478 



NATURALIST'S CUIDE TO THE AMERICAS 



this area consists in the fact that the 

 variety of tree growth probably is not 

 exceeded by that of any section of North 

 America. 



The area lies 2§ mi. north of the center 

 of Olney, and is reached by several good 

 roads. — Robert Ridgway. 



The Valley of the Little Wabash River. 

 (Junction of Richland, Clay and Wagner 

 Counties.) Apart from its historical 

 interest, including, as it does, the place 

 where General George Rogers Clark 

 crossed the Little Wabash with his little 

 army undergoing almost insurmount- 

 able difficulties during his memorable 

 march from Kaskaskia to Vincennes, 

 this area is an important one from a 

 biological standpoint, on account of the 

 large number of distinctively southern 

 plants which here reach the northern 

 limit of their natural range. 



Although the great part, both bottoms 

 and uplands, has been cleared and the 

 remaining woodland for the most part 

 heavily culled, there remain limited 

 areas of practically virgin forest, while 

 extensive tracts have grown up with 

 dense young forest. — Robert Ridgway. 



The region adjacent to the mouth of 

 White River in Indiana and Illinois. 

 This area is of very special ecological 

 interest, and in my opinion is decidedly 

 the most important of any that I have 

 in mind. The cypress swamps, occupy- 

 ing a considerable portion of ' 'The Neck' ' 

 immediately above the mouth of White 

 River, represent a "survival pocket" 

 of the flora of the ancient Gulf Embay- 

 ment. A number of distinctly southern 

 species occur or did occur here that 

 seem to have disappeared from the area 

 lying between White River and the 

 mouth of the Wabash. Here the cypress 

 reached its northern limit in the Missis- 

 sippi Valley and attained a development 

 comparable to that of the extreme south. 



I do not know how much of this re- 

 markable association is left, but I fear 

 a large part of it has disappeared through 

 clearing, drainage, and cultivation. 

 There might still be found a fairly repre- 

 sentative remnant. — Robert Ridgway. 



"Bird Haven." (Richland County.) 

 "A large variety of trees may be found 

 within the limits of this small native 

 woodland. The plants of "Bird Haven," 

 a tract of 18 acres near Olney, Richland 

 County, have been listed by the owner, 

 Mr. Robert Ridgway, America's noted 

 ornithologist. The list given shows how 

 well the term "mixed hardwood forest" 

 applies even to a small tract of the native 

 forests of the Central States. 



"Twenty-two families are represented 

 and in addition, the white mulberry is 



growing spontaneously as an exotic in 

 Bird Haven; it is thoroughly naturalized 

 in Richland County. 



"While Bird Haven is so well supplied 

 with trees growing naturally these do 

 not constitute all the native plant life 

 of this small area. Probably no other 

 forest area of Hlinois has had all its vege- 

 tation so carefully and accurately listed 

 as Bird Haven. Mr. Ridgway's detailed 

 lists show the great variety of plant life 

 to be found there. Of woody species 

 growing naturally there were 60 trees, 

 17 shrubs and 12 climbers, a total of 89 

 native plants. In addition, other woody 

 species native to Illinois have been 

 planted at Bird Haven as follows: 13 

 trees, 6 shrubs, 3 climbers, or 22 in all 

 making a total of woody plants of 111 

 species. To this number must be added 

 a list of 227 herbaceous plants, growing 

 naturally, making a grand total of 338 

 plant species accurately determined." — 

 Fro7n Ridgleij's "The Geography of 

 Illinois." 



3. Coniferous forests 



pUpland Shortleaf Pine Forest. 

 (Union County.) About 200 acres ex- 

 tending in a lengthwise direction along 

 the bluffs facing the Mississippi River, 

 known locally as the "Pine Hills." 

 Elevation in places 800 ft. At one time 

 these hills furnished some merchantable 

 pine timber and the pine is likely capable 

 of extension if fires are kept out. Fauna 

 very much the same as that of the upland 

 oak-hickory forests of that region. The 

 wild Azalea is characteristic of these 

 chert hills. 



14 mi. south of Gorham, Missouri 

 Pacific or Illinois Central R. R.; j 

 mi. east from (w) Wolf Lake Station. — 

 R. B. Miller. 



pWhite Pine Grove. (Ogle County.) 

 The largest of the remaining native 

 stands of white pine characteristic of the 

 Rock River region, situated on Pine 

 Creek. It has an area of 240 acres which 

 might be extended by thinnings in the 

 hardwoods and by natural regeneration 

 to! 300 acres. Forest conditions are 

 similar to those found in the New Eng- 

 land white pine forests. Trees are 

 about 75 years old, many of them being 

 two ft. in diameter at breast _ height. 

 Natural reproduction is now being pre- 

 vented by the grazing of cattle. Pine 

 Creek is a beautiful little stream with 

 high bluffs fringed with juniper and its 

 more level lands covered with black 

 walnut. 



5 mi. east of Polo (a); on the C. B.& 

 Q. and the Illinois Central railroads. — 

 R. B. Miller. 



