Vol. 41 No. 7 
BULLETIN 
OF THE 
TORREY BOTANICAL CLUB 
eee 
JULY,-1914 
A black-soil prairie station in northeastern Illinois 
ARTHUR G. VESTAL 
(WITH SEVEN TEXT FIGURES) 
The prairie station described in this account is an example of 
perhaps the most luxuriant type of prairie, the mesophytic prairie- 
grass of the eastern border of the prairie region. This type is 
particularly well developed in the upper Wisconsin glaciation of 
northeastern Illinois, and until recently small and scattered areas 
of this type of prairie were still abundant west of Chicago as far 
as the Fox River and beyond. In the last ten years, however, 
the extension and development of suburban areas, and disturbance 
of relic colonies of prairie along railroad rights-of-way, have 
diminished the areas of original prairie to a small fraction of their 
recent extent. The particular area described possibly owes its 
survival to the fact that it is not large, and that it is nearly sur- 
rounded by forest and by prairie sloughs. 
The station lies immediately north of the tracks of the Chicago 
Great Western railroad, very near the stopping-place of the Aurora, 
, Elgin, and Chicago electric road known as Stratford Hills. It is 
} one mile east of Elmhurst, and lies at the summit of a morainal 
' ridge. The boundary separating Cook and Du Page counties 
Passes through the area, which may conveniently be known as 
the county line prairie. The forest adjoining is also of interest 
to botanists, and the border zone between prairie and forest is 
still in good condition. The writer first visited the locality in 
1905, and has made observations there and near by during four 
Summers since that time. He wishes to express obligation to 
ele ye 
(The BuLLETIN for June (41: 319-350. pl. 8) was issued 22 Jl r9t4.] 
351 
