236 
d a copious growth of the tropical wild-hempvine 
(Mikania cordifolia), which was profusely decorated with 
clusters of fragrant flower-heads. We soon penetrated the 
pinewood that came close to the eastern shore of the Kissimmee 
and emerged on the Okeechobee Prairie. Then the question 
that often aes ” us was brought to mind again: Why 
are prairies? nsw 
Again there is an area of pine trees about Okeechobee City 
rr ages, protected by giant trees both fro rom an 
depleting effects of much herbaceous gr he arboreous 
growth was too dense for much herbaceous vegetation to thri 
are removed and herbs get a cl ; 
hen the trees ance to grow 
they luxuriate and we find small forests of thistles (Cirsium) 
twice as high as one’s head, forests of poke- weed ues ues ve 
high. This hammock is the home of the moon 
which is so rampant that it smothers whatever aver it over- 
Its almost luminous myriads of corollas at night set 
against the dark green leaves form a sight at once weird and 
The fliewiag morning we drove down through the pinewoods 
nas the lake hammock several miles distant, passing 
the of Zachary Taylo lor’s celebrated encounter with the 
then 
greenish flowers and numerous small orange or red fruits (P. 
Sulzneri). 
On the way down the eastern coast the advantage of the fire- 
resisting shrubs and idee i. @., those with horizontal under- 
round stems, over with merely taproots, was evident. 
The former showed a pee and less loss of leaves than the 
