Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1855-10-06
AGRICULTURAL
ORIGIN OF TIE PRAIRIEs.


MEssRs. EpiTons-The question is often
asked, what has caused the pariries-,hose
great gardens of the west where nature seems
10 mock mans imperfections. Some say fire
has produced them some, water while 9TH
ers that vegetation has consumed the water and
left them in their present state.
The advocates Of The fire theory rely upon the
fact of their having been burned over repeated
ly by the Indians. If that was the case, why
do grass and flowers grow upon theml-why
did not some largo trees remain upon roots ex-
tended below the reach of the fire or whose vi
tai powers were protected, or where they stood
singly.
If the grass grew from seeds remaining in
the soil, or borne there by the winds, why
would not trees have grown there in the same
wayi Facts show that the seeds of trees still
remain in the soil, for where the new prairies
are ploughed and abandoned, the poplar and 9TH
er trees that grow on exhausted soils, spring up,
but none of the more hardy kinds whose race
seems to have been run.
The advocates Of the water theory say that
the prairies for a great while were inundated so
that trees could not grow on them as soon MS
the wild grapes, but the factis trees, will grow
on ground that is dry enough TO produce the
hindo grapes that the p~raries do. Besides, the
prairies are always as elevated as the surround
ing country, 50 what could confne the water to
theml-why did not water effect the whole coun-
try in the. same wayl
The advocates of the theory that vegetation
has caused them, start with the theory of mum
dation, AND then produce the fact that vegetable
fungus will lis growth upon the sur
face of water, will extend over the water, so
that nothing but fungi and grapes remain.
To allow that theory, there mus, have been
a depression of the ground to have held the
water; and if vegetation filled it up, why sho'd
not the soil Of the prairie be found deeper than
the soil of the woods iniheir immediate vicinity.
Nor could volcanic ind0ence have raised such a
depression to the general level, as this is not a
volcanic country.
The openings seem to be midway between the
woods and the p~rairies the soil is neither ex-
tremely well fitted for growing wood nor grass.
This gives US a fact for another theory. That
is, that the trees each in their turn have ex-
hausted the soil Of the proper elements for their
own growth, and for ages have been succeeding
each other until the soil itself does not contain
enough Of particular elements to grow them
The grasses and the flowers then took posses
sion and retain it until in their turn they have
exhausted the soil of their particular food, when
they again will be succeeded BY the trees
This theory holds that wood lands and prairies
in a series of years alternate.
The openings, for general cultivation, are
probably equal 10 either The woods or the prai-
ries, but they will not grow as well as the old
p%rairies, nor grass as well as the cid woods
Every body knows that a young apple tree will
not flourish on the site of an old one, nor do
nurserymen continue their old nursery grounds
unless they supply artificial food.
The oak and the elm require their own strong
food the maple lis WI while other trees are
less particular about the richness of their diet,
but must have their food OF a particular kind
and what one tree REJECTS, another greedily de-
yours.
Again, the old prairies are not as good wheat
and corn land as the wood land makes. but trees
Of all kinds grow upon them most luxurianily.
The new prairies grow well all kinds of farm.
produce, but as it is very difficult to distinguish
an old from a new prairie, except by growing
grain for many years, the safest way for far
mers Is 10 trust to the wood lands for the larp-
est crops for the longest time. Jas. ii. CAMP
BELL.-Couniry Gent.
Toedo, Ohio.