210 
est recorded grant in the County of Kings was made in June, 1636, 
to Jacob Van Corlaer, who purchased from the Indians a flat of 
land between the North River and the Fast River. These * flats ”’ 
which upon cultivation were incorporated into the village of “* New 
Amersfoort ” 
in the Flatlands, were, according to Stiles, “ minia- 
ture prairies, devoid of trees, and having a dark-colored surface 
soil; and having undergone a certain rude culture by the Indians, 
were ready, without much previous toil, for the plough. On this 
account they were most sought for, and first purchased by the 
original settlers, who being natives of the low and level lands of 

Holland and Belgium, were inexperienced in the clearing of for- 
ests.” As to the kinds of trees which were on these lands, we 
have only occasional surveyors’ reports such as the following 
[ Stiles, p. 51]: T have surveyed [9th January, 1695] for Adriaen 
Sennett a certain parcel of land... it runs alongst the said lane 
and imarkt trees to a certain chestnut standing on the top of the 
hill, marked with three notches, and thence to a black oak standing 
on the south side of the said hill.” In commenting on the early 

names of Long Island (Mectowacks, Seawanhacky ,ete., all mean- 
ing “Island of Shells), Thompson (1.c., p. 94) mentions that 
“the land was in most places destitute of timber.” 
The vegetation of Queens County, as stated by Mather and 
Brockett (1.c, p. 160) was * principally oak, hickory, chestnut 
and locust! in great abundance. In the northern part, the apple, 
pear, peach, cherry, &c., thrive well. Wheat, corn, and grass, are 
” 
also favorite crops. 

Farther to the eastward, where the suburban developments of 
Garden City, Hempstead, and Mineola now spread themselves out, 
there can be seen portions (fig. 1) of the Hempstead Plain, a 
treeless area of natural prairie originally sixteen miles in length 
and covering sixty thousand acres. The soil, as described by 
we 
Flint (p. 19) was “too porous to be plowed,” and “no attempt 
was made at cultivation until within a hundred years, when it was 
1 The locust tree is not native to Long Island, but according to reports, 
was brought from Virginia at an early date. It has established itself ex- 
ceedingly well, spreading into dense thickets which have the appearance of 
a native growth. A recently recognized variety, especially abundant on 
Long Island, hae exceptional aa and the wood is unusually ae when 
in contact with the soil (see B. Y. Morrison. Science. Oct. 
