12 THE PLANT WORLD. 



It is not until one has walked for some distance across this moor, 

 that he realizes how very few species occur upon it. He is also likely 

 to be surprised at the great variety of color that meets the eye. until 

 he observes that this is due to each species growing by itself. In 

 August there are patches, here and there, one solid blaze of yellow, 

 produced by the golden aster ( Clirysopsis falcata). It is a low, strag- 

 gling herb growing in tufts, and clothed thickly with hairs to prevent 

 the evaporation of the little moisture it manages to suck up during a 

 rain. On the next hillock one may notice a great black shadow as if 

 the scant vegetation had lately been burned over, but as he approaches 

 the black changes to gray and then to sage-green as he finds himself 

 in the midst of a tiny thicket of the heath -like Hudsoiiia toi/iviitosa. 

 Only the upper branches are living, and one must look straight down 

 upon it to get much of a glint of green. This is even tnore densely 

 clothed with wool than the golden aster, and treasures its hoard of 

 • water as a miser does his gold. 



The word, heath, is used in some sections to denote barrens of 

 this kind, because of the number of heath-worts that grow upon them. 

 Here it would be a misnomer, for it is only occasionally that one comes 

 tipon a single representative of the race in the Bear-berry {Arcfosta- 

 phyllos rva-ursi). Where it occurs it grows in broad patches, the 

 glossy -green leaves and bright red berries a beautiful sight in a weary 

 land — but a beautiful sight only. Bite into one of the berries — -ashes! 

 No plant with such an abundant crop of berries could put any juice 

 into them in this dry land. Its roundish leaves are thick and glossy, 

 in this way protecting the little moisture in them. Small wonder, 

 then, that its fruit has gained the name of meal -berry. 



The foregoing are the principal plants of the Shinnecock Hills, 

 but it is not to be supposed that they are the only ones; on the con- 

 trary many others are found and often make a considerable showing 

 by their numbers, especially the dwarf sumac, beach plum, running 

 blackberr}^ narrow-leaved honeset {Eiipato?-iinii hyssopifo/iin>i), the 

 heath aster {A. cricoidcs)^ narrow-leaved goldenrod {Hnthamia Caro- 

 liniand) and the prickly pear {Opuiitia). Doubtless a persistent search 

 would reveal a fairly large flora, in studying which the botanist may 

 find both pleasure and profit. 



At the present time the Bread-Fruit Trees (Artocarpus) are not 

 found native in the New World, being confined to tropical Asia and 

 the Malay Archipelago. In comparatively recent geological time 

 however, they were present in North America, as no less than three 

 species have been described. One, with a portion of a typical "bread- 

 fruit" attached, was found in Greenland, another near Denver, Colo- 

 rado, and the third in California. 



