68 Rhodora [March 



This fact of the plant being frequent on the transported soil of the 

 gravel fill does not argue its introduction into southern New Jersey 

 by the railroad, it appears to me, but represents only another example 

 of the very common occurrence of native plants which are carried 

 along with transported soil, and find the loose, well-drained, semi- 

 cleared gravel embankments of the railroads a very favorable place 

 for luxuriant growth. In this present case of very local introduction, 

 the gravel used in building this fill, I think, without much need of 

 question, came from the nearby cut. Although the fill stands upon a 

 cleared cedar swamp bordering the stream, its slopes bear a vigorous 

 growth of numerous dry ground native species: Andropogon scoparium, 

 Aronia mclanocarpa, Ncopicris mariana, Vaccinium vacillans, Aster 

 spectabilis, Aster gracilis — all of which could without doubt be found 

 in natural habitats in the immediate neighborhood. With this asso- 

 ciation of species occurs Prunus cvneata on the fill. I think there need 

 be no hesitation in believing that it was derived from the colony at 

 the summit of the nearby slope. 



Native species which are commonly recognized as weeds, or are well 

 known us likely of introduction; species in cultivation or wild species 

 whose fruits are collected and shipped to the market — these, and 

 plants of numerous other categories, are always open to suspicion 

 when they are credited as being native in a botanically well known 

 region where previously unrecorded. The common occurrence of 

 peaches, pears, apples in natural habitats in New Jersey offers no 

 problem to the field botanist, but the presence of certain species of 

 blackberries, strawberries, or blueberries along railroads in districts 

 where small fruits are grown or collected is to be looked upon as a very 

 different case. 



As regards the possibility of introduction of Prunus cuneata, how- 

 ever, the chances seem rather slight: — 



It is a plant of somewhat restricted distribution, commonly recorded 

 from habitats which bear little or no close relation to lands subject to 

 cultivation. I have found no published records of the species ever 

 occurring as an introduction, and with the exception of a locality 

 brought to my attention in conversation with Mr. K. K. Mackenzie, 

 it appears to be known from only wild and undisturbed areas. In a 

 recent letter Mr. Mackenzie describes this occurrence of Prunus 

 cuneata as " a few bushes, possibly six, near a place called Wortendyke, 

 north of Paterson, New Jersey. These bushes were at the edge of a 



