[54 THE AMERICAN MIDLAND NATURALIST 
of species and varieties, contained in the first list, had been 
added 187, making a total of 962. The present list of mine, being 
the third of its kind, contains about 1150 numbers, some 800 
of which are found in the two previous lists, being an addition 
of 350 numbers not listed before, and raising the total number 
for this state discovered until the present time (May 1915) to at 
least 1300. My field of work has been mainly the Lake region, 
this being without contradiction or doubt the most important 
and the most prolific part of the state botanically, all the new 
forms whatever of plant life (with one or two exceptions), which 
have been found within the state, belonging here. A moderate, 
conservative estimate would raise this present number of 1300 
up to the two thousand, even now, since the “improvement” 
work has gone on recklessly for many years. When I, 26 years 
ago, commenced my collecting in this state, it must have be n 
considerably higher than now, to deem -from the number of 
species believed to be extinct. 
It would hardly be recommendable to delay the publishing 
of these papers until the names of those supposed-to-be-700 
plants could be added. It is fain to predict that this number 
will never be reached. ‘Too much ground has been ploughed, the 
beautiful natural groves have been transformed into pastures 
and hog pens, the fast evaporation from the areas laid open, 
and the quick absorption by the latter of rain and melting snow 
leave no surplus to be drained off into the sloughs and the coulées, 
these are almost all dry, even in the early spring, lakes a few 
years ago covering square miles have vanished, and our largest 
water main, Devils Lake, is disappearing fast. The semi-aridity 
of the country seems to be increased in direct proportion to the 
breaking of the virgin prairies. Still, a paternal legislature, in 
spite of the steadily growing difficulties in providing means for 
paying the regular budget, has just seen fit to vote $60,000 for 
the promotion of immigration, and the likely-to-be-added popu- 
lation will in all probability direct its first efforts to the quick 
overturning of the remaining intact portion of the prairie. Of all 
menaces to the continued propagation of the native flora this 
change in soil conditions is the worst, the most destructive. 
And these 700 plants can not be found without the co- 
operation of collectors. The federal government furnished botanists 
when surveying the country, and got up a representation of the 
