USA > Kentucky > Daviess County > History of Daviess County, Kentucky, together with sketches of its cities, villages, and townships, educational religious, civil military, and political history, portraits of prominent persons, biographies of representative citizens, and an outline history of Kentucky > Part 25
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MINERAL SPRINGS.
Two miles north of Calhoon, in the neighborhood of the old " Vienna settlement " on Green River, are the "tar and sulphur" springs. The medicinal substance referred to is a gummy matter which rises to the surface during the night to the extent of a quart or two, and is reputed to be good for sores. Accessible only when the water is low.
The waters of Yelvington Spring contain free carbonic acid, bi-carbonates of lime and magnesia, salt, a trace of iron, and pos- sibly of an alkaline carbonate. To the latter may be due the flat taste of the water, after it has stood for a time. Part of the mag- nesia may be united with chlorine. If sulphates are present they are in too small quantities to be detected with any degree of certainty without boiling the water down.
The Oliver Spring, on the waters of Blackford, gives nearly the same results, except that it contains more iron.
Murray's Spring, near Lewis's Station, is chalybeate and saline, anin its chemical reaction neutral. It is doubtless a healthful water. A little over one-thousandth part of it is lime carbonate, and then follow in the order of quantity by weight, magnesia sul- phate, soda sulphate, potash sulphate, iron carbonate, lime sulphate, common salt, etc.
Dr. Hickman's springs, near Crow's Station, are named "Alum," "Sulphur," " Brick " and " Yellow." The Alum spring yields a water of strong acid reaction, and is richly impregnated with iron salt. A five thousandth part of this is solid matter, of which nearly seventy-nine per cent. is iron peroxide, nearly fifteen per cent. combined water, five per cent. sulphuric acid (anhydrous), etc. The other springs abonnd mostly in soda sulphate, magnesia sul- phate, lime sulphate, lime carbonate, common salt, magnesia carbonate, etc. In all these springs are traces of copper, lithia, silica, organic matters, etc., which are so small in quantity as to
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require no notice. The alum waters are highly astringent, and are doubtless too strong for internal use withont dilution, in most cases. The saline and sulphur waters are alterative, slightly aperient, diuretic, or sudorific, and hence depurative, according to the man- ner of their administration under medical advice.
As a health resort the above springs have long been noted, and a hotel was built there many years ago for the accommodation of visitors. It was burned down in 1860, and a new, large, frame building erected in 1865 by Dr. W. A. Hickman; also a dwelling house, still larger. Play-grounds were fitted up. The patronage most of the time was larger than could well be accommodated. It is still a favorite place for picnics, although the hotel was closed three years ago.
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CHAPTER XII.
BOTANY AND ZOOLOGY.
The groves were God's first temples. Yea; And they're His holiest temples still.
The term "botany " comprises everything that grows in the soil, from the largest tree to the smallest moss. Scientifically, every living organism that subsists upon inorganic matter is a plant, whether it possesses locomotion and sensitiveness or not; while all living organisms that subsist upon organic matter are animals, although some of them are fixed to a spot as most plants are.
Daviess County is in a region favorable to the high develop- ment of many species in the vegetable kingdom. While about 2,300 species of plants are found native in the United States, about 1,600 are found within the State of Kentucky, and fully 1,000 within the limits of Daviess County. In the following paragraphs we will notice only those of interest to the general reader; and we will mention the most conspicnons first, pursuing the following order: 1. Trees which grow to the full forest height. 2. Low trees. 3. Shrubs and bushes. 4. Vines, woody and herbaceous. 5. Native herbs. 6. Weeds, or introduced herbs, growing spontaneously in cultivated and waste places.
TALL TREES.
Oaks .- The most conspicuous family of the forest is that of the oaks. There is a greater variety and abundance of them than of any other tree, and, perhaps, in this country, they are the most useful of all. At the head of this family stands the White Oak, which, though the most common species of oak in some sections of the country, is not so abundant in Daviess County as some other species. Being the most useful for general purposes, it has been cut out of the forest more than the others, and thus made relatively scarcer. Bur Oak is abundant, and in general utility is, perhaps, next the White species. Swamp White Oak is rare. A species of Bur Oak called "Post Oak " occurs liere and there.
