CHAPTER VI 



THE ARCTIC ZONE OF HIGH MOUNTAINS 



THE peaks and plateaus of high mountains 

 are distinguished by a climatic zone that is 

 somewhat similar to that of Arctic regions. 

 Many species of plants and birds of polar zones 

 are found in the broken summit lands of the Rocky 

 Mountains, the Sierra, and other high-lifted moun- 

 tains. The Alps, the summit slopes of the Hima- 

 layas and other Asiatic mountains, those of Mex- 

 ico and the Andes, all carry their own characteristic 

 Arctic gardens. 



Mount Washington and a few of the peaks of 

 New England and New York, and numbers of the 

 peaks in national parks carry luxuriant wild Arctic 

 gardens on their high-held heads and shoulders. 

 On Mount Rainier, between the timberline and the 

 snow line, there is perhaps the greatest wild garden 

 in the world. A great, brilliantly coloured wreath 

 a mile wide and fifty miles in circumference en- 

 circles the peak, touched here and there with 

 glaciers. On Mount McKinley, between three 

 thousand and seven thousand feet above the sea, 

 is another splendid and magnificent garden filled 

 with wild flowers and wild life. 



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