Katahdin itself does not present any botanical features distinct. from those of the same åltitude as Mt. Washington; we find the same disappearance of Solidago thyrsoidea, Meyer, as we ascend, the introduction of the mountain berries and willows at nearly the same elevation at which we find the identical plants at Mt. Washington. Indeed, botanical investigation has failed as yet to detect on Katahdin any plants unknown to the higher mountains of the United States, with the single exception of Saxifraga rivularis, L., var. comosa. This brilliant discovery rewards the long continued searches of one of our most acute American botanists, Rev. Mr. Blake, formerly of this State and now of Gilmanton, New Hampshire. The summit of Katahdin is clothed with the common lichens Cladonia and Lecidea. Very few Parmelias were seen on any part of the most elevated portion.

The "basin" or crater of the mountain (for it must be remembered that Katahdin resembles the crater of an extinct volcano) exhibits many of the White Mt. plants which I have never seen accredited to Maine. These were Epilobium alpinum, Viburnum pauciflorum, Ribes rubrum, Aspidium aculeatum, var. Braunii, &c. The thickets of Black Spruce in this basin are very dense, and render walking hardly a matter of pleasure.

The timber on the Penobscot near the Wassataquoik has been thoroughly explored by lumbermen, and the best of it has long ago been sent down river. But a good deal yet remains to be cut, and upon soil which it will amply remunerate one for cultivating. The land at this point will be for settlers, when it is once opened by roads, as desirable as any new farming land in the State.

Seboois Section.

This division comprises the lands which have in part been burnt over in 1825, and present at this time principally second growth. The pine and spruce timber in this section is small and not very abundant, and the same is said to be true of all the cone-bearing trees in the Seboois valley. How far this is true of timber at any great distance above the mouth of the Seboois I am not prepared to say, but it is most assuredly the case upon the Penobscot in this vicinity. The second growth trees, the birches, poplars and occasional maples are everywhere a noticeable part of the vegetation, while Iron-wood, Hop-Hornbeam, White and Black Ash occur more infrequently. The smaller shrubs and herbs observed in

this part of the course of the river were principally, those characterizing the flora of the vicinity of Bangor with the addition of Epilobium angustifolium and E. coloratum, which grew very abundantly. These two plants are called by the lumbermen on the river, "Burnt-weed," "Fire-weed," and "Fire-top," but the more common fire-weed of Massachusetts was unnoticed. One specimen of Erechthites hieracifolia, which usually receives the name of Fireweed, was all that we were able to obtain on the tour of several hundred miles! Passing northward we leave the burnt land and come upon a section strikingly different. Herbs are of smaller size, especially the Asters, thân those of the lower land just left behind. This division is called for convenience, the

Grand Lake Section,

and comprises the land between a point ten miles above the Seboois and Lake Telos. The timber on this section is quite good, and though large trees are less abundant than they formerly were, still enough remain to give one the impression that these are the best forests yet seen on the route from Bangor. Upon a mountain called the "Traveller," near the river, I was able to see for the first time in its live state, that remarkable Conifer, Pinus Banksiana or the Gray pine of Michaux. It was a stunted tree of a singularly stooping and spreading aspect. Many of the trees, not more than five feet in height, would cover with their branches a circle eleven feet in diameter. Under this pine we collected, late in August, fine blueberries which I have never seen exceeded in size or excelled in delicacy of flavor; and still more abundantly the "rock cranberry" or Vaccinium Vitis-Idæa, Empetrum nigrum, and Arctostaphylos alpina.

At the base of the mountain I was so fortunate as to discover the rare Hippuris vulgaris growing abundantly in a bog and near it was Arnica mollis commonly recognized as a mountain plant. The northern Gray pine was not seen again till we reached an island in Matagamon or Grand Lake. Here I found it was abundant, and was informed by an experienced lumberman attached to our party, that this "Shore pine" or "Rock pine" occurs very rarely in the forests of the State-and this one place in Grand Lake was the only locality of the pine known to him. Others have since told me the same, so I think it is plain that its range in Maine, like that of Halenia is quite limited. In this Grand

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lake section we had the pleasure of examining a large and well conducted farm, and seeing what weeds troubled farmers sixty miles from any village. To my surprise, very many of the weeds rarest on farms in the southern, middle and western parts of the State were common at this farm. Rudbeckia hirta which had been probably introduced very lately with hay seed or seed of some other crop-Ambrosia trifida, Trifolium procumbens were noticed and many others which it is needless to mention. In a swamp near the farm I observed a good deal of Nardosmia palmata, the fruit of Calypso borealis and Arethusa bulbosa. These highly interesting species occurred in such plenty as to lead one to think that a botanical visit earlier in the season would be repaid by a very choice collection and the discovery, perhaps, of some plants new to the State.

