Canadian Forestry Journal. 209 



dead leaves ran up the trunks and on others these had fallen off 

 branches growing closely to the ground on a fairly gradual slope. 

 A few balsam poplars (Populus balsamifera) were dead, about the 

 margins of dried rivulets. Some spruces (species uncertain) 

 held dead or partly dead leaves. Gravel, loose rock, and earth 

 formed a soil which was overgrown by grass, bearberry (Arcto- 

 staphylos Uva-ursi), etc. 



I was careful in going over the ground to look for insects or 

 disease, but an examination of a number of trees gave me no 

 reason to suspect that either of these had affected the trees. As 

 the meteorological conditions during the last two years may have 

 caused the conditions described above, especially the amount of 

 moisture precipitated, the following data are submitted: 



The snowfall from January to October, inclusive, was for: — 



1902 1903 1904 1905 



97.45 in. 78.83 in. 50.14 in. 21.25 in. 



The rainfall was for: — 



1902 1903 1904 1905 



20.96 in. 16.04 in. 7.89 in. 13.18 in. 



The snow on the mountain slope would possibly be more 

 than in the valley. 



As to the temperature for October. 



The lowest recorded was 3.3 on the 18th October, 1905, 

 with about 2 inches of snow in the open valley; the lowest pre- 

 viously recorded, occurred on the 31st of October, 1893, with 

 about 8 inches of snow in the open valley. 



The snow on the ground for October 1904 was on the 7 th, 

 0.65 in. with practically none to the 20th November, when 5.25 

 in. fell, and from 5 inches to 1.75 in. to end of November. For 

 December practically none to the 16th, then 5 to 8 in. to the end 

 of month October 1905, no snow on the ground till the 17th, 

 then 2.45 in., from the 20th practically none till the 26th Novem- 

 ber, when 2 in. 



The snowfall for 1905 was exceptionally light. Precipita- 

 tion below the average for 1904 and 1905. 



I therefore attribute the dying of these trees to the low 

 temperature coming rather suddenly, and earlier than usual, 

 after comparatively mild weather, with perhaps insufficient 

 moisture and winter protection, as a secondary cause. I would 

 ask what is the opinion of others. 



N. B. SANSON, Curator, 



Rocky Mountains Park Museum, 

 Banff, Alberta. 



