1920] | Wherry,—Soil Tests of Ericaceae and Other Families 41 
mediacid. The Ericaceae grow far out into the water, forming with 
the sphagnum a floating mat which quivers under one’s steps. Andro- 
meda glaucophylla, Kalmia angustifolia, K. polifolia, and Ledum 
groenlandicum (all but the first also observed in the Willoughby 
region), are abundant here. In the sphagnum grow also Vaccinium 
Oxycoccos and its variety intermedium and Chiogenes hispidula; and 
on the drier banks Pyrola elliptica, Epigaea repens, Gaultheria pro- 
cumbens, and Vaccinium canadense. In addition to Ericaceae, Smila- 
eina trifolia, Pogonia ophioglossoides, and Sarracenia purpurea were 
noted. "The soils are practically all mediacid. 
It seemed worth while, having indicators on the spot, to test out 
the correctness of Fernald's! remarks as to the habitat of Thuja 
occidentalis: 
“Tt is therefore premature to say that in the region of its almost 
continuous occurrence . . . Thuja confines itself to calcareous 
soils, for, like many other plants in the area where they are dominant, 
Thuja may prove to be ubiquitous or somewhat indifferent to mod- 
erate differences of soil." 
As above noted, the water of the Thuja swamps is usually found 
on testing to be somewhat alkaline, the alkaline constituent being 
of course chiefly caleium bicarbonate, so that the term calcareous is 
correctly applied. Search was made for occurrences of Thuja else- 
where than in swamps, in the same general region. Along the rail- 
road north of West Burke station this tree was found to be growing 
well, and to be producing some seedlings, in dry sandy drift which 
has in places a subacid reaction, although it varies from this through 
minimacid down to neutral. In other parts of Vermont similar 
observations were made, so that Fernald’s statement, based chiefly 
upon inferences from geological maps, is abundantly confirmed when 
actual chemical tests are applied. 
Sr. JOHNSBURY, VERMONT. 
In the course of the trip there were several opportunities to make 
tests of the soils in the vicinity of St. Johnsbury, and to obtain data 
on species of Ericaceae and other groups not well represented in the 
previously described regions. In a Thuja swamp about 3 km. east 
of the town the water was found to be minimalkaline, but hummocks 
of peaty material are present in which the acidity locally becomes 
! Ruopona, xxi, 57 (1919). 
