112 



and Wabash basins were the finest hardwood stands in America. Those 

 of the southern uplands were excellent in character. The forests in 

 the valley of the larger streams of the central and northern parts of the 

 state were but slightly inferior to those of the Wabash-Ohio basin. 

 Those of the smaller streams near the prairies were open and park-like. 



Several local variations are worthy of mention. While dominantly 

 hardwood in character, yet conifers were found in the original forests. 

 Cypress extended up the Ohio and Wabash rivers and along the lower 

 Mississippi for several miles. Probably the best stands of cypress were 

 found in the Cache River basin, where it grew pure or mixed with 

 tupelo gum. One small grove of shortleaf pine occurs on the dry 

 slopes of the westernmost bluff of Union county and another group 

 occurs in a sandstone ravine in southeastern Randolph county. White 

 pine grew along the river bluffs in several regions north of the Illinois 

 River, the southernmost outpost being on a bluff of the Spoon River in 

 Knox county. The red cedar was found generally throughout the state 

 on the drier bluffs. 



Throughout the state may still be found small remnants of these 

 original forests. Studies made in the best of these are tabulated below. 

 The average yields for the original virgin stands for the respective 

 regions of the state were lower than those shown for the limited areas 

 measured. 



DATA OBTAINED FROM STUDIES MADE IN THE BEST ORIGINAL FORESTS OF 



ILLINOIS 

 I. Cypress bottom, Cache River. Based on strip line of 3.94 acres 



Soft Carolina Hick- Hack- 

 Species Cypress maple poplar Elm Ash ory berry Total 



No. of trees per acre D. B. 



H. 6" and up 7(1 3.3 12.7 2 2 .5 1 91.6 



B. F. yield per acre 13121 291 141 50 12 9 7 13931 



Max. D. B. H., inches 30 29 20 17 15 10 12 



Max. height, ft 100 80 70 GO SO 60 50 



II. Ozark uplands, agricultural soil. Union county. Based on % acre plot 



\Vh. B. B. wal- Sassa- 



Species oak B. oak Tulip Hickory gum nut fras Total 



No. of trees per acre D. B. 



H. 6" and up 10 12 8 6 2 2 4-44 



B. F. yield per acre 1836 4460 5480 286 270 210 12542 



Max. D. B. H,, inches 25 31 27 13 13 15 14 



Max. height, ft 90 100 100 65 60 65 40 



