442 



George E. Nichols, 



valleys of varying depth, but mostly shallow. Many of these 

 valleys (Fig. 67) are quite broad, with a nearly flat or slightly 

 trough-shaped floor, and lie but little below the general level of 

 the surrounding low hills. Lengthwise the floor may be nearly 

 level, but commonly it slopes gently in one direction or another. 

 The ground here for the most part is well watered, not only by 

 direct precipitation but by surface drainage from the higher 

 slopes. It is in situations of this sort that the bog meadow 

 association-type is best developed. 



Figure 67. — Broad, shallow valley in barrens ; mountains west of Ingo- 

 nish; occupied mainly by wet bog, but partly by bog meadow. In the 

 background, low hills covered with forest scrub. 



The outstanding characteristics of bog meadow are as follows. 

 The predominant vegetation is grass-like, being made up chiefly 

 of Scirpus caespitosus and Calamagrostis Pickeringii, with 

 Rynchospora alba locally prominent. These plants form a thin, 

 more or less continuous sward. Woody plants are relatively 

 inconspicuous, but there is always a scattered growth of low 

 shrubs, mainly Myrica Gale, Andromeda, and Chamae daphne, 

 which rise scarcely higher than the sedges, while the tamarack 

 commonly is represented by occasional small stimted specimens. 



