1903] VEGETATION OF THE BAY OF FUNDY MARSHES 435 
means characteristic of the marsh, being but an extension of 
that of the upland, where its consideration belongs, and more- 
over as it is of very subordinate importance in the marsh vege- 
tation it need here be considered but very briefly. 
On the marshes the association occurs only in places especi- 
ally freed from salt. Thus it occurs especially along the inner 
Slopes of the dikes, above the frequent zone of Atriplex, and 
below the capping of couch (jig. 15), that position being par- 
ticularly well freed of its salt by the excellent drainage and 
protection from the occasional salt spray dashed against the outer 
face of the dikes. In such places occur Scotch and Canada 
thistles (Cyicus, giving name to the association), yarrow in 
great abundance, docks, strawberry, chickweeds and many 
others of characteristic appearance. Again, on the ridges of 
earth made by the mud thrown up from the ditches, the 
association again appears, but here, for reasons “already 
explained (p. 293), it tends to include some shrubs, spiraeas, 
wild roses, rarely alders, and a few others, with occasionally 
small birches, almost the only situation indeed, in which any 
trees are able to exist upon the marsh. There is another situa- 
tion in which the association is particularly well developed, 
namely, on the railway embankment built, but never used, across 
the marshes of the Shepody near the head of tide. On this 
embankment, built entirely of the marsh mud, the weeds have 
Possession, and form a tangle of spiraeas, thalictrum, yarrow, 
bindweed, goldenrods, myrica, sorrels, lysimachia, evening prim- 
roses, and even some lichens, small white birch and others, a 
genuine upland association despite the marsh soil. Another 
Situation in which the association is well developed is on the 
Sites of the occasional hay ricks and the vicinity of the barns on 
the marshes. In the former situation the bindweed is especially 
characteristic, and in the latter the chickweeds, but in both cases 
many others are associated with them. At first sight these sit- 
uations, directly upon the surface of the marsh, would appear too 
Salt to maintain such a vegetation, but, as already explained 
(p 293), the conditions there are really such as to promote the 
Femoval of salt. Here and there among the Phleumetum some 
