146 THE CANADIAN NATURALIST. [June 



forms, with that of a similar assemblage of Alpine plants on the 

 White Mountains of New Hampshire, is one of very great interest, 

 when it is considered that the Acadian Sub-Arctic flora grows at 

 the sea level. Let us then look at the vertical range of some of 

 the plants above named on those eminences, the highest peaks of 

 North Eastern America. 



Dr. Dawson gives 4,000 feet above the sea as the upper limit 

 of evergreens. Here firs cease to grow, and the mountain side is 

 covered with small shrubs and herbs. On the Plateau between 

 Mounts Washington and Munroe, at a height of 5,000 feet, the 

 Arctic flora is in full possession, and extends thence to the 

 summit. If we note the range of such of our own Arctic and 

 Sub-Arctic species as grow there, we find that they come no 

 lower down the mountain side than to points varying from 4,500 

 to 3,500 feet above the sea. It is supposed that the principal 

 masses of rain clouds hang at a height of from half a mile to one 

 mile above the earth, in regions near the sea level, encircling the 

 mountain tops with their vapory masses ; and the clouds clustering 

 at such a height around Mount Washington, would wrap those 

 little Alpine plants which grow towards the top of the mountain, 

 in those thick mists in which they delight. Need we wonder then 

 that such lowly forms should find a congenial home on the cool 

 mist-covered hills of Maritime Acadia. 



By its cool summer temperature, its humid climate, and conse- 

 quently its vegetation, St. John, when compared with these New 

 England mountains, may be looked upon from a botanical point 

 of view, as standing upon an eminence nearly 4,000 feet high ; 

 for it is at this height, on the White Mountains, that evergreens 

 cease and Alpine plants take their place. Fancying ourselves 

 standing upon this elevation, and looking around us through the 

 medium of Mr. Murdock's observations, and those of Acadian 

 botanists, we see across " the Bay '' and beyond the fertile valley 

 of Annapolis, the hills of Nova Scotia, rising ridge upon ridge to 

 a mountain range, equal in height to our own, and our sister city 

 of Halifax on its crest ; for she has more fog and rain than we 

 have. Around her grow the Scotch heather, the mountain 

 Cinquefoil, and other Alpine forms mentioned in the preceding 

 list.* 



* I infer this from the table, (at foot of opposite page,) prepared by 

 Mr. Mm-dock, from his own notes and data, published by the late Colonel 

 Myers, of Halifax. 



