NATURAL AREAS AND REGIONS 



339 



coastal plain consists of low lands along 

 the Delaware and Schujdkill rivers. 

 Sweet gum and willow oak are character- 

 istic trees and the muskrat is common. 

 The Piedmont, the central mountain 

 mass and the Alleghany plateau were 

 originall}- and are covered with decidu- 

 ous forest of black, white and red oak, 

 chestnut, tulip tree, ashes, hickories and 

 black walnut. Dogwood, honcj'suckle, 

 spice Inish and laurel are important 

 undergrowth shrubs, while bloodroot, 

 mayapple, Indian turnip, hepatica, arbu- 

 tus [Epigaea repens) are abundant 

 herbaceous plants of the forest floor. 



The valleys of the several large rivers 

 possess characteristic plants. Hemlock 

 is common in some parts on the lower 

 ground, while the high mountain tops 

 have groves of table mountain pine. 

 The celebrated Eear Meadows of the 

 mountain district support the pitcher- 

 plant, orchids, etc. 



The northern plateau is continuous 

 with the Catskill mountain plateau, 

 reaching in the Pocono region, an eleva- 

 tion of 2200 ft. (Rhododendron cana- 

 dense), creeping snowberry (Chiogenes 

 hispidula) plants which are characteris- 

 tic of the mountains farther north occur. 

 Originally the fauna included the elk, 

 Virginia deer, black bear, cougar, timber 

 wolf, beaver, opossum, porcupine, rac- 

 coon, gray squirrel, woodchuck, red 

 fox, gray fox (Urocyon cinereoar- 

 genteus), and skunk (Mephitis nigra). 

 The birds included the wild turkey, 

 turkey vulture, whippoorwill, wood 

 and hermit thrushes, song sparrow, and 

 red-headed woodpecker. Occasionally 

 marine whales and porpoises have come 

 up the Delaware River to the shores of 

 the state. 



II. PRESENT CONDITION OF THE BIOTA 



The original forests have been almost 

 entirely removed and much that is now 

 nearly natural is really second growth. 

 The wapiti is extinct and the number of 

 other game animals greatly reduced. 

 All the larger streams are polluted. 

 Those which drain the coal regions have 

 suffered from acid mine seepage. So 



much fine coal has been introduced into 

 the Susquehanna that it is dredged in 

 some places for fuel purposes. 



III. NATUUAL AREAS 



Pocono PUtleau Region. (C4.) Here 

 are located celebrated mountain resort.s, 

 many of them at 2000 ft. above sea level 

 comprising forest, lakes and mountain 

 streams and R. R. 



Deciduous Forest near Broadhead Creek 

 Valley. (CI.) 20 sq. mi. of a wild 

 tangle of deciduous forest on mountain 

 and in valley; much laurel. 



Reading Municipal Forest and Tree 

 Nursery. (HS.) Canadensis, Monroe Co., 

 Pa. It has been preserved by the city 

 of Reading 1,000,000 coniferous and 

 broad-leaf trees planted. 



Antietam Lake, Berks County. Two 

 mi. east of Reading, Pa., endangered by 

 grazing. — J. \V. H. 



Nockamixon Rocks, or Delaware Pali- 

 sades. The sheer clifTs of red shale, 300 

 ft. high, facing the Delaware River, are 

 covered with an interesting forest of 

 such trees as sugar maple, cherry birch, 

 linden (Tilia ameri'cana), slippery elm, 

 and such shrubs as Hydrangea arbores- 

 cens, nine-bark, bladder nut, red-berried 

 elder and others. Mosses and ferns 

 abound and on a steep slope near the top 

 the local Sedum roseum. 



Kintnersville and Upper Black Eddy, 

 Fa.— J. \V. H. 



Playidcky Oak. (Do.) This historic 

 tree which marks one of the points of the 

 Penn purchase. 



One mi. north of Wrightstown, Bucks 

 Countv, Pa.—./. IT. H. 



Rock Hill Marsh. (C3.) This marsh 

 which is noted for the growth of the buck 

 bean (Menyanthes trifoliata) out of its 

 range should be perserved by the pur- 

 chase of 2 acres of marsh. Rock Hill, 

 Bucks Co., Pa.— J. W. H. 



Tohickon Creek Forest. (D5.) Along 

 Tohickon Creek which has in some places 

 precipitous banks covered with decidu- 

 ous and hemlock forest. 



Bucks Co., 5 mi. south of Doylestown, 



Pa / W H 



Rock Hill,' Bucks Co., Pa. (C3.) 

 There should be preserved 10 acres of 

 rockv hill slope as a means of preserving 

 the climbing fumitory [Adlumiafungosa) 

 and other rare plants. 

 Rock Hill Station, Bucks County, Pa. 



-./. 11'. //. 



*]Vissahickon Creek Forc.-it. {Do., 

 Part of Fairmount Park of Philadelphia. 

 Along Wi.ssahickon Creek are found 

 mixed dcciiluous hemlock forests inter- 

 spersed with open country which was 



