BIG SPRING PRAIRIE. 23 



Lobelia Kalmii — (Kalm's Lobelia, or Brook Lo- 

 belia); 



Lobelia syphylitica — (Blue Lobelia, or Great Lo- 

 belia); 



Lobelia cardinalis — (Cardinal flower); 



The following plants were more rarely found upon 

 it than in later years 



Rosa Carolina — (Swamp rose); 



Salix (various species) — (Willows); 



Urtica gracilis — (Slender Nettle). 



Ordinary weeds from cultivated ground were not 

 found growing upon it. 



Trees were much less common on prairie in 1833 

 than in later years. They occurred only on the old 

 clay islands, the sand dunes, and along the margin of 

 the prairie where muck was quite thin. On the por- 

 tions covered with sedges and grasses, no seedling trees 

 made their appearance. 



The first trees to make their appearance were the 

 Willows, Poplars, Elms, and Soft Maples. On the sand- 

 dunes oaks had already made their appearance in 1833. 

 Drainage of the Prairie-Past and Present. 



From the configuration of the territory embraced 

 in area represented in accompanying map, and from 

 the arrangement and depth of the drift material in the 

 various portions, one would be justified in inferring 

 that the preglacial drainage of this section difi"ered ma- 

 terially from the one in post-glacial times. 



The portion of Big Spring Prairie between Carey 

 and Springville, and included between North Ridge 

 and West Ridge, presents a striking resemblance to an 

 old river valley, which might repay investigation by 

 the geologists of the state, who have made extensive 

 investigations along this line in other portions of the 

 state. If this surmise in regard to old river bed is cor- 

 rect, as the evidences seem to indicate, the drift mater- 



