Michigan, (578 feet above the ocean) and constitute the great prairie 
districts. These ar° rapidly being subdued and converted into 
"improved lands," from which almost every trace of the original 
vegetation is destroyed. The time will soon come when many of the 
species here enumerated will exist no longer in Illinois. Already the 
% 
number of "introduced " species (mostly vile weeds) is very considerable. 
Mere catalogues of the plants growing in any locality might, 
without a little reflection, be supposed to possess but little value; 
a supposition which would be far from the truth. The intelligent 
farmer looks at once to the native vegetation as a sure indication 
\/ 
of the value of new lands. The kinds of timber growing in a given 
locality will decide the qualities of the soil for agricultural 
purposes. The farmer will be interested to find how few of the plants 
he so assiduously cultivates are indigenous to the soil. The 
physician will see which of the plants having medicinal value may be 
gathered in his neighborhood; and may thus in cases of sudden 
emergency, when no time is allowed to send to a distant apothecary, 
be enabled to effect important cures. The cabinetmaker, the wheeiright 
and all other workers in wood will find what materials are at hand to 
answer their purposes. The horticulturist will look over the list 
with deep interest to find what flowers and shrubs may be obtained 
at home, and thus save the trouble and expense of purchasing and 
transporting from the east (perhaps covered with noxious insects,) 
the very plants he could have found near his own door. 
Such lists are also useful, in a scientific point of view, as 
showing the geographical limits of speci°s, and their diffusion, ^ 
whether general or confined to limited districts. May v«ry useful as 
well as highly interesting results are obtained by comparing 
different catalogues and by the study of the statistics of different 
floras. 
