32 



occupying ground on which tlie forest had been destroyed by Indian fires. To 

 the west, in the valley of the Wabash, were wide meadows covered with long grass. 

 In the northern third of our territory were prairies and sloughs alternating with 

 wooded sand hills and reedy swamps, imperfectly drained by a network of slug- 

 gish streams, which in turn gave place to extensive marshes toward Lake Mich- 

 igan. 



The southern portion of the State was more heavily timbered. Perhaps no- 

 where could America show more magnificent forests of deciduous trees, or more 

 noble specimens of the characteristic forms than existed in the valleys of the 

 Wabash and Whitewater. The trees decreased in size to the northward, those 

 along the great lakes being noticeably inferior. The number of coniferous trees 

 was small and was confined to restricted areas. Tiiose found were poor represent- 

 atives of their species. 



The forests were made up of many kinds of trees growing together indis- 

 criminately. Here and there certain groups and occasionally a species were 

 found predominating. In various localities the character of the forest was dif- 

 ferent. Oak, ash, liickory, maple, beech and elm were prevailing trees, 

 varying much in number and proportion. In some places the Tulip Poplar 

 (Liriodendron tulipifera L. ) was very numerous, often attaining great size — the 

 largest tree of the primitive forests. 



Forty-two kinds of trees in the Wabash valley attained a height above 100 

 feet. 1 The tallest recorded being a Tulip Poplar, 190 feet in heiglit. It was 

 twenty-five feet in circumference and ninety-one feet to the first limb.^ Many 

 thousands grew over the State measuring from three feet six inches to ten feet in di- 

 ameter. Numbers of Sweet Gum {Liquidamher styraciflua L. ) in the uuire fertile 

 ground in the southern part of the State, contended with the tulip [loplar in 

 height, and in beauty and symmetry exceeded it. Tliey attained a height of 130 

 to 150 feet and were three to four feet in diainetei- at the base, often i)reserving 

 almost the same size to the first limb. ^ In the oak woods there were giants too. 

 The Red Oak (Quercus rubra L. ), Scarlet Oak (Quercus coccinea Wangheim), Burr 

 Oak {Quercus m,icrocarpa Michaux), and White Oak (Quercus alba L. ) reaching a 

 girth of ten to twenty feet, and often a height of 125 to 150 feet. One instance 

 is re])orted of a Scarlet Oak 181 feet high.* 



1. Prof. Stanley Coulter: The Forf st Trees of Indiana, Trans^. Ind. Hort. Soo , 1S91, p. 8.. 



2. Dr. J. Schneck: Rept. Ind. Geological Survey, 1875, p. 512. 



3. R. Ridgway: Proo. U. S. National Museum, Vol. V, 1882, p. 67. 



4. R. Ridgway: Ibid, ii.SO. 



