PRAIRIE OF THE UNITED STATES 



riverside forests, are found (especially in the east). The 

 real prairie has a blackish, loamy soil, covered sometimes by 

 the rich Buffalo or Mesquite grass, which forms a short, 

 velvety covering, not exactly a turf such as we find in Eng- 

 land, but still true grassland. It is only green in early 

 spring. 



From the spring onwards until the end of summer there 

 is an endless succession of flowers. The first spring blossoms 

 appear in April ; great stretches are covered with Pentstem- 

 ons, Cypripediums, and many others in May and June ; then 

 follow tall, herbaceous Phloxes, Lilies, and Asclepiads, but 

 perhaps the most characteristic flora blossoms still later on, 

 when every one "wants to be in Kansas when the Sunflowers 

 bloom." Over these prairies used to travel the great wagons 

 or "prairie schooners."' The cowboy, who almost lives on 

 horseback, watches over great herds of cattle and troops 

 of half-wild horses. Yet his life is, or used to be, almost as 

 free, comfortless, and uncivilized as that of the buffalo- 

 hunting Indian who preceded him. One must not forget to 

 mention the prairie-dog — able to utilize the abundant grass, 

 and diving into a safe refuge underground when threatened 

 by the wolves or other carnivorous creatures, which, of 

 course, multiplied exceedingly, thanks to the jack-hare, ante- 

 lopes, and bisons. 



The Pampas in South America is a similar grassland. On 

 the east it stops at the woodlands along the great Plate 

 River, but on the west it becomes gradually more dry and 

 arid, until long before the Andes are reached it is too dry 

 even to carry sheep, and can only be described as a half- 

 desert. 



" It is a boundless sea of grasses fading into the distant 

 horizon, which can only be distinguished when the sun is 



221 



