V 



BIRCH BROWSINGS 



THE region of which I am about to speak 

 lies in the southern part of the State of 

 New York, and comprises parts of three 

 counties, Ulster, Sullivan, and Delaware. 

 It is drained by tributaries of both the 

 Hudson and Delaware, and, next to the 

 Adirondack section, contains more wild land 

 than any other tract in the State. The 

 mountains which traverse it, and impart to 

 it its severe northern climate, belong prop- 

 erly to the Catskill range. On some maps 

 of the State they are called the Pine Moun- 

 tains, though with obvious local impropriety, 

 as pine, so far as I have observed, is no- 

 where found upon them. "Birch Moun- 

 tains " would be a more characteristic name, 

 as on their summits birch is the prevailing 

 tree. They are the natural home of the 

 black and yellow birch, which grow here to 

 unusual size. On their sides beech and 

 maple abound ; while, mantling their lower 

 slopes and darkening the valleys, hemlock 

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