Penjyhania, Philadelphia. 1 1 1 



lived upon hunting and fifhing. The woods 

 therefore have never been meddled with, 

 except that fometimes a fmall part was de- 

 ftroyed by fire. The accounts which we 

 have of the firft landing of the Europeans 

 here, (hew that they found the country all 

 over covered with thick forefts.* From hence 

 it follows, that excepting the higher trees, 

 and the plants which grow in the water or 

 near the (hore, the reft muft for the great- 

 eit part have been obliged to grow perhaps 

 for a thoufand years together, in a fhade, 

 either below or between the trees, and they 

 therefore naturally belong to thofe which 

 are only peculiar to woody and fhady places. 

 The trees in this country drop their leaves 

 in fuch quantities in autumn, that the 

 ground is covered with them to the depth 

 of four or five inches. Thefe leaves lie a 

 good while in the next fummer before they 

 moulder, and this muft of courfe hinder 

 the growth of the plants which are under 

 the trees, at the fame time depriving them 

 of the few rays of the fun which can come 

 down to them through the thick leaves at 

 the top of the trees. Thefe caufes joined 

 together make fuch plants flower much 

 later than they would otherwife do. May- 

 it 



* Vide Hackluyt'i collect, voy. ui. 246. 