Of the oaks which have a black, hard, rough bark, the most (263)
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prominent are the Scarlet, Red, Black, Black Jack, Shingle and Water Oaks. The Willow Oak, so called from the form of its leaves, occurs, but is rare. The Black, Scarlet and Shingle oaks are of the first order for fuel, as they furnish fully as much heat as hickory, afford ashes strong with lye, and produce good embers and charcoal. The other oaks are low trees, and are mentioned under the next sub-head.
The Oak family intermix to a great extent-in some localities so much that it is really difficult for even a scientist to classify them.
Elms .- Next to the oaks the White Elm is the most common tree in this county. Its principal value is as a shade-tree, though when sawed thin it is much used for small goods boxes. See next sub-head for the other two elins.
Sycamore, or Buttonwood .- This is the only species of its fam- ily in America, and finds its home in all the Ohio Valley. Used as a street shade-tree here, where it forms beautiful heads, and produces larger leaves than any other tree. Sawed thin its wood makes good material for small boxes.
Poplars .- The Cottonwood is a well-known, large swamp tree, of but little account. The Quaking Asp, or American Aspen, is a true poplar, and is scarce
Tulip-Tree .- This is not a poplar, thoughi often so called. It has also been called white-wood and cucumber-wood. It used to be common in this region, but, being very useful for box lumber, it has been pretty well cut out.
Walnuts .-- The Black Walnut, for its richly-shaded dark wood, is the most valuable tree of the forest. Specimens in the North have been sold for as much as $1,200 a tree, as they stood on tlie ground ! Consequently it has become scarce, as a large tree. White Walnut or Butternut, is found occasionally, and is abundant in some parts of the county. The wood is much used at the pres- ent day for veneering.
Maples .- Three species of maple are found in Daviess County : 1. Hard, Sugar or Rock, with a variety called Black. 2. Red or Swainp. 3. White or Silver. The two latter are soft-wooded. The hard maple, or " sugar-trcc," was once abundant here, but is now scarce.
Hickories .- These are, botanically speaking, members of the Walnut family. At the head of this class of trees stands the Western Shell-bark, for its fruit and its wood; but it is not so
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common as formerly. Akin to it is the common Shell-bark or Shag-bark, which, by the way, is much more common East than here. The "Small-fruited " Hickory is abundant in this region. Of those bearing soft-shelled nuts, the most common are the Bit- ter-nut and Pig-nut; the next the Mocker-nut, or White-hearted Hickory; and lastly the favorite Pecan. A few specimens are found which, by the fruit, seem to be a cross between the Small- fruited Hickory and the Pecan
Ash .- Of this family the White was once the most common; but, being a valuable tree for fuel and lumber, it has become compara- tively scarce. It has also been called Black Ash, Blue Ash and Gray Ash. The Red Ash, the Green Ash and the true Blue Ash are found in this county, the latter very scarce. The last three are of but little value. The true Black Ash is said to be abun- dant.
Lin, Linden or Basswood .- One species was formerly abundant, and one has always been scarce. The latter species has larger leaves, with a silvery white and fine down underneath.
Birch .- River or Red Birch occurs along the streams.
Catalpa .- Of this there are two species, both rare in this county. One is much more hardy than the other, and valuable for fence- posts, etc. Its time of flowering is three weeks earlier than the tenderer kind. It was formerly common. Specimens have been found over four feet in diameter.
Hackberry .- A few specimens of this tree are still found. It belongs to the Elm family and is not a valuable tree.
Coffee Tree .- This denizen of the forest has always been rare. The tree is best known by its beautiful compound leaves and glossy beans.
Honey Locust .- Common. Valuable for hedges, and in the ex- treme northern portion of the Union it is hardier than Osage Orange, and therefore better for this purpose.
