2o8 Bog-Trotting for Orchids 



fallen trees, over which, during summer, it is almost 

 impossible to walk. In winter, the hardened, encrusted 

 snow spreads a clear, smooth surface for walking, far 

 above impassable barriers and tangled brush. In its 

 summer garb, the road was strangely confusing to me. 

 It was rocky, and intersected by sun-dried brook beds, 

 which the melting snows had guttered in spring. 



Rocky Hollow Road is available for horse and car- 

 riage as far as Logger's Depot, and northward to the 

 Dummy Road. The trees along this vale are chestnuts, 

 beech, yellow, white, and black birch, white oak, black 

 oak, maples, and various flowering bushes, such as 

 azalea, mountain laurel, and shad trees. As one 

 ascends, the trees become dwarfed and gnarled, and 

 many abnormal forms occur among the yellow birch. 

 As we neared the summit, the yellow birch trunks as- 

 sumed great size, while their tops were scraggy and 

 dwarfed by the winds and storms. Higher up, we 

 found little but spruce, hemlock, and balsam-fir; the 

 trees and bushes became low-lying, — hugging the rocks 

 for protection from the wdnds. 



Frequently we paused by the path for breath, finding 

 sweet Canada Violets ( Viola Cajiadensis) ripening their 

 seed-capsules. They were ready to burst and throw 

 their seeds about for some feet. We collected several 

 plants to transplant. The brakes and sphagnum indi- 

 cated a swamp not far distant. We began to feel 

 thirsty, and searched about w^ithout finding trace of 

 a spring, although one is said to be near here, with a 

 rusty tin cup hung to a tree. To the left of the path, 



