1915] CURRENT LITERATURE 159 
NOTES POR STUDENTS 
The vegetation of Connecticut.—Nicuots‘ has published the first three 
apers of a contemplated series detailing the various ecological features of the 
vegetation of Connecticut. The first of these papers deals with general phyto- 
eographic features, both floristic and ecological. The most interesting flor- 
istic problem considered is the segregation in the southeastern part of the state 
of many characteristic coastal plain plants. Some of these plants are confined 
to the southeastern part of the state, and the rest are decidedly more frequent 
there. One of the most important of the latter ane is Chamaecyparis thyoides, 
the et character plant of the “cedar swamps”; associated with this is 
Rhodo ron maximum. Since these coastal plain plants are found more or 
less Manian along Long Island, Nicuors favors the theory of a post- 
glacial land bridge connecting eastern Long Island with the mainland, as sug- 
gested by Horiick. The climax forest of the state is very mesophytic and 
is composed of several deciduous trees (chestnut, white oak, red oak, sugar 
maple, red maple, beech, tulip, linden, etc.) with the hemlock. The forests in 
the hilly regions of northwestern Connecticut contain the spruce, fir, and other 
forms that are strikingly more boreal than are the coastal plain plants of 
southeastern Connecticut. After giving brief consideration to maritime and 
some other associations, NICHOLS notes a few of the cases of eccentric distribu- 
tion in the state; a notable instance is that of a moss, Claopodium pellucinerve, 
which is known elsewhere only from the Yukon Territory and India. The 
first paper closes with an account of the climate and physiography of the state. 
The second paper is devoted to a consideration of the virgin forests of 
Connecticut. Much the finest of these was the recently destroyed Phelps forest 
in Colebrook, in the northwestern part of the state. So far as known, this forest 
of 300 acres dates back to prehistoric days, almost unmodified by the ax or by 
fire. It is taken to be the dominating type of forest in the state, up to the time 
of settlement by the white man, aind i may be regarded as the best example of a 
climax forest in Connecticut. Fagus grandifolia and Tsuga canadensis make up 
55 percent of thestand. Acer saccharum and Betula lutea comprise 22 per cent. 
The remaining 23 per cent is made up of Quercus rubra, Castanea dentata, 
Fraxinus americana, Tilia americana, Prunus serotina, Betula lenta, Acer 
rubrum, and Pinus Strobus. Some of the trees are of immense size, and it is 
noted that the same species form the undergrowth. There is a rich under- 
gtowth of shrubs, in which a large parti is played by - axus iceessates Viburrnen 
alnifolium, and Kalmia latifolia. Tt} 
rich. It is a matter of profound regret that this beautiful and unique forest 
was destroyed in 1912, so that the last extensive primeval woodland of the 
State has gone. NICHOLS is to be congratulated upon having made a record 
shear G. E., The vegetation of Connecticut. I. Phytogeographical 
aspects - Virgin forests. III. Plant societies on uplands. Torreya 13:89-112. 
figs. 6; 199-215, figs. 5. 1913} 14:167-104. Jigs. 9. 19%4. 
