18G9.] MATTHEW — ON PLANTS IN ACADIA. 159 



To form any conception of the vegetation which covered 

 Acadia in early times, we mnst fall back upon the researches of 

 Geology. As regards its modern botanical aspect, the history of 

 Acadia begins with the Champlain epoch. The clay beds of 

 this period, which cover wide areas in Soutliern New Brunswick, 

 iave yielded no determinable i-emains of plants, except sea-weeds, 

 which appear to belong chiefly to the Rhodosperras and 

 Chlorosperms, and are of com:non occurrence in connection with 

 fine clays near the coast. Thus we are left to infer the character 

 of the vegetation from the climatic conditions indicated by the 

 presence of Arctic and sub- Arctic animals in the Acadian seas at 

 the Champlain epoch, and to the known flora of this period in 

 Canada. At Green's Creek, on the Ottawa River, the deposits 

 of this age contain concretions which have gathered around 

 organic remains, such as sea-shells, fishes and bones of the seal. 

 Many of them also contain the remains of land-plants. Dr. 

 Dawson, to whom these relics were submitted for examination, 

 detected the following species of plants: the Norway Cinquefoil 

 (PotentiUa Norvegica), the Mountain Cinquefoil (P. tridentata), 

 the Balm of Gilead {Popuhia balsamifem) , the Bear Berry 

 (Arctostaphyhs Uva ursi), the White GloYer (Tri/oUum repens), 

 the Round-Leaved Sundew (Drosera rotundlfolia), and two 

 kinds of Pondweed {PoUmiogcton natans), and (P. perfoUatum.) 

 Such a group of plants would find a congenial home in that part 

 of Acadia now occupied by the sub-Alpine type of vegetation. 

 Indeed, with the exception of the Bear Berry, they are all 

 known denizens of that part of Acadia laved by the Arctic 

 current. It may be perceived, then, that to reproduce the 

 climatic conditions of the Champlain epoch, it is only necessary 

 to submerge the St. Lawrence valley, and the plains east of the 

 Appalachian range, and admit the Arctic current to sweep freely 

 over these submerged lands. That such was the state of the 

 southern half of Continental Acadia during a great part of the 

 age in question there can be no doubt, the Southern Hills alone 

 standing above the icy current, which swept by on either side. 

 With such physical conditions universally prevalent in this 

 region, the Arctic and sub- Arc tic nmst have been the predominant 

 type of vegetation. As the ]»iains began to emerge during the 

 succeeding Terrace Period, which was one of upheaval, no doubt 

 many Boreal forms were adde<l to those alreiidy present in the 

 country. 



