6 



dence it would seem that the black oak shows a pronounced 

 xerophytic habit under certain edaphic conditions, and with its 

 associates previously mentioned is adapted to the rather stiff, dry, 

 surface soil of the Navesink Highlands. 



The secondary layer of the forest is composed of small trees of 

 the dominant species together with smaller trees and shrubs 

 which never lift their crowns to the same level as the taller trees, 

 but are always found growing beneath them. Such are in the 

 order of their greatest abundance Cormis florida L., Accn. riibruni 

 L., Pnimis scrotina Ehrh., Sassafras Sassafras [1^.) Karst., Qiierais 

 viarylandica Muench., Q. prinoidesV^Wld., Q. ;/«;^(? (Marsh) Sarg. 

 (the three latter common in the dry pine barrens of the state), 

 Amelaiichier canadensis (L.) Medic, and occasionally Junipenis 

 virginia7ia L. In some places, notably in the western part of the 

 region noted in this reconnaissance, the smaller trees are reduced 

 to a few specimens ; in other places they become more abundant, 

 especially in the center of the highland forest where the original 

 conditions have been preserved. Where the growth of the domi- 

 nant species is an open one, the third layer of shrubs may be 

 wanting, as well as the associated lianes, but such an open forest 

 probably indicates that the original growth has been disturbed by 

 man. The vines, or lianes, which are supported in their growth 

 toward the light by the smaller and larger trees comprise, accord- 

 ing to my notes made in 1908 and 1909, the following : Pa7'- 

 thenocissus quinqiiefolia (L.) Planch., Sinilax roUindifolia L., Rims 

 radicans L., and Vitis labrusca L., with Celastrns scandens L. in 

 the denser woods with more humus and soil moisture. 



The composition of the third layer, or that of the shrubby 

 growth, is quite dependent upon the edaphic conditions of the 

 soil. In the dry soil, we find the constituent elements of this 

 layer composed of shrubs which occur in dry woods throughout 

 northern New Jersey, such as Kalinia latifolia L., Gayhissacia 

 frondosa (L.) T. & G., Myrica carolinensis Mill., Rims glabra L., R. 

 hirta (L.) Sudw., Azalea niidiflora L., and Clethra alnifolia L. 

 With a damper soil and generally more humus in the valleys and 

 on the shaded hill slopes, the same shrubs as are found in the dry 

 woods also occur, but in addition, we find as indicative of moister 



