8 BOTANY OF MADISON, LINCOLN, GARRARD, 



ORIGINAL CONDITION OF TIMBERS. 



When Boone and his companions first entered Kentucky, 

 this part of the State was an extensive forest, only broken 

 by the channels of the streams, and the few lick-regions, which 

 had been denuded by the tramping of buffaloes and deer, 

 while in quest of saline matters contained in the earth. From 

 the fringes of sycamores, maples, and elms which skirted the 

 banks of the Kentucky and Salt rivers, to the pines and 

 mountain chestnut oaks on top of Big Hill, there was one 

 wide sweep of magnificent trees, including man) species. In 

 this forest were long reaches where grew bul little under- 

 growth; and then there were [daces where shrubs clustered in 

 clumps ; and then again, there were large cane-brakes almost 

 impenetrable. Grape vines of massive thickness climbed the 

 tallest trees, and flowers smiled from every nook. 



Altitudes had little, here, to do with the distribution of 

 the trees; only two natural conditions seem to have modified 

 their disposition: one of minor importance — the quantity oi 

 moisture ; and the other of much consequence — the character 

 of the soil. The last was such an important factor, that had 

 the earlier emigrants to Kentucky been possessed of greater 

 knowledge, the best regions would have been first selected 

 for occupancy. But, instead of this, many parties passed over 

 the richest soils and settled on the very poorest. 



Very few trees habitually grow along the banks of streams 

 and other wet places, that are confined to this isolated condi- 

 tion ; they may, in their natural state, be in unbroken forests; 

 but as lands are cleared up and soils become drier, they adapt 

 themselves largely to the changed conditions. For instance, 

 sycamores and while elms seem naturally adapted to wet 

 places. Yet now, young trees of both species may be seen 

 coming up and growing in very dry situations. As much may 

 be said in reference to the water maple and the water beech. 

 They are species, however, which are here confined to damp 

 situations. The green ash we have never seen except where 

 its roots could reach running water; the box-elder grows only 



