BIG SPRING PRAIRIE. vA | 
feet higher than the level of prairie just north of Carey, 
and about ten to twelve feet higher than the lower end 
of old lake. Consequently, if the water was deep enough 
for canoeing upon the divide, and if the general level 
and slope were then as now, the depth of water just 
north of Carey must have been about eight feet and at 
the lower end of old lake about ten feet. But this is 
impossible, as it would have flooded the present site of 
Carey, and would have been drained into Spring Run. 
Either the statements are false; or the divide has 
been built up considerably within the last seventy years 
and the general level of prairie just north of Carey and 
of lower end of lake are considerably lower than form- 
etly. These last two phases will be further discussed 
under Drainage of Prairie, past and present and its ef- 
fect upon general level of same. 
It was impossible to get any reliable scientific data 
in regard to flora of prairie in the earlier part of the 
nineteenth century; but, according to statements of 
the pioneers, cattails, reeds, bulrushes, poison sumach 
(popularly called “poison shumake’’), boneset, wild 
sun-flowers, and sedges were more abundant; while 
willows occurred only along the border of prairie or 
marsh and on a few isolated spots which were slightly 
higher than the general level. The wild rose occurred 
less frequently than at present; and the elderberry, 
which became so common in late years did not occur at 
all upon the prairie until artificial drainage was put 
into operation. Before this, it was one of the common 
plants on certain portions of the ridges. 
Large areas of sedges, known as marsh grass by 
the old settlers, were mown for the hay. As no areas 
of any size were available for this purpose in late years, 
the almost pure sedge societies have been supplanted 
by other more-varied plant societies. 
Although the Big Spring Prairie was in reality a 
marsh, perhaps similar to the Skokie Marsh in northern 
