NO. 8 



SMITHSONIAN KXl'I.ORATIONS, I9I3 



43 



About Montre.'it the mountains are covered with an ahnost virgin 

 chestnut forest, traversed by numerous small, swift streams of clear, 

 cold water, bordered with hemlocks. There is an abundant under- 

 growth of rhododendron and laurel, two of the handsomest of North 

 American shrul)s. which attain their greatest perfection in the south- 

 ern Api)alachians. The herljaceous vegetation consists of many 



Fig. 44. — Chestnut forest near Montreat, North 

 Carolina. Photograph In' Standley. 



species, some of them of limited distribution. A small sphagnum 

 bog, in particular, yielded a large number of rare plants. 



The most interesting excursion made during the month's camp was 

 to the summit of Mount Mitchell, the highest peak in eastern Xorth 

 America — 6,710 feet. By trail, it is distant about sixteen miles from 

 Montreat. The trail at first follows a logging railroad which is 

 being extended into the mountains, then strikes through the heavy 



