

THE PRAIRIE REGIONS. 109 



district passes almost insensibly into the tropical vegetation of Mexico. 



The eastern parts, however, possess distinguishing features from the 

 western. The nutmeg and hickory mark the west, while the tall 

 palmetto and long-leafed pine, do the same with the east ; still there 

 are few tropical plants that might not be cultivated in the genial clime 

 of Florida. Climbing plants have also become much more numerous, 

 often rendering the forests impenetrable, while others impart an aspect 

 peculiarly tropical to our American vegetation. Many of the herba- 

 ceous plants of this district are also remarkable and important. The 

 aquatics are very abundant and peculiar, among which is the cane, a 

 gigantic grass so important in its production of sugar. 



The prairie regions of the west present a wide difference in the 

 character of vegetation from that we have considered. Here the 

 grasses have taken the place of forest trees and shrubs ; and in the 

 northern parts is presented a gay profusion of flowers. The south- 

 west, however, is almost barren of vegetation, and towards the Rocky 

 mountains it is literally a desert. A few spruces in the north, pines, 

 maples, oaks, and poplars in the middle, and pines in the south are the 

 only trees to relieve this vast western plain. These wastes are far 

 beyond the Mississippi; reaching quite to the Rocky mountains, and 

 from near the Mexican gulph to lat. 54 9 N. and botanically divisible 

 into two sections by the 35th parallel of latitude. Their vegetation, 

 in many respects is peculiar ; but it would be impossible to describe 

 the diversified features of this wide, wild and romantic region. 



Crossing the Rocky mountains we meet with a range of forest ex- 

 tending along their base 100 miles from the Pacific, for several hundred 

 miles in extent, abounding with some of the most magnificent forest 

 trees in the world, especially the gigantic pines before mentioned. 

 This is, indeed a new botanical region, distinguished alike in its 

 characteristic trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants; and it opens a 

 vast field for scientific investigation. The northern shores of the 

 Pacific present the same vegetation as those of the northern Atlantic, 

 and very many trees and shrubs reach the opposite shores of Asia. 



American Forest Trees. 



It is only after arriving within the U. S., from the north, that the 

 most beautiful and valuable of nutritive plants and the more useful 

 and magnificent of forest trees present themselves to view. At this 

 point, too, appear successfully the cereal grains, so important to man. 

 The North American Flora here, indeed, presents her characteristic 

 features, and trees and products the most valuable abound. Here are 

 the white oaks of the northern and middle states, with a height of 70 and 

 a diameter of 6 feet. The live-oak, the most durable of trees, so valuable 

 for ship building, abounds in E. Florida. The scarlet oak is common in 

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