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AUG. 4, 1950
PETERS

COALCOMAN, MICHOACAN.

SPENT 8 DAYS HERE, FLYING IN JULY 27 FROM COLIMA, A 45 MINUTE FLIGHT. THE CITY IS SET IN A BROAD VALLEY AT ABOUT 3200 FEET BY MY ALTIMETER. LOCAL RECINDS CLAIM 3900 FEET FOR THE TOWN, 3500 SEEMS A LITTLE CLOSER TO ACCURATE. THE VALLEY IS WELL WATERED, AND ALMOST THE ENTIRE FLOOR IS UNDER CULTIVATION, AS WELL AS A LARGE PORTION OF THE HILLS SURROUNDING IT ARE ALSO CLEARED AND CULTIVATED. THERE IS ALMOST NO ORIGINAL FOREST LEFT IN THE ENTIRE COALCOMAN AREA, AND MOST OF THE HILLSIDE VEGETATION IS SCRUBBY AND SECOND OR THIRD GROWTH. THERE ARE OAKS IN THE VALLEY RED PINES ABOVE ABOUT 3700-4000 FEET. THE FAUNA OF THE FLOOR OF VALLEY SHOWS A [[STRIKEOUT]] STRONG SIMILARITY WITH THAT OF THE LOWLANDS, AND THERE IS QUITE A BIT OF THORN BUSH AND SO ON [[STRIKEOUT]] THERE. THERE SEEMS TO BE QUITE A CHANGE AS ONE CLIMBS THE HILLS HEREABOUTS, HOWEVER, AND IT IS POSSIBLE TO GO UP TO 4500-5000 FEET WITHIN 5 MILES OF TOWN, I WOULD JUDGE. FIRST ONE ENTERS MORE [[INSERTION]] BROADLEAF [[/INSERTION]] DECIDUOUS TYPE FOREST, WITH THE THINNING OF THE ACACIAS(MIMOSAS?) AND OTHER THORNY THINGS, AND FINALLY INTO SCATTERED PINES. I'VE SEEN ONLY ONE REALLY GOOD PINE STAND, AT LOS RANCHOS, ON THE AQUILA HIGHWAY (ABOUT 1/4 MI. NW). THERE PINES ARE THICK EVEN ON THE E. SLOPES TO COVER THE GROUND WITH NEEDLES.
THERE ARE MANY, MANY ROCKS AND BOULDERS ON THE HILLSIDES, PRINCIPALLY FROM EXFOLIATING LIMESTONES. ALL OF THE HILLS HERE ARE OF LIMESTONE ORIGIN, AND ARE TREMENDOUSLY FOLDED AND FAULTED. THEY ARE QUITE FOSSILIFEROUS. THE SOIL IS STILL A REDDISH SANDY CLAY, WITH PROBABLY A HIGH LIME CONTENT. THERE ARE CAVES IN THE LIMESTONE, SOME OF THEM SUPPOSEDLY QUITE LARGE. THERE ARE ALSO MANY SPRINGS AND STREAMS IN THE HILLS, ALTHO APPARENTLY MANY OF THEM DRY UP IN THE DRY SEASON.