Omaha daily bee., 1895-12-07
VEGETATION OF NEBRASKA
First of Series Of Three Lectures by
Prof Besy.
DEALS WITH ORIGIN OF PLANT LIFE
Botanical characteristics of the Sue
ccssivc Ages of Geological His
tory Described with Stcrcop-
ticon Illustrations.

The first of a series of three botanical
lectures on the vegetation of Nebraska by
Charles Z. Bessey. professor Of botany in
the State university, heard by small
but interested audience at Young Mems
Christian association hall last evening. The
topic of the lecture was the origin Of the
present vegetation Of the state. The speaker
detailed the development of the modern spe-
cies from the germs Of tbs first manifesto
tions of vegetable life. and the history Of
this development proved to be most in
teresting subject. The lecture was illustrated
by series of stersopticon views. which ma
terially aided the audience in the compre-
hension of the changes which marked the
earlier development of the vegetable species.
Prof. Bessey traced the first vegetation back
to the Achaean period, the types of which
were traced by means Of the graphite beds
which were formed from the carbon inherited
from the first plant species. He held that
this first germ of vegetation was the water
slime. They wsre not towering plants, for
these did not appear until ages afterward.
and it could have bcsn none other than this
water slime. which was similar to the green.
Shiny deposits that the housewife occasionally
discovers in her refrigerator that first gave
birth to the vegetation of this section. This
was ths lowest of plants. It was 80 small
that it could only be distinguished by the
aid of a powerful magnifying glass, but 1t
formed in great masses and during the
first ages of the world was the only indica-
ton of the vegetation that was to follow
with the passage of centuries.
The speaker paused to dwell on the phil
osophical proposition here presented The
artist of today drew a picture with pen
Gil made of the deposit of this, the earliest
example of vegetable life, so had nature
linked the beginning and the end together.
This was followed by the Silurian period,
in which appeared the green pond scum and
some indications of red saaweed. Then the
Devonian age in which the early types OF
ferns were added to the vegetable world,
Then came calamites, which were similar
to the joint rushes which may be found in
many prairie water holes, and the lycopods,
which identical with the small ever
greens which spring at the roots of pine
trees and are commonly known as ground
pines But In this age they were immsas-
uraby larger. The joint rushes were i'm
mense trees often feet in diameter. and
the lycopods instead of baing small evergreen
shoots such as are now often used for
decorative purposes. were trees OF tremen-
dous size and luxuriance.
The period of ancient vegetation ended with
the Carbonifsrous period, which furnished the
material for the vast coal deposits. During
this long period vegetation was wonderfully
rank and luxurious, but there were no new
types developed II was period Of remark
able prosperity in vegetable life, but of no
advancement. In the following period many
Of the old types became extinct and their
places were supplied by other and more ad-
vanced species.I Here appeared the first
fpwer, single type Of lily. In the next
period came water plantains. palms and the
first grasses. Then the Cretaceous period, in
which appeared magnolas, oaks, poplars,
laurels NAPLES and willows.
1t was with the close of this epoch that
modern vegetation could be properly thus
designated. Here some of the higher, orders
Of plants appeared, and some few primitive
sunflowers were the 'progenitors of the luxuri-
ant types which eare now SO abundant In
Nebraska. Finally came period in which
the plants were very similar to those of the
present day. and then the Glacial period, dur
ing which vegetation slowly migrated to the
south and then as slowly returned. During
this epoch the higher plants reached 4 more
perfect development and found themselves as
they may be seen today. =.
Prof. Bessey's next lecture will be devoted
to discussion of the characteristics OF the
vegetation of the plains, and will deal with
the many interesting and curious features OF
the trees and grasses of Nebraska.