188 The Plant World, 



spent a pleasant afternoon with him. In conversation with 

 him I learned that he is a self-made man, His school advantages 

 were very meager, but in his desire to become familiar with the 

 plants of Oregon specim.ens were sent to Dr, Asa Gray of Harvard 

 University, from Avhom he received his inspiration to explore 

 the botany of the region. He has sent plants to every institution 

 of note in this country and abroad. 



One should not fail to make a trip to the coast down the 

 Columbia to Astoria and the vicinity, Astoria is famous be- 

 cause it was here that Lewis and Clark spent their winter on 

 their exploring expedition; and later it became a trading post. 

 Not much of the glory of the great forests remains about Astoria 

 Taking the railway we pass the various small stations; the names 

 of one or two remind us of the Lewis and Clark expedition. 

 There is Tilam,ook Head, Fort Clatsop, and other familiar names 

 of this expedition. It will be remembered that Lewis and Clark- 

 named their fort Fort Clatsop, Fruit trees seem to do well. 

 The atmosphere is so heavily laden with moisture most of the 

 year that the trees become thickly covered with lichens. Every- 

 where along the coast the Scotch broom (Cytisus scoparius) has 

 becom.e naturalized. The region about the m.outh of the Col- 

 umbia is known as the Tilamook country. The low meadows are 

 rich in grasses like cheat {Brovius pacificus and B. Hookerianiis), 

 meadow grasses, like Poa macra^itha and P. confinis, and common 

 blue grass (P. pratensis) which has become naturalized every- 

 where. The velvet grass {Holcus lanatus) grows in profusion 

 not only in western Oregon but throughout the Cascade region 

 in Washington. Two vetches, the L. maritinnis and a larger 

 species L, polyphyllus are common near the coast. As we speed 

 along through forest and meadow we reach Gearhart Park, a 

 small summer resort. Here we spend a most delightful ti ne in 

 the woods. The great trees of the Sitka spruce (Picea siichensis) 

 found only along the sea coast, are said to be the largest trees 

 in Oregon, rometim.es reaching a height of 300 feet and a diam.eter 

 of 20 feet. I saw none as large as this, but it was a virgin forest 

 with its spruce, hemlock, cedar, and giant brakes (Pteris aquil- 

 ina) along the railway. These were as high as I could reach. 

 The clearing along the railroad abounds with the fire weed 

 {Epilobium angustijolium) . This plant follows a fire and thou- 



