6 REPORT ON THE TIMBERS OF GRAYSON, 
different kinds of trees. Mr. Crandall originated the idea, 
in 1874, of studying hill timber with reference to the points. 
of the compass, in order to see the difference in timber pro- 
duced by a northern, southern, eastern, or western exposure. 
In order to do that a rounded hill is selected, and at its base 
four plots of ground are chosen, on the north, south, east, and 
west sides respectively, and the per centage of different tim- 
bers carefully noted; then four other plots, half way up the 
hill, are chosen and counted in the same way; and finally the 
timber of the hilltop is carefully noted. Observations of this 
kind, extending over a considerable area, give sufficient data 
to show the effects upon the timber, both of the height above 
drainage and of direction of exposure. On page 16 of this 
report is a diagram giving the result of such observations 
made by me in Western Kentucky. I have also tried to con- 
nect any marked changes in the timber with the geological 
changes that caused them. Of course this is not always pos- 
sible, for the conditions of timber growth are confined largely 
to the surface of the ground. It is, therefore, possible that a 
local change of the surface stratum will produce a change in 
the per centage of different timbers without the geological 
change being sufficient to notice. It is a question whether, if 
the flora of a country were closely studied with reference to 
its condition of growth, it would not form a nicer index to the 
surface changes of soils than the geologist now possesses. 
Up to this time, however, botany and geology have not been 
sufficiently connected to render them mutual aids in difficult 
cases. 
While speaking of the connection between geology and 
botany, I wish to call attention to a rather marked example of 
it in Grayson county. The coal-measure series crosses the 
Leitchfield and Hartford road, in a very irregular northwest 
and southeast direction, about 12 miles from Leitchfield. The 
line of juncture between it and the Sub-carboniferous can be 
easily traced towards the Paducah Railroad. After crossing 
this juncture, on through the coal measures north to the Ohio, 
the liriodendron tulipfera (tulip tree, erroneously called yellow 
64 
