34 



When the early explorers paddled their birch canoes from the Ohio up 

 the Wabash and its tributaries they passed through a great wilderness 

 of native forests of giant oaks, elms, maples and beeches. From the 

 very banks of the streams where they landed to the tops of the highest 

 hills was one unbroken covering of the forest primeval. The tall syca- 

 mores, lining the river banks like sentinels, crowded into the rushing 

 waters the overhanging willows at their feet and guarded the giant elms, 

 hard}' soft maples and buckeyes of the rich river bottoms, while from the 

 higher ground looked down the tall and rugged oaks, the mighty l)ee(lies 

 and hard maples, walnuts, ashes and hickories, with here and there a 

 towering tulip, all vying with each other for soil and sunshine. The Ioav- 

 lands of the north were clothed to the very water's edge with tamarack, 

 ash and soft maples and the sterile soil of the south supported a thick 

 growth of cedars and scrub oaks. Everywhere trees and shrubs of lesser 

 size struggled witli each other and with multitudes of herbaceous plants 

 for every inch of soil and ray of sunshine. The records of the dimen- 

 sions of some of these giants of our virgin forest seem past belief. A few 

 illustrations will suffice. 



Red maple — Height, 108 feet; circumference, 13 feet. 



Hickory— Height, 150 feet. 



Tulip- Heiglit, 190 feet; circumference, 25 feet. 



Sycamore- Height. 120 feet: diametei", 13 feet. 



Cottonwood— Height, 150 feet; diameter, 8 feet. 



White ();ik--Height. l."(t feet; circumference, 20 feet. 



r.asswood-Heiglit. lOd feet; circumference, llVy feet. 



'J'he for(^st floor was a spongy mass of forest litter that held in its pores 

 tlve products of many rains and freely gave of its wealth to thirsty soil of 

 open areas and to the multitudes of springs that Ivept the I'ivers to a \u\\- 

 form volume. Birds and animals of many kinds and in gi'eat numbers 

 found here a suitable home, while the streams were stocked with an 

 abundance of fish whose nearly ideal environment gave no suggestion of 

 future extermination. Such AA^as the picture of the forest primeval. 



This condition, contrasted with the one Ave noAv see about us, tells 

 of striking changes during a short period. Everywliere level fields of 

 beautiful corn. Avheat. and other crops clothe the tracts that were once 

 covered with forests. 



In 1870 the State contained 7.180.:',34 acres of forest, which was one- 

 third of its era. This acreage iilaced Indiana well up in the list of for- 



