TORREYA 



December, 1916. 

 Vol. 16 No. 12 



A NEW PARADISE FOR BOTANISTS 



By W. a. Murrill 



In October, 1916, I left New York at 9:30 P.M. on the "Mem- 

 phis Special" and soon after breakfast next morning was gazing 

 with delight on the splendid range of mountains north of Bedford, 

 Virginia, which includes the celebrated Peaks of Otter and was 

 so aptly characterized by the early settlers as the "Blue Ridge." 



The inception of the continent was in this region, where the 

 entire uplift of ancient rock has been twenty miles, but as the 

 land appeared above water the tidal wave and other waves wore 

 it away to form the sandstones and shales of the more recent 

 Alleghanies. 



My destination this time was not the Peaks, but Apple Orchard 

 Mountain, two hundred feet higher and eight miles further from 

 Bedford. The base of the mountain was easily reached by a 

 good road and I climbed on foot the last four of the eighteen 

 miles, following a lively trout brook to its source near the summit, 

 where Mr. Patterson has established a comfortable camp for 

 the accommodation of those who love mountain air and enjoy 

 following the trails which he has made in all directions. 



There is Black Rock, a mile or so to the west, elevation 3,600 

 feet; the Waterfall, over the ridge and down the north side of the 

 mountain, elevation 2,500 feet; the Summit, over a mile north- 

 east of camp, elevation 4,200 feet; Big Onion, to the southeast, 

 elevation 3,500 feet; and the great Swamp, in the edge of which 

 the log cabins are located, elevation 3,300 feet. 



The advantage of this locality over the Peaks and most moun- 

 tain tops is the number and variety of exposures, all in easy 



[No. II, Vol. 16 of ToRREYA, comprising pp. 235-250, was issued 9 December, 1916.] 



251 