Sweet Gum .- This tree has somewhat star-shaped leaves, yields a fragrant white gum, and that which grows among other tall trees yields the most valuable lumber, taking the place at once of pine, walnut and cherry. This was originally one of the most abundant of trees, but it is now reduced to one fourth or less. Although the botanists recognize but one species here, difference of situation produces so great a difference that the people say there are at least two varieties,-the yellow or red wooded and the white-wooded, the first mentioned being valuable and the other almost or quite worthless.
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" Black Gum," called also Sour Gum, Pepperidge, Nyssa and Tupelo, is not at all akin to the preceding. It grows to full forest height. Its black, acid berries are not edible. It is still plentiful. The wood is good only for hubs of wheels, etc. The true Black Gum is rare.
Cherry .- The Wild Black Cherry is common, and reaches its greatest perfection here.
Beech .- This very common tree of the Lake region and the East was formerly represented by a few specimens in this county.
Cypress .- The American Bald Cypress may possibly be found in Daviess County. It is common south of Green River.
Sorrel-wood, Cucumber-wood and Snow-drop tree are very rare in this region; and the Umbrella tree may possibly occur here.
LOW TREES.
While a few under the preceding head scarcely ever reach the height of the tallest forest tree, those which we shall enumerate under. this head never reach the average height of the forest, and range down to less than twenty feet, where they mingle, in classi- fication, with "bushes " and shrubs, treated under the next sub- head®
Elm .- The Slippery, or Red, and the Winged occur here and there.
Oak .- Post Oak and Black Jack are common.
Buckeye .- The Smooth Ohio, or Fetid Buckeye occurs in the river bottoms, but has always been scarce.
Pawpaw .- Well known throughout the Ohio River Valley for its banana-like fruit, which some persons learn to like as an article of diet. To "learn to like " them one must merely taste of them, at times far apart, and when hungry and under the most favorable circumstances. Even then many will fail.
Persimmon .- Common and more edible than the preceding. Persous abroad do not know much about them, from the fact that they cannot be shipped to a great distance. Before they are per- feetly soft they are inedible, and after that they decay too rapidly for shipping to market. Some one might make a little money at drying and canning them. Persimmon trees four feet in diameter have been seen here.
Mulberry .- This occurs here, but, as everywhere else, is rare.
Crabapple .- Two species are found here, but neither is as abundant as elsewhere.
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Thorn .- There are five species of thorn in this region, gener- ally known as Red Haws. The most common are Black or Pear, the Cockspur, the Washington and the Scarlet-fruited.
Box-Elder, or Ash-leaved Maple was formerly common, but is now scarce.
Red Bud, or Judas Tree, is common in this vicinity, and is well known by its purplish crimson tops in early spring before the leaves appear.
Red Cedar occurs, but is rare.
Sassafras and Spice Bush, almost the only two members of the Laurel family in the United States, are both common in this county. The latter, however, is a shrub, and is becoming scarce. Sassafras four feet four inches in diameter have been found in Daviess County.
Service or June Berry .- Rare.
Alder .- The Smooth and Hoary Alders, of the Birch family, and Black Alder or Winterberry, of the Holly family, occur in this county.
Dogwood .- The Flowering Dogwood is a common low tree; the other dogwoods are mentioned under the next sub-head.
Hop Hornbeam and Water Beech found occasionally, as also the Southern Buckthorn.
Wafer Ash, a tree whose bark and leaves yield a fetid odor, is sometimes found. Is sometimes also called Hop Tree aud Shrubby Trefoil.
The Common or "Black " Locust is native here.
Holly .- One species of holly may occur in wet grounds.
Willows .- Six species of willows are found in this county, rang- ing from shrubs to small trees.
BUSHES AND SHRUBS.
