140 



Another paper 4 is to appear shortly in which the invasion of 

 these marsh-meadows is discussed in more detail. 



There appeared a very sharp distinction between revegeta- 

 tion as it was taking place in the marsh-meadows and the slopes 

 of the surrounding hills. In the former grasses were beginning 

 to make their appearance during the second season after the 

 fire, and the trend appeared to be very definitely toward a na- 

 tural resumption of the pre-fire condition. Upon the adjacent 

 slopes Chamaenirion was a dominant feature among the few 

 invading species tolerant of the situation. Among these plants, 

 and protected by their shade, young seedlings of the lodgepole 

 pine were present in great numbers. Previous to the time of the 

 fire these forested hillsides were dominated by the charac- 

 teristic Douglas fir and larch association that had been typical 

 of the several localities. This change is illustrative of the natural 

 forest replacement in this portion of our Rocky Mountains. 

 Return of both Douglas fir and larch is slow, and the lodgepole 

 pine persists for a considerable period before being finally re- 

 placed. 



The lodgepole pine proves to be the natural intermediary in 

 the west between the devastation of a forest fire and the return 

 to the normal conditions characteristic for the region. It is a 

 tall, straight, slender tree and generally grows in very dense 

 stands that are difficult to penetrate. 



Those of us who have been so fortunate as to spend some 

 time in any of our western national parks are aware that the 

 western guide has a ready answer for most questions of the 

 uninitiated. In a "flora" of one of the northern Rocky Mountain 

 districts published not so very long ago it was explained that 

 the common name of this tree was given it because of the fact 

 that the tree is easily blown over and being in such dense stands 

 they naturally lodge against one another. While this statement 

 may be ecologically true as to the tree it is an historical error 

 with respect to the name. The straight, slender, light weight 

 poles were formerly held in high esteem by the aborigines of the 

 region who made use of them as travois poles and poles for 

 their tepees or lodges. The name seems to have been first used 

 among the early trappers and before the actual opening up of 



4 Graff, P. W. Invasion by Marchantia polymorphs following forest fires. 

 Bull. Torr. Bot. Club. 



