42 PUBLIC PARKS OF IOWA 



Alluvium covers the flat bottom of the valley through which the 

 Maquoketa flows at the Backbone. 



The trees and timber of the region are of interest. There are as 

 many species in this small area as in any other similar area in north- 

 eastern Iowa. White pine the white pine are among the largest and 

 oldest native white pine in the state. I saw a stump there which was 

 nearly four feet in diameter and I should judge that these trees go back 

 to the time when Iowa belonged to France. The Indians protected these 

 trees and why should we not do the same. Common juniper, red cedar, 

 American yew, three poplars the quaking aspen, large-toothed aspen 

 and cottonwood . Five species of willow as black willow, almond-leaf 

 willow, prairie willow, pussy willow and dwarf-gray willow. Of the oaks 

 the following are: Chestnut, bur, red, white, quercitron and barren. 

 Some of the old oaks, perhaps one hundred and fifty years old are still 

 standing. It is the fervent desire of scientists that they be preserved. 

 The blue beech, ironwood and paper birch occur. Of the nut bearing 

 trees, the butternut, black walnut, shell-bark hickory, pig-nut and hazel- 

 nut. The sycamore also occurs. This is a very rare tree in northern 

 Iowa. There are three elms, the American, slippery, cork or rock elms, 

 also the hackberry, the leatherwood a beautiful early, blooming shrub 

 with numerous yellow flowers also occur. The common elder, abundant 

 and the less common red berried elder, the high bush cranberry, arrow- 

 wood and snowberry, and two honeysuckles are interesting shrubs found 

 in this region. There are four dog-woods the rare round leaved dog- 

 wood, silky cornel, red osier and the alternate-leaved dogwood is 

 abundant over the hills. There are three species of goosberries and 

 wild currants. The prickly and smooth gooseberry and the wild black 

 currant. 



The Rose family is represented by the common red raspberry, wild 

 white rose, wild crab and five species of wild red haws and the service 

 berry. Wild black cherry, choke cherry and pin cherry, the wild plum 

 and nine bark. The honey-locust, coffee-bean, and the false indigo are 

 common in this region. 



There are three species of sumac the poison ivy. the beautiful stag- 

 horn sumac and the common sumac. 



There are some very fine specimens and many of them of hard maples 

 or the black maple and the common hard maple, the silver maple and 

 the boxelder. 



The bladdernut is also frequent. The Virginia creeper and wild grape 

 found everywhere as is the climbing bitter sweet; there are also many 

 specimens of the burning bush or wahoo. 



The prickly ash is distributed everywhere along this stream. 



There are fine specimens of the basswood. 



The walking-leaf fern, spleenwort, maiden hair fern and bracken are 

 common in this region. 



Of other herbaceous plants, mention may be made of the moccasin 

 flower, trillium, Jack-in-the-pulpit, violets, spring beauty and other plants 

 are abundant. 



