250 THE PLANT WORLD. 



Uuriiia; the last session of the simimer-sch<x)l more atten- 

 tion has been oiven to the study of land fauna and flora than 

 in former years. Monterey Peninsula is characterized by a 

 variety of natural plant formations, and studies relative to the 

 distribution of botli plants and animals common to the penin- 

 snla are bound to prove unusually interestiuii'. To the South 

 and within six miles of the laboratory is the valh'v of the Oar- 

 mel River, famous for the fertility of its aUuvial soil. Here 

 the student meets with many interesting- forms of })lants not 

 occurring in any of the formations on the jieninsula, and as he 

 proceeds toward the source of the river he is enabled to note 

 the distribution and liabits of plants at increased elevatious. 

 Near the head waters of the Carmel River, well u]) towards ilic 

 summit of the vSanta Lucia Mountains, one nu'ets with the beau- 

 tiful San Lucia fir (Abies venusta) and many other interestino; 

 ])lants not occurring on the low lands near the ocean. 



Early in July, students from classes in both zoology and 

 botany camped four days in San Jose Canon, a deep, narrow 

 gorge running back from the ocean several miles into the Santa 

 Lucia Mountains. It is of peculiar interest becatise of the 

 rather iniiisual cond^ination of factors brought to bear upon its 

 flora. With instruments for recording precipitation, tempera- 

 ture, wind velocity, etc., a mass of most interesting data could 

 be collected bearing upon the distribution of plants within a 

 limited field. 



Located as the laboratory is, in close proximity to an un- 

 usually rich fauna and flora and within easy access to land 

 plants confined to the shore line and such formations as the sand 

 dunes, the pine and cypress forests as well as alluvial and moun- 

 tain zones, one may readily see why a laboratory so situated 

 holds out unusual advantages and opportunities to the research 

 student or to those fitting themselves as teachers of biological 

 subjects. 



