136 



fire, which h.-id ])asse(l thvon.iih and left the ground rough and tussocky. 

 Between this meadow just deserihed and tlie lake, near the lake shore, 

 were plenty of low bushes. Avhich had probably been saA^ed by the prox- 

 imity of the lake and possible resulting saturation of the ground, or more 

 probal)ly l)y the amount of sand in the low ice ridge upon which they grew. 

 A few characteristic portions of the lake plain will be described in order: 



(1) At the Assembly groiuids. where the lake plain was once quite 

 broad, it has been modified liy filling in. and by the construction of base 

 ball grounds and race track. This portion is now a level field overgrown 

 with grass. 



1 2) The portion of the lake plain bordering on the southern end of the 

 Assembly grounds was once brusliy like the portion next to be described 

 now is. but the brusli li;is been cleared off. At present it is a level tract, 

 covered thickly with sedges and ferns. Toward midsummer it is made 

 purple in patches liy the blossoms of loosestrife. Li/thrum (ilatinn. Later 

 in the year thefe is a zone of blue about the lieight of one's head from tlie 

 many blossoms of tall blue verv.iin. wliile l.-iter still the ground is yellow 

 in places with blossoms of the cnnc-llower or black-eyed susan. which 

 grows in gre.at abundance licre. and bldssduis (juite late in the season. 



Farther on down, near the Biological Station, the lake plain is more m 

 its natural condition. Here, at the foot of the hills, is a belt of sensitive 

 fern extending for a good \\;iy .•ijoiig tht^ e(lgt> of the {ilain. The whole 

 plain is pretty densely covered with low clumps of Coniiis. willows, Caro- 

 lina rose, and Itutton-bush. An examination of this region shows three 

 distinct foiiiiations of vegetation. T'pon a c.isiial glance one sees very little 

 lint buslics. A close examination, lower down toward the ground, will 

 show .-I tliickish growth of tall sedges and a few coarse grasses, while an 

 examination still nearer the surface of the ground will reve.al a growth of 

 slender prairie fern. These formations are shown to particularly gcjod 

 advantage where artificial agencies have licen at work. Wliere the bushes 

 oidy are removed, one sees for the most part simjdy a level stretch of tall, 

 luirrow-leaved sedge, Avith a few stalks of tall grass here and there. 

 Where the grass has been nmwn one sees an nidiroken patch of fern. 



In the vicinity of the laboratories ;i low-ground ^forest, alre.-uly de- 

 scribed, comes down entiicly to tic water's edge. South of this is another 

 stretch of lake jiljiin. 'iliis plain is nicstly devoid of bushes, except a 

 narrow fringe along on the low ice ridgx'. It is covered with sedges, tall 

 grasses and an under-formation of niarsii fern. The distribution of ]ilants 



