92 BIG SPRING PRAIRIE. 
For the successful culture of the above mentioned 
crops, the soil must be treated with fertilizers contain- 
ing potash and phosphates. On account of the in- 
creased value of this land, there will be little of the 
natural prairie remaining in a few years. 
A BRIEF COMPARISON OF BIG SPRING PRAIRIE WITH 
OTHER DRAINED MARSHES IN OHIO. 
The Scioto Marsh is drained by the Scioto River. 
There are no enclosing ridges of limestone with their 
practically impervious inclined strata. In consequence 
the water content of the soil of the Scioto Marsh is less 
than that of Big Spring Prairie, while at the same time 
the oxidation of the plant remains was more thorough. 
As a result of this the soil of the Scioto Marsh becomes 
finer under cultivation, and as the water content is less, 
the dry surface soil is more readily blown about by the 
winds. From this cause, the onion crop on the Scioto 
Marsh is frequently destroyed. The wind blows the 
soilaway from the onions, and the roots become ex- 
posed, and the crop is thus ruined. ‘This is not so 
likely to happen on Big Spring Prairie, as the water 
content of the soil is greater, especially on that portion 
northwest from Carey, hemmed in by the two adjacent 
ridges. In 1902, a considerable portion of the onion 
crop on Big Spring Prairie was injured partly by a late 
frost and partly by a peculiar sand-blast action of the 
fine particles of sand driven along the surface by strong 
winds. ‘The onions were not blown out, as they fre- 
quently are on the Scioto Marsh, and the destruction 
was by no means total. Furthermore, since the above 
sand-blast action can occur only when the surface soil 
is dry, and while the onion tops are young and tender; 
and, as dry weather in the Spring is rather rare in this 
section, there is little likelihood of frequent repetitions 
of the above. 
