In the Wabash and SaHne bottomlands the cypress is al^out cut out. 

 In 1909 Gallatin, Saline, and Hamilton counties were reported to have 

 cut 525.000 B. F. (Hall and Ingall 1911.) At present cypress is not of 

 commercial importance north of Pope county. Formerly the associations 

 were similar to those of the Cache bottomland except that tupelo gum 

 and water hickory did not grow beyond Gallatin county. The incom- 

 parable hardwoods of the lower Wabash bottoms associated with the 

 cypress were the same as those described under the mixed hardwoods of 

 the main bottomlands (page 3). The reinoval of the cypress is altering 

 this type along the main bottoms, and the limited forests of the future in 

 this region will change to the mixed hardwood type. 



(2) MIXED HARDWOOD BOTTOMS OF THE M,\IX .STRE.\MS 



The division between the mixed hardwood type on the bottoms of 

 the main streams, and the mixed hardwood type on the bottoms of the 

 secondary streams is based upon flood conditions. Ordinarily the bot- 

 toms of the main streams are inundated for several weeks each year, and 

 during this time the water outside of the channels has very little move- 

 ment. On the secondary streams, however, the higher gradient insures 

 that the excess waters will soon be drained off. These bottoms are 

 flooded for a few days rather than for several weeks. Certain bottom- 

 land species which are not sensitive to excessive moisture, such as elm, 

 soft maples, and sycamore, may be found well represented in each type; 

 others, such as pecan, are naturally adjusted to protracted flood condi- 

 tions, and are limited to the main bottoms ; while others, such as black 

 walnut, tulip, and basswood, do not grow well under conditions of pro- 

 tracted flooding, and are more characteristic of the bottoms of the second- 

 ary streams. 



The original forest of this type, covering 2,383,679 acres, is now re- 

 duced to 718,303 acres, a reduction of 69 per cent in area. The estimated 

 original quantity of 20,553,111,000 B. F. has been reduced to 985,374,000 

 B. F., a reduction of 95 per cent in quantity. 



Based on samples totaling 37 acres from sixteen widely separated 

 counties, the general bottomland representation by species in per cent 

 is as follows : soft maple, 23 ; elm, 14 ; pin oak, 13 ; ash, 11 ; hickory, 6 ; 

 white oak, 6 ; cottonwood, 5 ; red gum, 4 ; river birch, 3 ; willow, 3 ; swamp 

 Spanish oak, 2 ; black oak, 1 ; bur oak, 1 ; basswood, 1 ; black walnut, 1 ; 

 sycamore, 1 ; honey locust, 1 ; hackberry, 1 ; pecan, 1 ; Schneck's, shingle, 

 cow, and swamp white oaks ; black gum, cherry, and catalpa aggregating 2. 



The detailed description of this type will be taken up by stream sys- 

 tems, but regional differences may be noted here. In general, the bottom- 

 land forests of the southern part of the state, (Wabash, Kaskaskia, Big 

 Muddy, and Lower Mississippi rivers), show a greater variety of species, 

 and trees attain greater sizes, than they do in the bottomland forests of 

 the northern part (Illinois, Rock, and Upper Mississippi rivers). All 

 the bottomland trees of northern Illinois are found in the bottoms of the 

 southern part ; while such trees as red and black gums, Mississippi cotton- 



