THE PLANT WORLD. 5 



tioned tire, were observed in a meadow adjoining the woods. The sur- 

 face covering of matted roots, &c., was completely burned off in places, 

 disclosing a tine yellowish- red sand below, into which a cane could De 

 thrust to its entire lentjth without reachinoj harder soil. The burnt 

 places were often quite regular in outline, being nearly circular with 

 diameter averaging: about eijjht feet. I noticed where rabbits had been 

 across them leaving their foot-prints in the soft sand, and in two in- 

 stances they had evidently done a little digging. In one of the burnt 

 sandy places a meadow mouse [At'vicola pennmflvanicns) was found, 

 that had been dried by the tire until it was brittle; it had been burned 

 to a crisp. Some roasted land-turtles were also found in the vicinity. 



These burnt spots in the meadow have been inspected every year 

 since 1892 for the purpose of observing how soon they would be cov- 

 ered by vegetation. On the 5th of August, 1893, they were encircled 

 by rings of ragweed [Amhrosia arteiaisiaefoUa), outside of which were 

 golden rods, wild senna (Cassia Marylandlc(i) and turk's cap lilies, all 

 of which grew plentifully in the meadow. On the portions that had 

 been completely denuded in 1892, there was nothing, with the excep- 

 tion of a few jewel weeds and an occasional creeper that had run out 

 from the fertile edge over the soft tine sand. By May, 1894, moss 

 had grown over the sand in many places. The rag-weed, which had 

 been contined in 1893 to the edges of the burnt areas, nearly covered 

 them in August, 189-1. There were also two small poplars {Pojnilus 

 tremuloldes), a willow herb {Ep'dohlum coloratum), a golden-rod and a 

 few jewel weeds. In August, 1895, evening primroses and fire-weeds 

 had been added to the plants occupying the are is, and by September, 

 1896, a still further addition had been made of purple gerardias and 

 golden-rods. 



In 1897, the formerly denuded spots in the meadow were almost 

 wholly covered with plants, the before mentioned rag-weed being the 

 most common, though occasionally reachino; a height of only about a 

 foot. The spots were thus easily discovered among the surrounding 

 growth, even at a distance. In 1898, the rag- weed failed completely, 

 apparently being crowded out by the native plants, chief among which 

 were Potentilla Canadensis^ Aster N'ooae-Aiigliae^ Solidago rugosa and 

 Solldago lanceolata. The moist summer may have helped the natives 

 to regain the ground. In the summer of 1899 the conditions of the 

 previous year were not particularly changed, and the burnt areas were 

 still easily discovered in the meadow amid the surrounding growth. 



