THE FORESTS OF ACADIE. 29 



the score of comparative strength. Slowly but surely 

 the ox performs incredible feats of draught in the woods, 

 and asks for no more care than the shelter of a rough 

 shed near the lumberers' camp, with a store of coarse wild 

 hay, and a drink at the neighbouring brook. 



This aristocrat of the forest, Pinus strobus, refuses to 

 grow in the black swamp or open bog, which it leaves to 

 poverty-stricken spruces and larches, nor in its communi- 

 ties will it tolerate much undergrowth. Pine woods are 

 peculiarly open and easy to traverse. Bracken, and but 

 little else, grows beneath, and the foot treads noiselessly 

 on a soft slippery surface of fallen tassels. A peculiarly 

 soft sulidued light pervades these groves — a ray here and 

 there falling on the white blossoms of the pigeon berry 

 (Cornus Canadensis) in summer, or, later, on its bright 

 scarlet clusters of berries, sets frequent sparkling gems in 

 our path. That beautiful forest music termed soughing 

 in Scotland, in reference to the sound of the wind 

 passing over the foliage of the Scotch fir, is heard to per- 

 fection amongst the American pines. 



The white pine, according to Sir J. Eichardson, ranges 

 as far to the northward as the south shore of Lake Wini- 

 pog. ' Even in its northern termination," he says, " it is 

 still a stately tree." 



The Hemlock, or Hemlock Spruce (Abies Canadensis 

 of Michaux), is a common tree in the woodlands of 

 Acadie, affecting moi'=<t mossy slopes in the neighbour- 

 hood of lakes, though generally mixing with other ever- 

 greens in all situations. It is found, however, of largest 

 growth (80 feet), and growing in large groves, principally 

 in the former localities, where it vies with the white pine 

 in its solid proportions. The deeply grained columnar 



