286 
a little too early to jump to the conclusion that the area in 
question was once a salt marsh while adjoining areas were not. 
Not the least interesting fact about this unique insular coastal 
plain prairie is that so much of it is still in a state of nature, al- 
though it is situated in a county which has been settled for 250 
years and has about 300 inhabitants to the square mile, and 1s 
all within the zone in which it is profitable to haul farm products 
to New York by wagon. This state of affairs is probably due to 
a combination of several more or less independent causes. Good 
crops are raised on the parts that are under cultivation, but the 
toughness of the sod, the thinness of the soil, and especially the 
scarcity of water, doubtless operate strongly to keep away new 
settlers unused to such conditions. That tradition has had a 
good deal to do with the preservation of the prairie is suggested 
by the following passage in the second edition of Thompson's 
History of Long Island (Vol. I, p. 29, 1843), which would be 
almost equally true today: ''If the whole of this open waste was 
disposed of and inclosed in separate fields, the agricultural 
products of this portion of the island would be nearly doubled. 
A stupid policy, consequent upon old prejudices, has hitherto 
prevented any other disposition of it, than as a common pastur- 
age. Itis hoped the time is not far distant, when this extensive 
tract shall abound in waving fields of grain, yielding not only 
support, but profit, to thousands of hardy and industrious 
citizens." ; 
Even if no more of this land were taken up in farms, the con- 
tinued growth of New York City is bound to cover it all.with 
houses sooner or later, and. it behooves scientists to make an 
exhaustive study of the region. before.the opportunity is gone 
forever. i PLE T 
No one yet seems to. have attempted seriously to enumerate, 
classify and explain the numerous and various treeless areas of 
eastern North America. If this were done perhaps other areas 
similar in character to the one described might be found. There 
are abundant hints of small prairies, open glades, natural 
meadows, etc., in early descriptive works dealing with parts of 
the country that are now pretty thickly settled, and many ex- 
