94 BIG SPRING PRAIRIE. 



chiefly along the north and south road some distance 

 west of the Cement Works. On a few limited areas, 

 the muck is deeper than commonly occurs on this 

 prairie. Some years ago, a prairie fire burned the soil 

 on one of these areas, and gradually a forest developed 

 upon it. Southwest of Castalia Station, there occurs a 

 low woods, which about a century ago, was doubtless a 

 portion of the prairie. This woods contained principal- 

 ly the following species: 



Populus deltoides (Cottonwood); Ulmus Ameri- 

 cana (American Elms); Hicoria minima (Swamp 

 Hickory); Quercus macrocarpa (Mossy-cup Oak); Celtis 

 occidentalis (Hackberry); Tilia Americana (Basswood, 

 or Linden); Acer (saccharinum or rubrum) (White 

 Maple, or Red Maple.) Thus showing a close approxi- 

 mation to the typical mesophytic forest. 



Since the artificial drainage of the northwestern 

 portion of prairie, thickets of cottonwoods and willows 

 are springing up, as the humus is thin and extensive 

 marl deposits underlie it. This marl deposit forms a 

 firm support for the roots. Thickets of the same 

 species are also developing upon those portions where 

 the surface soil has been disturbed and then aban- 

 doned, but where dense sod occurs on areas formerly 

 cultivated, tree seedlings seldom encroach. Certain 

 portions are almost pure Potentilla fruticosa heaths 

 with occasional Crataegus scattered about. The fol- 

 lowing plants occuring on Castalia Prairie do not oc- 

 cur on Big Spring Prairie: Hypoxis hirsuta (Star- 

 grass); Aquilegia canadensis (Columbine); Cypripe- 

 dium candidum (Small White Lady's Slipper); Hous- 

 tonia (species) and Gentiana crinita (Fringed Gentian.) 

 The following common plants of Big Spring Prairie 

 were not found at Castalia: Betula pumila 

 (Low Birch) and Salix myrtilloides (Bog Willow), thus 

 it is evident that Big Spring Prairie more closely re- 

 sembles a Sphagnum Swamp than does Castalia 

 Prairie. 



