.BT. 75.] TO A. DE CANDOLLE. 783 



What do I call an alpine plant ? Why, one that 



has its habitat above the limit of trees — mainly 



though it may run down lower along streams. But 

 in a dry region, where forest has no fair chance, we 

 might need to mend the definition. 



Upon your paper, I got a few notes — offhand, by 

 references. 



I premise that in New England we have two places 

 where several alpine plants are stranded at lower 

 levels than they ought, peculiar conditions of configu- 

 ration and shelter having preserved them, while the 

 exposed higher grounds have lost them. They are 

 Willdughby Mountain and the Notch of Mt. Mans- 

 field, Vermont. 



As to your III. Of the whole list of alpine 

 plants of Oregon and northward and not of Cali- 

 fornia, I can put my hand upon only two that are yet 

 known in California, viz., Armania verna and Vac- 

 cinium csespitosum, which comes in its var. arbuscula 

 only. 



There is a great lack of alpine arctic plants in Cali- 

 fornia. First, because there is not much place for 

 them now; secondly, because there have been such 

 terrible and vast volcanic deposits — lava and ashes 

 — that they must have been all killed out. 



But for all these matters we shall one of these days 

 have fuller and surer data — after my day. Well, I 

 must stop. . . . 



TO A. DB CAIS^DOLLB. 



Cambbidgb, June 29, 1886. 

 My dear De Candolle, — Your letter and in- 

 closure of the 15th inst. gave me much pleasure. 

 Not only had I a natural curiosity to know more of 



