BIG SPRING PRAIRIE. 93 
The following table gives a comparative view of 
the constituents of the soil from Hog Creek Marsh, 
Scioto Marsh, and Big Spring Prairie. 
he analyses were made by Prof. Herbert M. Hill, 
Chemist, University of Buffalo. 
ae Spee | 
| a | ie ne 2 | 20 
| Be eee ear eee) 
Soil From No. bos Sel Sa 2s 
BE SP pad eek Ong 
5 a< | #8 
Hog Creek Marsh... 1 1.26 Baw Mek (OM ba ary, 
ue bio oe doe tohsvail mei WeAls) i]. Obs) Trace 61.81 
Scioto Marsh..... teeta: 1.099 09 LO 3767.38 
¢ CCS Se Mee ent 4 95 13 Trace | 66.02 
ut u“ eel 90 .09 10 | 50.01 
be se Aa NE es 6 PAGS res 07 Trace | 66.36 
“ GO eee tits fe. reas 10 15 53.36 
Big Spring Prairie. ty ES] tiers Trace 78.01 
Soil No. 8 was taken from the Wild Rose Celery 
Farm, at a depth of about 10 inches. Thus it is evi- 
dent that the soil from Big Spring Prairie contains 
most moisture, and that it in not as rich in ammonia 
and phosphoric acid as the soils from the two preced- 
ing marshes. The Castalia Prairie differs radically 
from Big Spring Prairie, Scioto Marsh, and Hog Creek 
Marsh. The wonderful springs at Castalia with their 
immense volume of water, heavily charged with lime 
and other mineral ingredients, have occasioned ex- 
tensive marl deposits, which are valuable for the 
manufacture of Portland Cement. The muck or 
humus over the greater part of this prairie is very shal- 
low, accordingly, drainage will affect the general level 
but little. There are some moderately elevated hills to 
the south of this prairie, while the northern portion slopes 
gradually toward Sandusky Bay. According tothe state- 
ments of Mr. W. H. Rowell of Castalia, and other pio- 
neers of that Section, the most common and character- 
istic plant formerly was Phragmites phragmites (reed.) 
At present it occurs only at a few isolated localaties, 
