Chap. VII] COLD TEMPERATE FOREST FORMATIONS 575 



leaved underwood, and on damp soil lianes like Vitis, Ampelopsis 

 (Fig. 316), and Rhus Toxicodendron, aid in imparting to these forests 

 a stamp differing from that of the broad-leaved forests in the Pinus 

 Strobus province. They attain their most splendid development on the 

 slopes of the Alleghanies, in North Carolina (Figs. 318, 319), and in 

 the valley of the Red River, a tributary on the right bank of the 

 Mississippi. 



From the admirable monograph by W. W. Ashe * I select the following 

 data regarding the forests of North Carolina, which in the lowlands belong- 

 to the most northerly part of the southern coast-province and exhibit 

 a transition from the warm temperate to the cold temperate forest type, 

 but in the uplands belong to the broad-leaved province and exhibit the 

 character of the latter very purely and richly developed : — 



Ashe separates the forest areas of North Carolina into three belts parallel to the 

 coast, an eastern, of only slight elevation, a moderately high one formed by the out- 

 lying hills (Piedmont), and a western formed by the mountains. 



The coast belt alone belongs to the southern province. The soil in it is sometimes 

 dry and sandy, sometimes swampy, and consequently supports a different forest 

 vegetation. Moreover, the immediate vicinity of the sea is characterized by ever- 

 green broad-leaved forests, the components of which do not occur in the interior of 

 North Carolina, whereas further south they also appear at a greater distance from 

 the shore (for instance, Quercus virens, Sabal Palmetto). This narrow strip of ever- 

 green forest is the most northerly stunted continuation of the subtropical rain-forest, 

 which is so richly developed further south. It evidently owes its existence in such 

 a northern latitude to the mild temperature and to the great atmospheric humidity 

 near the sea. Summer-green trees, belonging to northern species, however, are 

 not altogether absent, for instance Tilia heterophylla, Planera aquatica, and they 

 form the transition to summer-forest. 



In contrast with the forests close to the shore, the inland forests have the definite 

 character of summer- forest, even though many species, especially Pinus palustris, 

 Mill. (Fig. 317), which predominate on dry sandy soil, are also common in the south. 

 Other pines, for instance Pinus Taeda, are northern ; and by far the greater part of 

 the underwood in the pine forests that prevail on the sand and sandy loam is leafless 

 in winter, consisting of species of Quercus, Ulmus, Carya, Celtis occidentalis, Cornus 

 florida, and the like. 



A specially poor pine-forest forms the vegetation of the so-called pine-barrens, 

 where the substratum is an almost pure coarse-grained sand, which dries up almost 

 immediately after rain. Here the overgrowth is formed of the accommodating Pinus 

 palustris alone ; whilst stunted oaks form a poor underwood wherever the soil is not 

 quite bare, or is occupied only by some tufts of stiff grass. 



On the other hand, if the soil is rendered loamy, and less dry, by an admixture of 

 clay, Pinus Taeda becomes the dominating tree; the forest is also loftier (90-100 ft. 

 high) and denser. When the wood is thin, a luxuriant underwood appears. 



1 Forester to the Geological Survey of North Carolina. 