Dogwoods (the Silky and the Panicled Cornels), Butter Bush, False Indigo, Wild Hydrangea, Burning Bush, Bladdernut, Com- mon Elder, three species of Sumach, Wolfberry, Coralberry, Wild Black Currant, two species of Gooseberry, Black Haw, White Rod, Shrubby St. John's wort, Mistletoe, Spice Bush, Prickly Ash, Calico Bush (or Ivy), Holly-leaved Oak, Alder Buckthorn, Choke Cherry, Choke Berry, two species of Plum, and two species of Hazlenut are about all that come under this head in Daviess .County.
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VINES.
Grape .- The Winter or Frost Grape is common, but the Sum- mer Grape, a delicious fruit, is very scarce, if indeed it can be found at all in this county. In early days it was common, but the vines have been destroyed by reckless grape-gatherers. The Catawba is escaping from cultivation. The Virginia Creeper, or American " Ivy," is abundant throughout the West.
Poison Ivy .- This occurs almost everywhere, sometimes as a. small shrub, when it is called Poison; Oak, and sometimes as a. large vine reaching to the top of the tallest tree. It has three leaflets to each leaf, while the Virginia Creeper has five; and young Box-Elder is distinguished from Poison Ivy by whitish bloom cov- ering the leaf-stems and green twigs of the former.
Virgin's Bower occurs but rarely.
Moonseed is common everywhere. This has erroneously been called Sarsaparilla. Its round, yellow roots have a tonic bitter taste.
Climbing Bittersweet is a twining, woody vine, found occasion- ally. It bears orange-colored berries, in clusters which are con- spicnons in autumn, resembling wax-work, by which term they are indeed sometimes called, and have been used in ornamentation. This vine is also called simply Bittersweet, but the true medical Bittersweet is a plant of an entirely different order and appearance, not a vine, and not growing wild in this county.
Vetches .- This term may comprise several small herbaceous vines of the pea and bean family, occurring frequently in the woods, but of no great consequence.
Hop .- Occasional.
Wild Pea Vine, or Hog Peanut, is abundant.
Wild Balsam Apple, called also Wild Cucumber, and by many other local names, is a vigorous, herbaceous vine, bearing a bur- like fruit, like that of the Jimson-weed, and flourishing about cul- țivated grounds.
Morning-glory .- The most common plant of this order, growing spontaneously beyond the bounds of cultivation, is the Hedge Bindweed, or Rutland Beauty. Eight species of Dodder ("Love- vine") may be found, all rare except one. It appears like orange- colored thread growing on the tops of weeds.
Bindweeds .- Black Bindweed, arrow-leaved Tear-thumb, and climbing false Buckwheat occur here and there. The first men- tioned is sometimes a pest in fields.
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Wild Yam, Green Brier, Carrion Flower, etc., are common in the woods.
Besides the above, there are several species of plants which are sometimes called vines, but are not strictly such. They grow mostly prostrate on the ground, but neither climb nor twine; for examples, Goose-grass, Bracted Vervain, Yellow Honeysuckle, etc.
NATIVE HERBS.
The most common wild herbacious plants, especially in earlier days, were wild Sunflowers, Coneflowers, Spanish Needle, Stick- seed, Tick-seed, Rosin-weed, Sneeze-weed, Yarrow, Asters, Flea- banes, Golden-rods, Thoroughworts, Iron-weeds, Fire-weed, This- tles, Catch-fly, Wood-sorrel, Spring Beauty, Anemones, Violets, Milkweeds, May-Apple, Loosestrife, Wild Parsley, Dogbane, Sweet Ciceley, Bedstraw (Cleavers and Goose-grass), Gerardia, American Pennyroyal, Wild Mint, Water Hoarhound, Giant Hys- sop, Red and Yellow Puccoon, Beggar's-Lice, Wild Phloxes (Sweet William), Ground Cherry, Rich-weed, Potentilla, Wild Touch-me- not, Three-seeded Mercury, Horse-tail, Cat-tail, Arrow-head Tril- liums, Solomon's Seal, Spider-wort, and the Ferns. Ginseng, locally called " sang," was common in early day, but, on account of its marketable value, it has been about all eradicated from our woods; and for the same reason, its supposed value, it has never been considered a weed.
