THE FORESTS OF NORTH CAROLINA. 203 



equally distinguished botanist, in 1802, to the later 

 explorations of Nuttall, and of Dr. Gray and Mr. 

 Carey, who traversed the higher ranges of our moun- 

 tains in 1841, and especially of the Rev. Dr. Curtis, 

 to whoJn the State owes a debt, in this regard, which 

 she does not yet fully appreciate. It is due to him 

 more than to any one else, — to his skill and zeal in 

 his favorite science, that North Carolina stands 

 among the foremost of the States in respect to the 

 completeness as well as the scientific accuracy of the 

 knowledge which the world possesses of her singular 

 botanical wealth. 



In witness of the remarkably wide range of veget- 

 able forms, corresponding to the variety of climatic 

 conditions, may be cited the fact of the occurrence 

 within the limits of the State on the one hand, of 

 the white pine (pinus strobus) and the black spruce 

 Rabies nigra), which are found along the Appalachi- 

 ans from North Carolina to the White Mountains and 

 Canada, and of the hemlock spruce (abies Canadensis), 

 whose range reaches from our mountains to Hudson's 

 Bay ; and on the other, of several species of magno- 

 lia and the palmetto, which have their northern limit 

 in the southeast part of the State and spread thence 

 to the Gulf. And the same point might be illustrated 

 even more strongly to the botanist, by the mention 

 of other but inconspicuous species among the lower 

 orders of plants, as the mosses, lichens, etc. 



And as concerns the variety of plants which char- 

 acterizes the flora of the State, it is sufficient to men- 



