various colours, and of very fine qualities are quarried in several places. Slate, soap-stone, oil-stone, granite, and other useful minerals are also quarried, and some of them very extensively.