Kentucky Forests and Caves 



Comparing volumes of vegetable verdure in 

 different countries to a wedge, the thick end 

 would be in the forests of Kentucky, the other 

 in the lichens and mosses of the North. This 

 verdure wedge would not be perfect in its lines. 

 From Kentucky it would maintain its thickness 

 long and well in passing the level forests of 

 Indiana and Canada. From the maples and 

 pines of Canada it would slope rapidly to the 

 bleak Arctic hills with dwarf birches and alders ; 

 thence it would thin out in a long edge among 

 hardy lichens and liverworts and mosses to 

 the dwelling-places of everlasting frost. Far the 

 grandest of all Kentucky plants are her noble 

 oaks. They are the master existences of her 

 exuberant forests. Here is the Eden, the para- 

 dise of oaks. Passed the Kentucky line towards 

 evening and obtained food and shelter from a 

 thrifty Tennessee farmer, after he had made 

 use of all the ordinary anti-hospitable argu- 

 ments of cautious comfortable families. 



September lo. Escaped from a heap of un- 

 cordial kindness to the generous bosom of the 

 [ 15] 



