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conifers. But on a plateau bounded by Wittenberg, Cornell 

 Slide (the highest peak of the Catskills) and extending south 

 toward Peekamoose, a virgin forest of almost pure red spruce 

 covers several square miles. 



The southern Catskills are one of the best regions in the east 

 for the study of ferns. Forty species have been found in Wood- 

 land Valley, near Slide Mountain, within a radius of three miles. 

 Among the rare species found here may be mentioned Ophio- 

 glossum vulgatum, the Adder's Tongue; Botrychium simplex and 

 B. neglectum; Matteuccia Striithiopteris , or Ostrich Fern; Filix 

 bulbifera, the Bulblet Bladder Fern; Polystichiim Braunii, 

 Braun's Holly Fern; Camptosorus rhizophyllus, Walking Fern, 

 .growing on sandstone rocks, and Boott's Shield Fern, Dry- 

 opteris Boottii. The last named species Mr. Medsger has cul- 

 tivated for a number of years and is convinced that it is a natural 

 hybrid between D. crista ta and D. intermedia. 



Since the southern Catskills are chiefly covered by forests, 

 the grass and sedge flora is not large but interesting. Peck's 

 Bulrush, Scirpus Peckii, apparently new to the area, is found in 

 Woodland Valley. The Catskills are not especially rich in 

 species of orchids. Among the sixteen species that the speaker 

 has collected in the southern Catskills are Coeloglossiim brac- 

 teatum, Limnorchis hyperborea, Lysias orbiculata, Blephariglottis 

 lacera, Blephariglottis grandiflora, Peramium ophioides and 

 Malaxis unifolia. 



The most abundant weed of the southern Catskills is Wild or 

 Sweet Marjoram, Origanum vulgare. The greatest pest of the 

 northern Catskills is also a labiate, a closely related species. Wild 

 or Creeping Thyme, Thymus Serpyllum. A dozen years ago, the 

 thyme was so abundant on the dairy farms of the northern Cats- 

 kills that some of the farmers gave up in dispair. On one large 

 farm dairying was dropped and bee-keeping substituted with 

 excellent success. The thyme is now far less abundant than 

 formerly, and the Marjoram does not seem so plentiful as it was 

 a few years ago." 



The lecture was illustrated by a large number of lantern slides, 

 among them photographs of typical woodland plants from the 

 lowlands to the summits of the highest peaks. 



Arthur H. Graves 



Secretary. 



