90 BIG SPRING PRAIRIE. 
rapidly in value. Before the real value of the land was 
known, little effort was made to check the ravages of 
prairie fires, unless they threatened fences and other 
property; but now such means are employed as are 
illustrated by Fig. 5. Mr. Johnson was practically 
acquainted with the Creston Marsh, Scioto Marsh, 
Hog Creek Marsh and other similar areas. He knew 
what amount of ditching was required to render these 
marshes fit for successful culture of the various crops 
to be grown upon them. On the Creston Marsh, a five 
to ten acre field surrounded by ditches is well drained, 
while but little more ditching is required to drain the 
Scioto and Hog Creek Marshes. Mr. Johnson, not 
recognizing that Big Spring Prairie is a peculiar area 
on account of the great water content of the soil and 
its capacity for holding same, at first, constructed his 
lateral ditches 25 rods apart. He soon learned that 
this was not sufficient to drain this land properly, and, 
after experimenting, found it necessary to construct 
either tile or open ditches every 4 rods. On account of 
the origin of the soil water from the enclosing ridges, 
the temperature of this soilis lower than that of the 
other marsh areas mentioned; but this very factor 
renders this area most suitable for the successful cult- 
ure of celery and onions. It also accounts for the 
presence of the Betula pumila and the Salix myrtil- 
loides on the natural prairie areas. Fig. 20 gives a 
typical scene on Wild Rose Celery Farm. 
In 1901, Mr. Edwin Brown caused the heath C of 
Map II. to be cleared off, and 20 acres of it were planted 
to onions. This crop netted him about $1200. This 
gave an added impetus to the cultivation of the prairie. 
At present the principal crops are onions, celery, pota- 
toes, and other garden truck. The various onion 
growers are learning from experience that the amount 
of drainage required on other marsh areas of Ohio with 
which they are acquainted, is not adequate for the 
successful cultivation of the Big Spring Prairie. 
