MacMillan : shores at lake of the woods. 983 



broad, rounded and with slight depressions. Broadly stated 

 gramineous back strand indicates a particular exposure, 

 contour and texture of the substratum, favorable to slow drain- 

 age and protected by its gentle elevation and by sheltering 

 /egetation, in some cases, from the strong action of the wind. 



II. Mixed herbaceous back strand, is a name which may be 

 applied to the growth of Artemisia, Potentilla, Elymus, Epdo- 

 bium, Onagra, Polygonum, Ranunculus and other herbaceous 

 genera that often characterizes openings in the shrub and 

 sometimes is developed in characteristic form over considera- 

 ble areas to the exclusion of other kinds of plants. As in the 

 case of gramineous back strand two varieties may be distin- 

 guished, an Ariemisia-Elymus type in which humus-content of 

 the soil is relatively less and a Ranunculus— Onagra type in 

 which the humus-content is relatively greater. In general, 

 when extended over more than very limited areas this type of 

 back strand indicates a considerable degree of moisture in the 

 soil and the more varied the species of herbaceous plants that 

 inhabit it, the more certainly will the soil be found of such 

 texture, contour and exposure that a higher degree of moisture 

 can be maintained near the surface than in the case of many of 

 the wooded back strand tracts. 



III. Coniferous, shrubby back strand. Of the five types of 

 shrubby back strand to be described, this one in particular is 

 characterized by the predominance of either Junlperus com- 

 munis or Taxus minor in the formation. Both back strands 

 commonly indicates a response to biological influences from the 

 inland vegetation. Thus upon back strand with heavy rock 

 ledges rising shoreward a development of Juniperus may be 

 expected, while upon back strand bounded shoreward by dense 

 Pinus or Beiula woods with strong development of humus it is 

 often to be observed that Taxus will creep out upon the sand 

 formation. Such coniferous shrubby back strands are generally 

 sheltered from strong wind currents and indicate sterility of 

 soil and infrequent inundations of surf. 



IV. Populus shrubby back strand. This very common type 

 indicates the prevalence of strong wind currents and charac- 

 terizes some of the most exposed points and bars on the lake. 

 It is developed usually on low lying sand spits and indicates 

 also a sterility of the soil with often, I am inclined to believe, 

 relatively strong spray saturation of the atmosphere. All the 

 common northern species of Populus, P. delfoidea.P. tremuloides 

 and P. balsam if era, contribute to the formation, but the two lat- 



