REPORT OP THE DIRECTOR AND STATE GEOLOGIST 1903 69 



over the greater part of this swamp a forest of both deciduous 

 and coniferous trees is growing. At times of high water, however, 

 the swamp is covered with water, and in February 1903, a large 

 portion was covered with ice. 



On the forest floor is a dense carpet of mosses and liverworts^ 

 while tracts that have been burned over are covered with a dense 

 copse of birch and poplar. In places where trees have been up 

 rooted cat-tails and liverworts are the first plants to grow, but 

 sphagnum moss and shrubbery soon take their part in restoring 

 the original condition of affairs. The woodland between the river 

 and Big island is made up principally of deciduous trees, though 

 hemlock, pine and cedar grow here. 



The woods near Pine island, on the other hand, are made up 

 principally of cedars and tamaracks, and a moss of the genus 

 Hypnum is the only one that forms any important part of the 

 surface covering. 



Near Black Walnut island the two types of vegetation seem to 

 meet, and, as a result, the list of plants is larger, as most of the 

 plants of the other sections are to be seen. In a tract of not 

 more than 10 square rods the folloAving ferns and mosses were 

 found: Osmunda cinnamomea, Dryopteris novel) or acensis, CU- 



macium , Dicramum undulatum, Striclium undulatum, 



Hypnum , Sphagnum . 



As would be expected from the topography of the region, the 

 thickness of the peat varies from almost nothing to 18 feet or 

 more. On the river bank at the north end of the swamp outcrops 

 of peat are found which vary in thickness from less than a foot 

 to 3 feet. This peat is dry and undoubtedly represents a deposit 

 of wet peat several times the thickness of the dry material. Be- 

 neath this layer is a deposit of blue clay which sometimes con- 

 tains leaf impressions. Sometimes a sandy marl intervenes be- 

 tween the peat and the clay. The surface rises gradually from 

 the river bank, and a boring about 10 yards back showed peat to 

 a depth of 5 feet. Where the marsh has been pastured, there is 

 a black soil about a foot thick above the peat, and near the river 



