AUGHEY.] FEUIT ON THE LOESS DEPOSITS. 249 



and coarse grasses and sedges, and where the water is deeper, with 

 arrow-leaves, pond-lilies, and other water-plants. In every instance 

 where I had opportunity to examine them, there was a thin bed of clayey 

 matter mixed with organic materials, from a few inches to a foot or more 

 in thickness, lying on the bottom, and on top of the Loess deposit. This 

 clayey matter was probably deposited there before the waters finally 

 retired from the old lake-bed in which this soil originated. In the stiller 

 portions of the lake, or in eddies, about the tihie it commenced to become 

 dry land, when portions were already cut oft' from the main lake, except 

 in ilood-time, in these isolated pools all the clay in solution would be 

 precipitated to the bottom, before the next annual rise of the waters. 

 This I propose as a provisional exxjlanation of this phenomenon. 



Fruit on the Loess deposits. 



In these Loess deposits are found the explanation of the ease with 

 ■which nature produces the wild fruits in Nebraska. So dense are the 

 thickets of wild grapes and plums along some of tbe bottoms and bluffs 

 of the larger streams that it is diflQcult to penetrate them. Over twenty 

 varieties of wild plums have been observed, all of them having originated 

 either from Prumis americana, P. chicJ>:asa, or P. perniillo. Only two 

 species of grapes are clearly outlined, namely, Vitis aestivalis and V. 

 cardifolia, but these have such interminable variations that the botanist 

 becomes discouraged in attempting to draw the lines between them, and to 

 define the range and limit of the varieties. The same remark could 

 be made of the strawberries. Easpberries and blackberries abound in 

 many parts of the State. The buffalo-berry {SJiepherdia canadensis) is 

 common on many of the Missouri and Republican River bottoms. 

 Many other wild fruits abound, and grow with wonderful luxuriance 

 whe.ever timber protects them and prairie-fires are repressed. As 

 would be expected, these deposits are also a paradise for the cultivated 

 fruits of the temperate zones. They luxuriate in a soil like this, which 

 has perfect natural drainage, and is composed of such materials. No 

 other region, except the valleys of the Nile and of the Rhine, can, in 

 these respects, compare with the Loess deposits of Nebraska. The Loess 

 of the Rhine supplies Europe with some of its finest wines and grapes. 

 The success that has already attended the cultivation of the grape, in 

 Southeastern Nebraska, at least, demonstrates that the State may 

 likewise become remarkable in this respect. For the cultivation of the 

 apple its superiority is demonstrated. Nebraska, although so young 

 in years, has taken the premium over all the other States in the pomo- 

 logical fairs at Richmond and Boston. Of course there are obstacles 

 here in the way of the pomologist as well as in other favored regions. 

 But what is claimed is, that the soil, as analysis and experience prove, 

 is eminently adapted to grape, and especially to apple-tree culture. The 

 chief obstacle is particularly met with in the interior of the State, and 

 results from the climate. In mid-summer occasional hot, dry winds 

 blow from the southwest. These winds, where the trunks of apple-trees 

 are exposed, blister and scald the bark on the south side, and frequently 

 kill the trees. It is found, however, that when young trees are caused 

 to throw out limbs near to the ground, they are completely protected, 

 or if that has not been done, a shingle tacked on that side of the tree pre- 

 vents all damage from that source. Many fruit-growers also claim that 

 Cottonwood and box-elder groves on the south side of orchards is all 

 that is necessary to protect them from these storms. I mention this 

 here to put any new settler, who may read this and who has not learned 

 the experience of fruit-growers in this State, on his guard. 



