The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1910-06-16


Eo burned to keep northern Indians
from wintering in Kansas" saia
Professor Albert Dickens OF the agri-
cultural college. An the prairie
north OF the Arkansas would be
burned. The deer and buffalo would
desert the burned tract and the row
ing Indian would find no pasture
for has war horse or pack pony.
( And all the time the fire was the
factor that kept the timber growth
from encroaching upon the domain
OF the prairie. Wherever the river
banks were sufficiently broken to
check the fire timber grew. A strik-
! ing example OF this IL furnished by
Cedar Bluffs, IN Trego coun !,
where the uplands, protected by
/ high cliff at the rivers edge, is
completely covered with a good
growth of red cedar. In Hodgeman
county, Buckner creek furnishes an
ether example. The creek has cut
, through the deep soil, leaving oc-
casional high banks, and in the creeii
bed good grOwths Il blackberry, elm,
willow and cottonwood are common.
The Arkansas and Cimarron riv-
ers and their Kansas Tributaries
flow for the greater part of their
lengths through alluvial soils. There
are few rocky ledges and few high
banks. ant for the most part the
prairie grass grows up to the very
edge of the low bank. Wherever
banks or broken surface affords pro
lection. trees were found.
Since the prairie fires have been
restricted and the fuel need of the
settler supplied by the ccal miner
and freight car, the area OF nat
ural timber has increased at a most
gratifying rate. Thirty years ago
the Arkansas, west o, Hutchinson,
and its tributaries from the south,
practically were devoid OF trees.
Today there are many acres that are
under forest conditions and the for
est area Is increasing. Most of this
growth Is cottonwood and willow,
species that produce large quantities
of seed that is blown long distances
and terminates very soon after
ripening. Species that produce heav-
Ter seeds are not disturbed 80 read
lily and the time required for their |
distribution over given area is
very much greater. With natures |
slow methods centuries OF the most !
favorable conditions would probably |
be required to extend the area of
heavy seeded species, but as the for |
est area increases the forest inhab- |
itants-birds, squirrels and other |
animals-increase In numbers and |
these agents Of distribution help, |
very slowly but surely in the in
PRODUCTION of other species. The in
crease OF forest area in the past
has been confined for the most part
70 the alluyial soils of the valleys
soils easily changed from prairie
to forest because the soil is easily
penetrated by roots and well adapted
TO nearly any forms OF plant life.
Nature eXtenls the forest back
from the streams along ravines and
broken surfaces, and works from
these back into the upland prairies.
The struggle for existence between
prairie and forest Is a bitter one.
The species is indeed 1T 10 sur
vive that can compete for existence
with the drought-cnduring buffalo
grass But In the few localities
where the buffalo grass has been
deprived of its allies, fire and cattle,
the forest is making progress. A
few years growth of buffalo grass
accumulstes, the rainfall Is held for
q longer time by the mulch on the
soil the buffalo grass itself grows
stronger and roots deeper. but its
augurs defeat, for the
bunch grass encrcaches, then takes
possession, and is succeeded by the
blue stem. the roots ever growing ,
deeper and the soil mulch heavier.
Very little rainfall now escapes. :
The buffalo grass lying close to
he ground. packed by hoofs and
baked by the sun, held little water;
,ut now the drought cannot wilt
he blue stem with its roots five
'eet deep, making a way for the
,oil water. Then the shade from the
rec, which have al the time been