In addition to the foregoing, we may add the following, as oc- curring more rarely, but were still frequent and were either prominent or interesting in some feature: Adam and Eve, Adder's Tongue, Agrimony, Alum-root, Avens, Baneberry, Beard-tongue, Black Snakeroot, Blood-root, Blue Flag, Bog Rush, Boneset, Buck Bean, Bull Rush, Bush Clover, Cardinal Flower, Club Rush, Cohoslı, Columbine, Cress, Crowfoots, Cudweed, Culver's Physic, Dragoon-root, Dry Strawberry, Dutchman's Breeches, Enchanter's Nightshade, Evening Primrose, Feverwort, Fog-fruit, Fool's Parsley, Foxglove, Gentians, Goat's Rue, Golden Alexander, Greek Valerian, Groundnut, Groundsel, Hawk-weed, Hedge Nettle, Herb Robert, Hibiscus, Horsemint, Honewort, Hound's Tongue, Indian Turnip, Ladies' Slipper, Lead Plant, Leaf-cup, Leek, Liverwort, Lousewort, Lupine, Marsh-mallow, Marsh-mari- gold, Meadow Rue, Monkey Flower, Mouse-ear, Mugwort, Nettle, Pepper-and-Salt, Pond weed, Pond Lily, Prairie Burdock, Rue Anemone, Seltheal, Seneca, nakeroot, Squill Star-grass, Trum-
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pet-weed, Venus' Looking-glass, Virginia Snakeroot, Wake Robin, Waterleaf, Water Parsnip, Water Plantain, Wild Ginger, Wild Indigo, Wild Larkspur, Wild Rye, Wild Pepper-grass, Wild Sar- saparilla, Wild Touch-me-not, Worm-seed, Yellow Pond Lily.
WEEDS.
These are introduced herbs, growing spontaneously in cultivated and waste grounds. These, of course, have not been purposely introduced from the East and from Europe, but their seeds have been unavoidably brought West in the shipment of goods and otherwise:
The most familiar weeds in this section of country are Smart- weed, Knot-weed, Pig-weed, Thorny Amaranth, Lamb's Quarter, Dog-Fennel or May-weed, Bull-Nettle, Jimson, Poke, Indian Mallow, Pursley, Spurge, Shepherd's Purse, Pepper-grass, Chick- weed, Common Mallows, Gill, Bouncing Bet, Milkweed, several species, Silk-weed, Figwort, Motherwort, Catnip, Hoarhound, Mullein, four Vervains, Burdock, Cocklebur (both Common and Spiny), Black Nightshade, Dandelion, Toad Flax, Sow Thistle, Sneeze-weed, Iron-weed, Plantain, Goosefoot, Rich-weed, Rag- weed, Horse-werd, Camphor-weed, etc. The Thorny Amaranth has been introduced since the commencement of the last war, apparently from the South.
Clover and grass, as they grow on the commons, are scarcely considered weeds, on account of their great utility to live stock, while many field and garden plants, when cultivated for their products are considered useful, are weeds when they come spon- taneously in the way, obstructing the desired cultivation of other plants.
Plants "escaping from cultivation," as Spider-flower, or Cleome, Bouncing Bet, Bittersweet, Parsnip, Stonecrop, Sunflower, Prince's Feather, Lungwort, Horse Radish, Gill, Indian Heliotrope, Morning Glory, Buckwheat, etc., are weeds or not weeds, accord- ing to whether they come in our way or not.
The term " botany" includes all mushrooms, toadstools, mildew, rust, etc., varying in size from that of a flour barrel to a micro- scopic point. Most fungi are microscopic, and many living germs are so minute and so low in the scale of organization that they are neither vegetable nor animal. The germs of decay are living "organisms," not known to be either vege- table or animal, and are mostly of the species called "Bac-
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terium." Nearly all discolorations of leaves are due to the presence of minnte fungi or kindred organisms, which are as symmetrical as wheels, and often beautiful. Pear-blight and apple-blight are now believed to be caused by bacteria or other germs of disease, and nearly all diseases of plants, as well as many affections among men, are now supposed by the medical profession to be caused, or at least accompanied, by such germs, in countless millions.
