ins . ▁The ▁soil ▁is ▁similar ▁to ▁the ▁App al ach ian ▁pied mont ▁which ▁though ▁not ▁exha usted ▁by ▁the ▁prime val ▁forest ▁cover , ▁are ▁by ▁no ▁means ▁so ▁rich ▁as ▁the ▁till ▁sheets ▁of ▁the ▁pra i ries . ▁Moreover , ▁whatever ▁the ▁rock y ▁under structure , ▁the ▁till ▁soil ▁has ▁been ▁aver aged ▁by ▁a ▁thorough ▁mechanical ▁mixture ▁of ▁rock ▁gr ind ings . ▁Hence , ▁the ▁pra i ries ▁are ▁continu ously ▁fert ile ▁for ▁scores ▁of ▁miles ▁together . ▁The ▁true ▁pra i ries ▁were ▁once ▁covered ▁with ▁a ▁rich ▁growth ▁of ▁natural ▁grass ▁and ▁annual ▁flow ering ▁plants , ▁but ▁today , ▁they ▁are ▁covered ▁with ▁far ms . ▁ ▁See ▁also ▁▁▁ ▁Asp en ▁park land ▁ ▁Buff alo ▁Commons ▁ ▁Coast al ▁plain ▁ ▁Coast al ▁pra irie ▁ ▁D ust ▁Bowl ▁ ▁Field ▁ ▁Flo oded ▁grass lands ▁and ▁sav ann as ▁ ▁Flo od - me adow ▁ ▁Gr ass land ▁ ▁He ath ▁ ▁M ead ow ▁ ▁North ▁American ▁Pra i ries ▁Province ▁- ▁grass land ▁flor istic ▁province ▁ ▁Out back ▁ ▁P amp as ▁ ▁Past ure ▁ ▁P lain ▁ ▁Pra irie ▁dog ▁ ▁Pra irie ▁mad ness ▁ ▁Pra irie ▁rest oration ▁ ▁P usz ta ▁ ▁R angel and ▁ ▁Sav anna ▁ ▁Short gr ass ▁pra irie ▁ ▁Ste ppe ▁ ▁Switch gr ass ▁ ▁Tem perate ▁grass lands , ▁sav ann as , ▁and ▁shr ub lands ▁- ▁a ▁terrest rial ▁bi