144 College of Forestry 
as blue-green algae and the protonemal phase of mosses. 
Polytrichum readily develops broad, deep mats. See Fig. 26. 
Herbaceous vegetation is developed sparsely between the mats, 
but this condition may not be normal (e. ¢., pasturing may 
have led to its scarcity). Rapidly, however, a heavy shrub 
vegetation invades the flat. This, singularly, is composed 
primarily of leather leaf (Chamaedaphne calyculata (1.) 
Moench.) which makes a vigorous, tall growth. Black choke- 
berry (Aronia melanocarpa (Michx.) Britton) and witherod 
(Viburnum cassinoides LL.) occur sparingly. The pioneer 
forest stage is represented by thickets of white birch (Betula 
popultfolia Marsh) and a smaller amount cf aspen (Populus 
iremuloides Michx.) and occasional large toothed aspen 
(Populus grandidentata Michx.). On higher lying sands 
north of Oneida Lake, a barren, heath-like, sand flat showed 
much Polytrichum, small patches of Sphagnum, reindeer moss 
(Cladonia rangiferina), bracken fern, hard hack (Spiraea 
tomentosa LL.) black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa ( Mx.) 
Britton), running swamp blackberry (Rubus hispidus L.) in 
ereat abundance, creeping wintergreen (Gaultheria procum- 
bens IL.) in thick patches, dwarf blueberry (Vaccinium 
angustifolium Ait.) with occasional very young popple birch 
and aspen. 
Of course the comment thrusts itself forward here as to the 
presence in this heath-like situation of bog and swamp plants. 
Part of the year, the ground is water soaked. It is always 
poorly aerated and evidently strongly acid (not determined 
by actual test) but during midsummer and fall the soil is 
subject to drying out as is usually the ease with sand. This 
comment will recur in connection with other illustrations 
of sand vegetation. 
(2). “The Plains” of the Upper Oswegatchie. 
This is one of the so-called treeless sand plains of the 
Adirondacks, differing from the general run of sand deposits 
in the fact of being put down in the flat, compact delta form 
as in the Carthage and Plattsburg areas. It appears to be a 
true sand delta and this fact goes far to explain the differ- 
