720 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XXX. No. 777 



The Journal of Economic Entomology 

 under the editorship of Dr. E. Porter Felt, of 

 Albany, E". Y., and under the business man- 

 agement of Professor E. D. Sanderson, of 

 Durham, N. H., has been a power for the de- 

 velopment of economic entom.ology. It has 

 not only published the records of the meetings 

 of Chicago in 1907, and at Baltimore in 1908, 

 but it has secured for economic workers 

 throughout the country, records of progress 

 throughout the season, and it has made pos- 

 sible the early publication of results that were 

 of sufficient importance to warrant the atten- 

 tion of other workers along similar lines. It 

 would be easy to criticize adversely individual 

 publications in this journal, and to find fault 

 with details of management, but in that it 

 would share only the fate of other periodicals 

 that depend upon individuals for their con- 

 tents. The Journal of Economic Entomology 

 has not only justified itself during the nearly 

 two years of its existence; but, in the opinion 

 of one of its opponents, has done excellent 

 work in the advancement of the science whose 

 records it publishes. John B. Smith 



Ettoers Coli.eqe, 

 Xew Bkl'kswick, N. J. 



SPECIAL ARTICLES 



OS THE PLANT GEOGRAPHY OP THE CHIRICAHUA 



MOUNTAINS 



The Chiricahua Mountains^ of southeastern 

 Arizona extend almost due north and south 

 for some 50 miles from Port Bowie to a point 

 near College Peak, and within 15 miles of the 

 Mexican Boundary, with a maximum width at 

 Paradise of 18 miles. On their west lies the 

 broad and level Sulphur Springs Valley at 

 about 5,000 feet altitude, on their east the 

 trough-like San Simon Valley drops to nearly 

 3,500 feet. The highest part of the range ex- 

 tends from Paradise to Rucker Canyon, con- 

 sists of five or six more or less elongated 

 forest-covered peaks whose axes lie in a north- 



' In 1906 and 1907, ten months were given to 

 the exploration of this range, some 1,600 miles 

 covered within its bounds, and about 1,050 species 

 of plants collected. Undoubtedly many other 

 higher plants may be found. 



east-southwest direction, and rises in Cave 

 Peak to an altitude of about 9,700 feet above 

 sea-level. 



As one might expect, the tree growth is 

 quite similar to that recently given by Mearns' 

 for several mountain ranges near the inter- 

 national boundary of this region. Of the 54 

 species (including a few shrubs) mentioned as 

 occurring about 12 or 15 mountain masses of 

 his " Elevated Central Tract," 48 are found 

 in the Chiricahuas alone. He enumerates 137 

 arborescent species along the boundary from 

 Texas to the Pacific Coast. In the Chirica- 

 huas were found, exclusive of succulents and 

 Liliacese, a total of 124 species of trees and 

 shrubs. These consist of 111 angiosperms and 

 13 gymnosperms, all the latter being trees ex- 

 cept Ephedra sp., and all evergreen. Of the 

 angiosperms, 35 are trees and 76 are shrubs, 

 making a total for the mountains of 47 trees 

 and 77 shrubs. Ten of the latter are suffrutes- 

 cent composites, probably all more or less ever- 

 green, at least when sufiicient moisture is 

 available. Of the remaining shrubby species, 

 39 are deciduous and 16 evergreen, while 12 

 in this respect are unknown to the writer. 

 Thus the total of known evergreens is 47, that 

 of deciduous species, 65. Other species will be 

 found, but they will probably not materially 

 alter these proportions. 



This does not, however, give the key to a 

 true, general picture of the floral geography. 

 This must rather base upon the number, size 

 and distribution of the individuals composing 

 the more prevalent species. Prom this view- 

 point, leaving out of consideration the winter- 

 dead ground-cover of perennial and annual 

 grasses and herbs, the evergreen character is 

 altogether dominant. The Lower Sonoran 

 zone, characterized by its cacti and thorny 

 shrubs, often drouth-deciduous, touches the 

 mountains only at their eastern base and both 

 ends. The Upper Sonoran completely encircles 

 them in a broad belt of evergreen brush land, 

 with the oaks as leading species, corresponding 

 to one of the types of Schimper's Immergriines 

 Hartlavibgeholze. This extends well into the 

 Transition zone, and here mingles with the 



= " Mammals of the Mex. Bound, of the U. S.," 

 Part I., Bull. 56, U. S. Nat. Mus., 1907. 



