The Kenosha telegraph and tribune. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1859-1860, 1859-06-16
The Origin of the Prairies.
From Halls Geology OF Iowa.


The idea is very extensively enter
tanned, throughout the west, that the
prairies were once covered with timber:
but that this has been destroyed by fires
which the Indians have been in the ha,
bit of starting in the dry grass, and
which sweep over vast extent of sur
face every autumn. A few considera-
tions will show that this theory is en-
tirely untenable
In the first place, the prairies have
been IN existence at least as far back
as we have any knowledge of the coun-
try; since the first explorers of the
west describe them just as they are
now. There may be limited areas
once covered with woodss and now bare;
but i'll general, the Prairie seelon oc-
cupies the same suHtace Which it did
when first visited BY the whites.
But, again, the prairies are limited to
a peculiar region, one marked by GER
tain characteristic typographical and ge-
illogical features, and they are by no
means distributed about wherever the
Indians have roamed and used fire.
Had the frequent occurrences of fires
in the woods been the means of rernov-
ing the timber and covering the soil
with dense growth of grass, there is
no reason why prairies should not ex-
list in the eastern and middle states as
well as in the western. The whole
northern portion of the United States
was once inhabited by tribes differing
but little from each other in their man
ner of living.
Again, were the prairies formerly COW
cred by forest trees, we should proba-
bly, now find some remains buried be-
meath the soil, or other indications of
their having formerly existed. Such is
not the case for the occurrence of finding
fragments of wood beneath the prairie
surface is quite rare; and when they
are found, it is in such position as to
show that they have been removed
to some distance from their place Of
growth. b aaa &
1t has been maintained by some, that
the want of sufficient moisture in the
air or soil was the cause of the alb
sence in the northwest; and it is
indeed true that the prairie region dc es
continue westward, and becomes merg-
ed in the arid plains which extend along
the base Of the Rocky mountains, where
the extreme dryuess is undoubtedly the
principal obstacle to the growth of any,
thing except few shrubs, peculiarly
adapted to the conditions OF climate
and soil which prevail in that REGION
| This however cannotbe the cause in the
region east of the Mississippi and near
Lake Michigan, where the prairies oc
cupy so large surface; since the result
of meteorological observations show no
lack of moisture in that district, the an
nual precipitation being fully equal to
what 1T is in the Well-WOoded coun-
try further east in the same latitude
Besides the growth of forest trees is
rich and abundant all through the prai-
RE region; under certain conditions of
soil and position, showing that their
range is not limited by any.general CHI
i5matological cause. $50, =, ...f-.,. .,..
Taking into consideration all the cir
cumstances under which the peculiar
vegetation of the prairie occurs, we are
disposed to consider the nature of the
soil as prime cause Of the absence of
forests and the performance of the
grasses over this widely extended re-
gion. And although chemical compo
sition may not be without influence III
bringing about this result, which is
question for farther investigation, and
one worthy of careful examination, yet
we conceive that the extreme fineness
of the particles of which the prairie
soil is composed is probably the princi-
pal reason why it is better adapted to
the growth Of its peculiar vegetation,
than to the Developments of the for
ests. 1t cannot fail to strike the care
full observer that where the prairie .oc-
cupies the surface, the soil and super
fetal materials have been so finely com
minuted as to beg almost in the state
Of an impalpable powder. m This is, due
partially to the peculiar nature of the
underlying rocks and the facility with
which they undergo complete decompo,
sition, and partially to the mechanical
causes which have acted during and
since the accumulation of the sedi-
mentary. matter forming the prairie
.T five go to thickly wooded region
like that of the northern peninsula. of
Michigan, and examine those parts of
the surface which have been invaded
by the forest, we shall observe that beds
of ancient lakes, which have been filed
up by the slowest possible accumulation
Of detrital matter, and are now per-
fectly dry, and remain as natural prai-|
ries, and are not trespassed on by sur
rounding woods. We can conceive of
no other reason for this than the ex-
IRENE 1ineness of the soil which occu-
pies these basins, and which is the nat
ural result of the slow and quiet mode
in which they have been filled up. The
sides of these depressions, which were
once lakes, slope very gradually up
wards; and being covered with thick
growth OF vegetation, the material bro't
into them must have been Of the finest
possible kind, as is proved to have been
the case by examination. Consequent
ly, when the former lake has become
entirely filed up and raised above the
level OF the overflow, we find it covered
with IN )st hlxuriant crop of grass,
forming the natural meadows from
which the first settlers are supplied with
their winter store of fodder. aas1..a8 an
Applying these facts to the case of
the prairies of larger dimensions further
south, we infer, on what Sc ems to be
reasonable grounds, that the whole re-
gion now occupied blythe prairies of
the northwest was once an immense
lake, III whose basin sediment of almost
impalpable fineness gradually accumula-
ted; that this basin was drained by the