FORESTRY SURVEY 197 



certain parts to improve the growth of pasture almost 

 invariably results in denudation of the soil by the tre- 

 mendous river floods, the standing timber, on the con- 

 trary, affording complete protection. 



The steep slopes and even the rock exposures have a cov- 

 ering of many species of oak, ironwood, and shagbark 

 hickory. A few white pines, red cedars, and clumps of 

 basswood are common. The common oak is the chestnut 

 oak (Qucrcus muhlen'bergn). A veritable jungle of under- 

 growth, shrubby and herbaceous, tends to make this can- 

 yon a botanical paradise, lessened somewhat in the esteem 

 of many by the numerous rattlesnakes. These slopes, 

 facing respectively southeast and northwest and removed 

 but a few rods from each other, offer wonderful contrasts 

 of xerophytic, mesotropic, and mesophytic associations. 

 The}'^ show true xerophj^tic black oak, white pine, oak, 

 hickory, xerarch-mesophytic red oak ; hydrarch-mesophytic 

 basswood, ending below in hackberry-elm, which may be 

 called a mesotropic association. Some of the bald knobs 

 are entirely occupied by xerophytic red cedar. These 

 clumps are very marked and characteristic and are always 

 practically free of other plant growth. The soil on all 

 such knolls is from 75 to 90 per cent rock. 



The upper gentle slopes and the more level higher 

 ground is almost exclusively of the white-oak-hickory type 

 on the drier portions and pin-oak-ash on the moister ex- 

 posures, repeating here in a large measure the condition 

 found in the area shown on Map 2. Nearly all of this 

 forest, however, has been cleared and the land devoted to a 

 precarious sort of agriculture — precarious on account of 

 the steep slopes and the attendant danger from erosion. 

 This entire square mile should have remained in forest and 

 ought now to be reforested. 



The canyon described offers a remarkable and very 

 favorable site for a small state park, forest reserve, and 

 fish and bird sanctuary, and it is to be hoped that the 

 legislature of the state will see fit to take steps for a thor- 

 ough investigation as to the suitability of this tract for 

 such a purpose. Nearly 500 species of plants, including 

 about 60 species of trees and as many shrubs, are here 

 found occupying land practically worthless for any farm 

 purpose except pasturage and a supply of fuel and post 

 timber. 



