270 ILLINOIS ACADEMY OF SCIENCE 



Associated with the second ravine the northwest quarter 

 of Section 32 is covered with what may be termed oak- 

 orchard forest consisting of large white oak (10 to 30 

 inches) with low branched spreading crowns, the outer- 

 most branches scarcely touching one another. 



The rest of the stand in Sections 32 and 31 is definitely 

 within the stream valley and consists of white, red and 

 chestnut oak with which are mingled as the stream is 

 neared some maple, basswood, ash, buckeye and s^'^camore. 

 This is a similar mixture to that found in the western half 

 of Section 31 except that here culling has been more severe 

 so that little good timber remains. 



The slopes of the Illinois River valley and those of the 

 tributary streams have so steep a gradient that the removal 

 of the existing forest will increase erosion and gullying to 

 a decided extent. 



Vermilion Township, in part (Map V). 



A small portion only of Vermilion Township was covered 

 in this survey and only a portion of Sections 6, 7, and S, 

 Township 32N., Range 2E., are included in the map accom- 

 panying this report. They are entirely covered with tim- 

 ber and terrace soils, the area being slightly over 1000 

 acres, one half of which still remains in forest. This forest 

 is principally of the oak upland type mixed immediately 

 along the edge of the Vermilion River with certain of the 

 usual flood plain species. 



In tlie eastern half of Section 7 is a block of nearly a 

 quarter section in extent that although somewhat culled, 

 has been untouclied by grazing and hence shows reproduc- 

 tion and a normal undergrowth of shrubs and herbs. Up- 

 on the more sheltered slopes maple and red oak are com- 

 mon and many trees of good size remain. The very decided 

 richness of these slopes is shown by the presence of such 

 plants as Hcpatica acutiloha, the ginseng, (Panax quinque- 

 foUum), the baneberry, (Actaea alha), the poke milkweed, 

 (Asclepias phyioJaccoides) , the water leaf, (Hydroplujllum 

 rirginianum) and such ferns as the beech fern, the maiden 

 hair, and the golden spleen wort (Asplcnium acrostich- 

 oides.) Rotable among the shrubs are the goat's beard, 

 (Ariincus Sylvester) and the hydrangea ( Hydrangea arhor- 

 escens.) The richness and beauty of this forest are such 

 that it deserves, along with the neighboring Bailey's Falls 

 and Deer Park, to be made a permanent park. 



