BOTANY. 87. 



though with the hamamelis, or witchhazle, the alder, and Ca- 

 nadian yew. The red cedar is found in several places on the 

 high cliffs, along the larger tributaries of the Scioto near their 

 heads, in Delaware county. The white cedar or cypress is 

 found on some few cliffs near the head of the Scioto. It once 

 grew along the wet, old beds of the Scioto, but that was long 

 since, and while the mastodon frequented our swamps, which 

 were then almost impenetrable thickets. 



Most of our timber trees, will soon be gone, and no means 

 are yet resorted to, to restore the forests which we are de- 

 stroying. In many places even now, woodlands are more 

 valuable than cleared fields. It is true, that in the northwest 

 part of the state, we have vast forests yet, but it is equally 

 true, that their majesty is bowing before the wood chopper's 

 axe, and will soon be gone. We do not regret the disappear- 

 ance of the native forests, because by that means, more hu- 

 man beings can be supported in the State, but in the older 

 parts of Ohio, means should even now begin to be used to re- 

 store trees enough for fences, fuel and timber, for the house 

 builder and joiner. In our forests we are by far better off 

 than Illinois state, Wisconsin, or Iowa Territories, where wood 

 is scarce, even now, and coal is equally so, at this early date 

 of their settlement. 



Though fifty years have passed by, since this state began 

 to be settled by us, yet we have vast forests unfelled in our 

 hilly region, and in the northwestern corner of the state. 

 Even along the Ohio river, an European, as he passed along 

 the stream, would naturally suppose from what he saw of it, 

 that our interior was occupied by one unbroken forest, tenant- 

 ed only by wild beasts and wild men. 



Mankind in all ages, even before the fall of man, and 

 in all communities, have first settled along the rivers, and, 

 their banks are even now, most densely populated. Paris, 

 London, Vienna, and all the great cities of Europe, rear 

 their tall and glittering spires on the margins of rivers. 

 This remark holds good in every region of our globe 

 where a dense population " do congregate." Canals are 



