Niagara Falls 



1892 



1892 CHAMBERLIN, John. (Letter to editor by John Chamberlin of Buf- 



Chamberlin falo on " The Niagara Reservation " and its remarkable and various 

 plant life.) (Garden and forest, Nov. 30, 1892. 5:575.) 



To the Editor of Garden and Forest: 



Sir, — The botanist who visits Niagara Falls is constantly 

 attracted away from the striking features of the river and cata- 

 ract to admire the remarkable development and variety of the 

 plant-life that is everywhere manifest. Especially is this true on 

 Goat Island, which is now one of the few spots in this vicinity 

 that are covered with primeval growth. It is probable that even 

 here the earlier timber has been removed, for that which remains 

 is not very large, but the absence of stumps shows that no cutting 

 of trees has taken place for a long time. The timber is chiefly of 

 the ordinary hard-wood trees, Beach and Maple predominating, 

 with an occasional Oak, Ash or Tulip-tree, and near the paths 

 many small Cedars, white and red, Hemlock and prostrate Yew- 

 bushes. 



The long period of neglect which preceded the erection of the 

 Falls into a state reservation was favorable to wild growth, and it 

 is the avowed plan of the present management not to " improve " 

 the locality more than the necessities of travel require, still there 

 is evidence this year more than ever before that the gardener is 

 at work here and there, and may sometime enter upon a warfare 

 against the wonderful wild growth of Goat Island. It is at the 

 close of a fall like this one that the region is most attractive. Up 

 to the last week in October not a leaf had been touched with 

 frost. Though not so brilliant in hue as autumn leaves become 

 under frost, the yellow hues v/ere everywhere, and in great 

 variety, while the Sumachs, which form a grove on the south- 

 east of the island that is striking at any season, do not wait for 

 frost, and produce reds and yellows that are fairly flaming. 



It may be said almost literally that no wild plant known here- 

 about is lacking to the flora of Goat Island, and especially is this 



true of plants of the more wayward and vagrant tendencies. In 



478 



