238 THE PLANT LIFE OF MARYLAND 



ford at Park Mills. ISTear the ford, which is flanked by steep slop- 

 ing banks, the Black Jack Oak is growing in a considerable 

 thicket near the road, with the Hazel JSTut and Chinquapin as the 

 border shrubs. The Paw Paw and the Persimmon are not infre- 

 quent in the moist cool localities of the deep forest. The Scrub Pine, 

 White Pine and Table Mountain Pine are found upon the slopes 

 of the mountain, and the Pitch Pine on the ground just east of the 

 base, near Thurston. 



Bog Pockets. — One of the chief interests in a rapid survey of 

 the slopes and upper portions of Sugar Loaf, is the frequent oc- 

 currence in the upper area, of springs or small feeders to the brooks, 

 these running often in shallow beds in the sandstone rock, and there 

 accumulating a soil largely consisting of sand and vegetable remains. 

 In this the peat moss (Sphagnum) becomes established, which 

 assists in the further development of soil material. Along the 

 road, well toward the top of the slope, such a peat pocket was ex- 

 amined, and the following plants noted, which may be compared 

 with the flora of the Sandy Upland Swamps of the Eastern Shore 

 District of the Coastal Zone : 



Habernaria clavellata 



Hahernaria psycodes 

 Drosera rotundifolia 

 Lobelia cardinalis 

 Medeola virginiana 

 Pogonia verticillata 

 Lobelia syphilitica 

 Dryopteris noveboracensis 



The margins in some cases change abruptly into the dry sand- 

 stone soil, in other instances there is a low area transitional between 

 the wet sphagnum and the surrounding dry ground. The plants of 

 the transition area include such as may be present in either of the 

 two adjacent habitats which are able to maintain themselves to- 

 gether where neither has much advantage over the other. In the 

 intermediate zone about the bog pockets, the following plants have 



