REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR I918 39 



able to find such a plant myself, these reports were somewhat tan- 

 talizing. Knowing that such a lily had been found in Massachu- 

 setts, and learning of a definite locality where it was reported to 

 have been seen in the Adirondacks, I determined to test the 

 accuracy of this report, and to add, if possible, a specimen of such 

 a rarity to the herbarium. Mud pond, in which it was said to 

 grow, is a small, boggy water-hole, between Long lake and Tupper's 

 lake. Upon visiting it I found an abundance of the white water- 

 lily. There were a few flowers scattered about, in which the 

 external petals were considerably tinged with red. When these 

 flowers were but partly open, and viewed at a short distance, they 

 had a decided pink-red appearance, and might easily be mistaken 

 for the variety in question. But a closer examination invariably 

 revealed white interior petals, though in some instances these were 

 slightly stained with red or pink on the exterior surface near the 

 base. Thus far the occurrence of the real red water-lily in the 

 Adirondack region has not been verified by me; but this half-way 

 approach to it indicates the possibility of its existence there, and 

 raises the hope that it may yet be added to our flora. In this bog 

 hole the bayonet rush, Juncus militaris, was found growing plenti- 

 fully. It is an interesting addition to the indigenous plants of the 

 State. On this trip, groves of larches or tamaracks, Larix Ameri- 

 cana, in three widely separated localities, were noticed, in which 

 many of the trees were almost defoliated by the ravages of some 

 insect. Among them were many trees already dead, evidently 

 having yielded to the thorough manner in which they had been 

 deprived of their foliage. It appears that the loss of a large per- 

 centage of the larch trees of these noble forests must yet be added 

 to the loss of many of the spruces through the agency of pestilent 

 insects. 



Wishing to observe what influence had been exerted on the flora 

 by the operation of the salt works at Warsaw and its neighboring 

 localities, that place was visited. It is well known that certain 

 so-called seaside and salt marsh plants occur at Onondaga lake, about 

 the salt works at Salina, and in other places where there are saline 

 influences. It is evident that at Warsaw no saline influences have 

 been present until quite recently. No salt springs come to the 

 surface. The salt water is manufactured, so to speak, and 'pumped 

 up from great depths. No salt marsh plants existed there when 



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