SURPRISES OF THE PRAIRIE 



THE idea held by people of hill countries is that prairies are 

 treeless. And as for the prairie river, it is never dreamed 

 of in their philosophy. Also "breaks" and "buttes" are a 

 part of the prairie perspective. These are called " hollows" 

 and "hills" in timbered countries. These and many other 

 things are among the surprises of the prairie. We excuse 

 our Eastern friends for asking if Kansas, Nebraska, and 

 Iowa have any trees. We excuse these friends for wonder- 

 ing whether there are any rivers in these prairie States. Our 

 friends are incredulous when we tell them that there are 

 thousands of prairie trees as big as hogsheads. Concerning 

 such matters, these kind friends say among themselves, 

 "Well, our Western friends do not mean to exaggerate." 

 The uninitiated "tenderfoot" can not take in the truth 

 about our prairie trees. These Eastern friends of ours are 

 courteous. They are not contentious. They kindly apolo- 

 gize among themselves for our verbal extravagances. Well, 

 apologetics are good for some people. 



Out there in the open field is a coffee-bean tree. It is 

 five feet in girth and thirty or forty feet high. Its leaf re- 

 sembles that of the black locust. It is as free of thorns as 

 the maple tree. Its branches are shapely and beautiful, and 

 that is true of almost any tree. Its bean-pods in the early 

 autumn look like bananas. They are like politicians, and are 

 hard to shake off. I have seen a large coffee-bean tree full 

 of black pods in mid-winter. But dismantled as it is of 



leaves no one would call it unbeautiful. I know Such a 

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