16 Ohservatims on the Flora of the Western States. [January, 



sunny prairie, every shady grove — the ravines, bluffs, and river-bottoms. 

 But now they fly like the timid deer before the advancing tide of civili- 

 zation, and are already strangers in half the land. The scythe and 

 axe are sweeping them from the fields — the rooting swine and browsing 

 cattle, from the wild prairies and woods. They retire and give place, not 

 only to the favorite grains and fruits, but also to those foreign vagrants — 

 the naturalized weeds, which ever follow close on the steps of civilized 

 man. 



In regions comparatively broken and sterile, like New England, there 

 are numerous safe retreats for the wild flowers, as well as wild beasts, 

 in the mountain and wilderness, whither the forces of husbandry can 

 never follow. But in the fertile regions of these western valleys there 

 are found no such retreats beyond the reach of the plough and of forag- 

 ing cattle. " Art usurps the bowers of nature " everywhere, and changes 

 the destiny of every foot of soil. Already the despairing botanist 

 searches in vain on the hills, ravines, and plains, far around Cincinnati, 

 for numerous native species which Xuttall, Lea, Eiddell, etc., a few 

 years ago, found abundant in all this territory ; and he anticipates the 

 day as not very distant when entire species of these beautiful beings, 

 unless preserved in botanic gardens, will be forever blotted from the 

 book of nature. 



We have characterized this plant-region as the realm of the Phlox 

 and Liriodendron. This, however, is entirely arbitrary. A hundred 

 other genera, equally abundant, might fairly claim the honor of giving 

 character to our flora. Of the twenty-five species of the Phlox, all save 

 one are exclusively native of North America, and twelve of these 

 flourish all over the prairies and barrens of the Western States. In 

 spring and early summer their rich purple flowers adorn the wild prairies 

 in such numbers as often to tinge the prevailing green with the hue of 

 flame, thus suggesting the significant name of the genus, {(fXo^ — flame) . 

 Many of the species are cultivated in the gardens both of America and 

 Europe— particularly the Moss-Pink (P. mhulata) , Drummond's Phlox 

 {P. Dnnmnondii), spotted Phlox (P. maculata), and Phlox acuminata, 

 which have sported into numerous varieties. 



Among trees, the Liriodendron— tulip-tree — is the undoubted monarch 

 of the Western forests. It grows native in nearly all the States, save 

 the New England, extending from the great lakes to the Mexican Gulf ; 

 yet is most abundant and characteristic in the valley of the Ohio. Eew 

 vegetables are endowed with an equal combination of interesting traits. 

 Its dimensions are magnificent, it being often one hundred and forty feet 

 in hight, and its trunk eight feet in diameter. Its foliage is very 



