64 BIG SPRING PRAIRIE. 
Just north of the area represented by map II, there 
occurs a large area which has been repeatedly, but most 
of it not severely burned. The shrubs on this area are: 
Salix fluviatilis (Sand-bar Willow); Salix bebbiana 
(Bebb’s Willow); Lambucus canadensis (Elderberry); 
Rosa carolina (Swamp Rose); Potentilla fruticosa 
(Shrubby Cinquefoil); but the Rosa and Potentilla are 
not as frequent as on those areas not visited by prairie 
fires. Occasionally Populus monilifera, Populus tremu- 
loides, Rubus villosus, and Rubus occidentalis also oc- 
cur. Where the sod is most completely destroyed Ur- 
tica gracilis is by far the most abundant plant, while 
Thalictrum polygonum, Solidago canadensis, Koellia 
virginiana, Epilobium lineare, and Eupatorium perfo- 
liatum are next most abundant, as are also various spe- 
cies of Bidens. Ambrosia, and Dipsacus sylvestris. 
Where the sod is completely destroyed the Urtica and 
the weeds from cultivated ground predominate; on the 
other portions the original plants maintain their foot- 
hold. ‘Those species with deepseated and extensive 
underground rootstocks are the most successful ones in 
holding their own. The general type of plant society 
of this prairie area would be designated as Hydro- 
mesophytic. 
MEADOW SOCIETIES ON AREAS FORMERLY CULTIVATED. 
At western extremity of prairie, and some distance 
south of the Bower Ditch there occurs a meadow of 
this type which contains 60 acres. It is extremely well 
sodded, but has been so closely pastured, that it was 
impossible to determine the species of grasses, but, 
most likely, the same combination of grass seeds were 
sown here as in the meadow just north of Carey. A 
woods occurred just west of the pasture field. This 
area differs from the two pasture fields discussed under 
map II, as there are so few species of plants to be 
found upon it. 
