Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1872-08-09
Prairies and their Treelessness.

10 those living on the confines of the
beautiful prairies of Illinois and Wiscon'.
sin, as we'll as those who have Straversed
the extensive plains lying westward to the
Rocky Mountains, few words respecting
the treelessness of the prairies may notsbe
unacceptable. 90 MO HGl51Is
Professor Winchell, of the University
of Michigan, in work presented to the
public about two years ago, has set forth
at length his theory on this subject. For
the benefit of those who have not had the
pleasure of consulting the Professors in
terestng book, shall offer brief alb
stract of his argument, with few observ.
atoms of my own.
The soil of the prairies, especially of
the prairies of Illinois, Iowa and Wiscon-
sin, is Zacustrine (lake) deposit, and lake
sediments contain in themselves no living
vegetable germs. Any observer may no.
tice the seeds of grasses and fruits of
trees, washed in by the recent storm, float
ing upon the surface of the lake, and
drifting eventually to its lee shore
Should they ever wrap themselves in the
accumulated mud of the bottom, it is after
they have lost their vitality. Sunken and
buried, they go to decay. Leta lake be
drained, and the bottom remains naked,
barren, parching, shrinking waste.
| In proof of this lacustrine theory, many
facts may be accumulated. First, the soil
has the fineness, color, and vegetable con-
stituents of soil accumulated upon the
bottom of lake. Secondly, there are
abundant fossil remains of a lacustrine
character. Fresh water shells of species
still existing in Lake Michigan, are found
in localities far remote from the existing
shore. Finally, it must be evident to the
most casual observer that the waters of
the great lakes once occupied much high
err level than at present $500
In fact, there was time in geological
history when the Atlantic and Pacific
oceans joined hands in the valley of the
Mississippi-when huge Mediterranean
sea swept from the Arctic Ocean to the
Gulf of Mexico. And, in subsequent ages,
when the continent had sprung from the
ocean, and Neptune had reiinquished a
portion of his dominion of the land, the
reservoir of the great lakes was without
an outlet. The gorge of Niagara had not
yet been cut. The potent engineering of
Nature had not yet designed the river
Niagara. And the pent up waters of the
lakes. overfowing the sides of their stony
basin, inundated the territory to the south
and fastened on to the Gulf Mexico,
which, enextcndedTup to the mouth of
the Ohio river. y Having referred to the
gorge of Niagara, we ask permission of
our readers to,pause for few moments to
contemplate this stupendous production of
Nature .--oaGt,s III. - 6an
O. The gorge of Niagara is seven miles
long, one thousand feet broad, and two
hundred and fifty, feet deep. The Falls,
beginning at Lewiston, have gradually re-
coded to their present position. The.
rocky material excavated by the elements
in the construction Of this canon may be
roughly estimated at seven billions of
tons, and the time occupied at from ten to
twenty thousand years. III ralsa
The waters having receded towards the
east and south. The interior remained q
parched and sserileplain.n By the fertiliz-
ing influences of sun, and air. and rain,