The amateur botanist, at the present day, finds but little interest in rambling through the woods of Kentucky, because by pasturage nearly all the native plants are killed out, and their place supplied by a few insignificant weeds and grasses. But the seeker after fungi, mildews, rusts, etc., finds a much richer field than he could have found fifty or seventy five years ago.
" Malaria" signifies bad air; and the badness consists of disease germs, but it is not known whether these are vegetable or animal or neither. These germs are very numerous in their genera and species, and most of them are always more or less present. Hence it is always better to counteract them by preserving a vigorous. state of the body than by seeking antidotal poisons.
ZOOLOGY.
This term refers to the whole animal kingdom, and as a science is divided into "Zoology," in the narrowest sense, which is the nat- ural history of quadrupeds, ornithology (of birds), hepetology (of reptiles), entomology (of insects), etc.
Quadrupeds .- The most conspicuous wild animals of pioneer times in this part of Kentucky were buffalo, elk, deer, bears, wolves, panthers, jaguars, wild-cats, wild hogs, foxes, raccoons (" coons"), opossums ("possums"), skunks (or " pole-cats"), ot- ters, beavers, musk-rats, minks, weasels, gronnd-hogs (or " wood- chucks"), squirrels, rabbits and moles.
As a rule the larger species disappeared first, and the smaller, most of them, remain until the present time. First the buffalo and elk disappeared, then bears, panthers, deer, beaver, etc. The smaller native quadrupeds have generally become very scarce, while those of civilization, as rats and mice, have become abundant. In some of the wilder parts of the county there may yet be seen occasionally a deer, a wolf, a panther, or a wild-cat. The gray fox has mainly become extinct ; there are some red foxes yet. Opos- sums are nearly all gone. Their flesh is eaten by many persons,
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baked with sweet potatoes. There are a good many raccoons yet, especially in the flats of Panther Creek. They are caught with traps, and by treeing them, and by chasing after them by their tracks in the snow. Skunks, otters, and weasels are very rare. There are a goodly number of musk-rats and minks. Wild hogs were the descendants of stray domestic individuals. In some seo- tions they used to be common, but they disappeared about the time that " hog cholera" came about. Ground-hogs are still found occa- sionally.
Squirrels are still abundant in some localities, especially during seasons of mast. The gray squirrel predominates in numbers. No black specimens have been reported, although, of course, some may have existed. Flying squirrels exist in this section.
Moles are quite abundant.
Birds .- The species of fowls inhabiting this country are too nu- merous to mention here. All exist to this day that have ever flourished here; but the wild turkey, being a good game bird and very large, has of course become very scarce. Quails are still common. In the city of Owensboro the English sparrow is beginning to multiply, which the citizens will probably regret in the future.
In early times a great migration or raid often took place, of pig- eons, wild turkeys, squirrels, etc. Pigeons would sometimes darken the sky for hours as they flew over, and bend and break down the boughs of the trees when they roosted. Squirrels would some- times migrate in immense numbers, swimming the streams, when they would be easily caught and killed.
The pioneers have many interesting experiences to relate con- cerning the chase and wild animals generally. A large volume could easily be filled with entertaining anecdotes.
A query for naturalists is the curious fact that while fox squirrels and cranes are abundant, or often seen, on the Indiana side of the river within a mile of this city, they are never seen on this side; and strange enough, the gray squirrel to be found anywhere on this side is rarely or never seen on the Indiana shore. We are further informed that the ground squirrel, so common everywhere, is almost - unknown in Daviess County, although in the adjoining counties of Ohio, Muhlenburg and McLean they are numerous. The scarcity of rock in this county is given as a reason of the absence of the latter.
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