JULY, AUGUST, AND SEPTEMBER. 



211 



River, Yt., is rugged and 

 covered with a wild and 

 tangled forest which has 

 been subjected to the w^ood- 

 man's axe. This means (as 

 every one knows who is fa- 

 miliar with the lumber com- 

 panies and their dealings 

 with New England forests) 

 a devastation of the land bj 

 fire as well as axe. Conse- 

 quently this particular tract 

 of land I have alluded to is 

 peculiarly rich in fine speci- 

 mens of the magenta-pink 

 fireweed. Beantiful tall 

 spires of the delicate flower 

 are seen everywhere in the 

 blackened clearings — I say 

 clearings, because they are 

 called snch, but in point of 

 fact the fireweed decorates 

 and cheers a wretched-look- 

 ing waste which would more 

 appropriately go by the 

 name of chaos. I know of 

 another spot, in the Pemi- 



