TREKS. BHRUBS AM' YlNKS OF KXS80UBL 



325 



short time Binoe was thinly clad with trees, and evidently was com- 

 pletely bare al one time. 



more natural that our trees have some down the rivers from a 

 prairie region above as, or that they are gradually ascending the streams 

 and moving to the northwesl g of an alluvial formation, most 



uot the plants that first covered the earth, consequently have been of 



Igj oharaoter, saoh as grasses ami rnshi 



As our prairies are becoming smaller ami more restricted every 



year, ate not the trees and shrubs advancing from the streams! The 

 Ozark region being thinly clad with trees at one time within the reeol- 

 leotion of the oldest settlers, and now being very densely covered 

 with forests, is it not the more probable that the trees have made their 

 way up the streams from the southeastern part of the State, ami spread 

 out over these hills T 



My opinion is that our ligueous flora is gradually moving up the 

 streams to the uorthwest, governed by some intiueuce that I have been 

 unable to aeeount for at preseut : but the validity of my position must 

 be apparent to auy oue who has given the subject any considerable 

 study. 



Evidently some climatic and other changes are taking place that 

 are causing the southern and eastern trees to slowly advance to the 

 northwest, and that our northwestern trees are slowly pushing their 

 way westward. 



The possibilities are very many, and the probabilities many, that 

 tli- plants that now grow wild about us unnoticed, except, perhaps, by 

 a few, will, in time, be found useful and beneficial. How little we 

 know of the plums, red-haws, black-haws, raspberries, blackberries, 

 grapes, crab-apples, service-berries, pawpaw, persimmon and other 

 wild fruits ! True, there are some who have spent many years of study 

 upon grapes, plums and the berries, but there are still many promising 

 wild fruits that may be developed with a little patience and cultivation^ 

 Notes are scattered throughout the list calling attention to those 

 fruits which are the most promising, and I trust that the farmers and 

 horticulturists who read this may be stimulated to study and culti- 

 .• some of the most promising of their locality. 



d to the end that a complete history and knowledge of our 

 ve woody plants may be had.it is earnestly requested that teachers, 

 farmers and horticulturists do all they can to further this by corre- 

 sponding with the undersigned, and sending twigs, leaves, flowers and 

 frnit of every woody plant that they desire to learn the name of, and 

 of those they already know, that are not credited in this list to the 

 county in which thi By doing this, you will materially aid in the 



