Omaha daily bee., 1895-12-14
WESTERN TRIBES AND GRASSES.
prof. Bcsscy'- second Lecture on the
EIorn OF NeI,rnskn.

Prof. Bcsscy's second Lecture ON the
Flora OF Nebraska.
Climate is ths greatest factor in the dis
tribution OF hora.", said Prof. Bessay last
night, beginning his, lecture al Young Mems
Christian association hall on the subject Of
the Vegetation OF the Western Plains"
"The curious manner in which the species Of
a plant will travel from one section Of a
country to another forms a study that be-
comes more fascinating as one pursues 1t. A
seed will be waited from a far southern coun-
try step by step. 1t sinks into the soil and
terminates. The tender bud shoots UP, and
in a twinkling the whole face of the earth
fer miles around has been changed into a
kaleidoscope Of commingllng %colors, which UP
to a recent date had been entirely foreign to
that region. In this manner most OF our
western country has changed within the mem
DRY of the present old inhabitants, and the
touch of nature given to II has been almost
like the magic wand OF a prestidigitator."
The lecturer said that the next factor Of
import was the soil. Certain plants OF an
indigenous character once In possession of
territory affiliated with the peculiar ingredi-
ents which 1t contained. and 1t became almost
an impossibillty for any outside species to
s%upplant It. Many and furious were the UNI
seen battles of nature fought in this manner.
The weed was characterized as the pirate Of
any floral locality. In its various forms 1t
had fought it's way around the world. 1t had
sucked up the vitality Of the western corn
fields, invaded the garden. thrust its ~tentacles
among the broken glass on the top OF the
great wall of China and prled it's way be-
tween the paving stones of great cities.
All fora is Of a migratory character. Out
of the 100 grasses of thu state, only ten spe-
cies had origin here. One of the greatest
means of distribution of seeds was through
the emigration Of animals. By them they
were carried mixed with earth in mud form
and deposited hundreds of miles from their
native places. Man had been the greatest
factor in transplanting natures productions,
and had carried different varieties around
the world. The ever increasing forests Of the
west were due entirely to his hand, and a
once arid plain had been changed through
this means into a tenantable world.
I'VE thought too little of how we changed
the flora OF North America when we de-
stroyed the mighty forests of Wisconsin.
Michigan and Maine, and are now trying to
make recompense for out short-sightedness
by Grating a western paradise of verdure by
toll that will take many years to complete
said Prof. Bessey on this topic.
or the vegetable kingdom 10000 species
alone were said to be used by man, for food,
shelter, raiment and AS to tree
varieties in this state at the present time,
there were said to be seventy-fve species,
and almost mona of them of native origin.
They were the offspring of emigrants from
the east, west and south. Many of them had
first grown upon this continent either on the
Atlantic or Pacific coasts, and now mainly
through the agency of man had mingled In
this state. The pine tres came from the for
ests of Oregon, while the walnut, oak, beech
and maple were easily traceable to the At
lantic tier of states. The pins was said to
be the greatest traveller of them all, for 1t
had come two-thirds Of the way across the
continent. Among tbs native trees the prlnci-
pal was the cottonwood. although many
varieties of this tres could be traced back to
regions of the east.
The professor" concluded his remarks by
naming a few Of the native grasses, among
which was the buffalo or bunch, needle and
several SIP. cies Of prairie grass. The lecture
was illustrated. .H'