Reproduction of Forests in British North America. 265 



of the whole of the vegetable soil, the woods are reproduced 

 by a more complicated process, which may occupy a number 

 of years. In its first stage, the burned ground bears a luxu- 

 riant crop of herbs and shurbs, which, if it be fertile and not 

 of very great extent, may nearly cover its surface in the sum- 

 mer succeeding the fire. This first growth may comprise a 

 considerable variety of species, which we may divide into 

 three groups. The first of these consists of herbaceous 

 plants, which have their roots so deeply buried in the soil as 

 to escape the effects of the fire. Of this kind, is a small spe- 

 cies of Trillium, whose tubers are deeply imbedded in the 

 black mould of the woods, and whose flowers may sometimes 

 be seen thickly sprinked over the black surface of woodland 

 very recently burned. Some species of ferns, also, in this 

 way, occasionally survive forest fires. A second group is 

 composed of plants whose seeds are readily transported by 

 the wind. Of this kind, is the species of Epilobium, known 

 in Nova Scotia as the fire-weed or French willow, whose 

 feathered seeds are admirably adapted for flying to great dis- 

 tances, and which often covers large tracts of burned ground 

 so completely, that its purple flowers communicate their own 

 colour to the whole surface, when viewed from a distance. 

 This plant appears to prefer the less fertile soils, and the 

 name of fire-weed has been given to it, in consequence of its 

 occupying these when their wood has been destroyed by fire. 

 Various species of Solidago and Aster, and other composite 

 plants, and Ferns, Lycopodia, and Mosses, are also among the 

 first occupants of burned ground, and their presence may be 

 explained in the same way with that of the Epilobium ; their 

 seeds and sporules being easily scattered over the surface of 

 the barren by wind. A third group of species, found abun- 

 dantly on burned ground, consists of plants bearingedible fruits. 

 The seeds of these are scattered over the barren by birds 

 which feed on the fruits, and finding a rich and congenial 

 soil, soon bear abundantly and attract more birds, bringing 

 with them the seeds of other species. In this way, it some- 

 times happens that a patch of burned ground, only a few 

 acres in extent, may, in a few years, contain specimens of 

 nearly all the fruit-bearing shrubs and herbs indigenous in 



