218 Rhodora [OcToBER 
Carex oligosperma without getting his feet wet. Such “dry barrens” as the 
author seems to have in mind are dry, in the ordinary sense, only during 
periods of drouth. 
The prosperous people of ‘the Aroostook” who are making their fortunes 
out of the soil (see RHoDoRrA, xii. 111, 115) would be amazed to know that their 
region (“the great valley of the St. John River and its tributaries’ ’)isa “dry 
barren.”” However, Harshberger is right in stating that the region has a 
more southerly flora than some other places, but surely not than “northern 
New Brunswick,” for two of the most important tributaries of the St. John — 
the Madawaska and the St. Franeis — rise north of northern New Brunswick. 
The list of “more southerly” plants given (p. 366) to illustrate this point 
contains, furthermore, such unfortunate examples as Aspidium aculeatum, 
[p- 366] “Several plants are peculiar to this river [the St. John]: 
Oxytropis (Aragallus campestris, Astragalus alpinus, Hedysarum 
boreale, Tanacetum huronense.” 
[This statement represents the condition of our knowledge in 1861 and indi- 
cates that the author who today perpetuates it has ignored or never known 
elachycarpa (see RHoDoRA, v, 251; Britton, Man. ed. 2; Gray, Man. ed. 7), 
Pedicularis Furbishiae (see Gray, Syn. Fl. & Man. ed. 7 - Macoun, Cat.; ete.) 
and Prenanthes mainensis (see Gra , Syn. Fl. and Man. ed. 7).] 
[p- 366] “ The rare plants of the New Brunswick phytogeographie 
area are Dryopteris (Aspidium) fragrans, Woodsia glabella, Woodsia 
hyperborea, Öenothera (Onagra) Oakesiana, Hieracium praealtum, 
Goodyera pubescens, Tanacetum huronense, Viola primulaefolia.” 
without getting any real insight into his subject. But in passing it may be 
noted that Oenothera Oakesiana is unknown east of Massachusetts (see Vail 
