THE NEW EARTH 



regions it is nearly free from these depreda- 

 tions. The growth in the latter locations is 

 slower, but still it is a valuable tree for the 

 purposes named. There is no reforesting of 

 cut -over areas of any consequence, but some- 

 thing of this ought undoubtedly to be done, 

 especially on the lands subject to overflows, 

 along the Illinois and Mississippi rivers. In the 

 southern part of the state, where the richest 

 forest areas originally prevailed, scarcely any- 

 thing but the destructive processes are in 

 operation. 



The University of Illinois put out, in 1871, 

 additions having been made during the fol- 

 lowing three or four years, about twenty 

 acres in blocks of from a fourth acre to one 

 acre, of a number of different kinds of decidu- 

 ous and evergreen trees. This was for experi- 

 mental purposes, and the plantation is now 

 showing some interesting results. The kinds 

 that are now showing best development are 

 hardy catalpa, European larch, white and bur- 

 oak, green ash and white pine. The last has 

 been somewhat surprising in its development, 

 since it was planted upon a flat, not very well- 

 drained area, having black loamy soil. More 



164 