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The timber of this section must be more carefully described. great deal of fine timber in this vicinity is as yet uncut, although not a square mile of land can be found in it where some lumberman has not gone. The "Juniper" here is of free growth and affords a large proportion of the Juniper knees which are so rapidly supplanting other kinds of timber in our ship yards. The "Juniper," so called by the lumberman, is always identical with the Hackmatac of lower Penobscot and the Larix Americana of Linnæus. The spruce is also of good quality and abundant. At Lake Telos we arrive at the southern limit of a new division which

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Alleguash Section.

It embraces the land lying on the great lakes and the southern part of the Alleguash. That around the lakes is distinguished by Juncus militaris, Potentilla fruticosa and Rumex salicifolius which here appear for the first time in abundance. The timber on Chamberlain and Eagle Lakes does not differ much from that on Lakes Telos and Webster. But as we approach the head of Churchill Lake we notice larger trees in greater number. Of course this is owing in a measure to the fact that lumbering in the vicinity has to be carried on at a disadvantage and the heavier trees have not yet been floated out. This timber on the Alleguash was said by all our party to be the finest on the route-in fact while passing down the river this was a theme of frequent remark.

A glance at a map of the United States will show that the north

of Maine is on nearly the same parallel as a portion of Lake Supe rior, and so by analogy we might be led to find some western plants in northern Aroostook. This proves to be the case. Even a casual survey, rendered more hurried by the approach of the autumn drouth which would render the navigation of the St. John very difficult and tedious, enabled me to identify many Lake Huron and Superior plants on our upper boundary. The main river was explored as far south as township eleven. Here the shallow water prevented us from going up river any further, while the rapid falling of the water warned us to make our journey to Fort Kent a rapid one. From township eleven, therefore, the description of the plants of this district may commence. At this point the timber is not remarkably good; the pines being of small size and neither clear nor straight. Spruce was some better and well pays for extensive lumber operations above Seven Isles. Few hard wood trees are to be seen in this part of the country. Along the shore we find Tofieldia glutinosa which grows for the most part on a wet soil, especially on wet ledges and disintegrating slates. With it, occur Anemone parviflora and Nabalus racemosus. The latter plant is noticeable for its glandular involucres and its very smooth radical leaves. This plant was seen frequently till we left the main river at Woodstock, in the Province of New Brunswick.

A singular species of Lathyrus was noticed near Black river, but specimens were too mature to admit of proper determination. With this Lathyrus was also found a plant which subsequent investigation has proved to be an Oxytropis. Dr. Gray, to whom I am much indebted for many acts of kindness, says in a letter of November 7th, "This seems to be near O. Lamberti, var. d., Tor. and Gray. However, I have a fancy that it may be 0. Uralensis."

Astragalus alpinus, L., occurs plentifully along the banks of the river from this point to Grand Falls; flowers seems sufficiently distinct from A. Robbinsii, Gray, which grows by its side.

I found Artemisia Canadensis growing sparingly, on slate rocks near Madawaska river, and afterwards at Grand Falls. Common mugwort, a plant of the same genus, and a very vexatious weed, grows abundantly with it. What law of selection places these kindred plants together, the one an introduced weed and the other an indigenous species? If the same fact had not been noticed at both points where A. Canadensis occurred, it would not have been thought worthy of even a passing remark.

One of the most attractive plants in this district is the Huronian Tansy which I am able to add to the list of plants new to New England. It grows in patches of three or four feet square, and everywhere presents the same soft and finely dissected foliage. The odor is not so pungent as that of common garden tansy; it is rather like that of yarrow. A plant so characteristic, of north-western vege

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tation, detected at a point so far east and in such plenty, suggests that a more careful survey of the section will develop many highly interesting facts. Specimens of this plant could be obtained only in fruit, but even then it was apparent that it would be a desirable plant for our flower gardens. The cut unfortunately does not represent that which forms the greatest beauty of the plant-namely, the long and silky pinnatifid leaf.

Near Grand Falls on the St. John, a grass was detected which