Niagra Falls, the grandest cataract in the world, belong in part to the state of New York. Many of our readers have visited the falls in the summer season and doubtless all of them have read descriptions of them. The Niagara River is the channel by which all the waters of the lakes flow toward the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Geologists say that the gorge through which the Niagara River flows below the falls bears evidence of having been excavated by the river itself. Niagara Falls draws around 12 million visitors per year. Niagara Falls was formed 12,000 years ago, making it fairly young in geographic terms. The water falling in this distance about fifty-two feet. For seven miles below the falls the narrow gorge continues, varying in width from 200 to 400 yards. In 1615, In 1750 the falls were visited by Kalm, a Swedish naturalist, whose description of Niagara was published in 1751.