392 _ LHE AMERICAN NATURALIST.. [Vot XXXIII 
over, and is rapidly taking possession of the cleared ground, 
where this has been left for a short time, so that the renewal 
of this most valuable timber ought not to be a difficult problem, 
and with little care a supply of timber could be maintained. 
The heavy rainfall and moderate climate of the coast region. 
induces a very rapid reforesting of the cut-over tracts, which 
‘very soon become dense thickets of vigorous young trees. 
Two days were spent very pleasantly in Tacoma, which is 
most attractively placed on the high shore of Puget Sound, 
with a magnificent view of the Cascade Mountains, and 
Mt. Rainier, the grandest of all the great snow peaks south of 
Alaska — indeed, to me it is the finest mountain I have ever 
seen. The rugged cone,recalling in form that of the Jungfrau, 
is even more imposing than Shasta, and being seen from the 
level of the sea, it loses nothing of its 14,000 feet of height. 
The luxuriant growth of all kinds of vegetation about Tacoma 
testifies to the heavy rainfall of this region, and during my stay, 
both going to and returning from Alaska, rain fell much of the 
time. In spite of the rain, however, several trips were made 
in the neighborhood, which is very attractive. 
The character of the country about Tacoma varies remark- 
ably within a short distance. To the south are open regions, 
recalling the oak openings of northern Illinois or southwest- 
ern Michigan. The dry ground is covered with a thin growth 
of grasses or low thickets of ferns, brambles, and other low 
shrubs, with here and there clumps of scrub oaks — probably 
Quercus lobata —and a few stunted firs. The showiest flower 
of this region was a handsome small turk’s-cap lily, with orange- 
red, spotted flowers. The common bearberry, Arctostaphylos 
uva-ursi, was common, the spreading mats of glossy green foli- 
age being extremely ornamental. 
The site of the town itself was formerly covered by a dense 
fir forest, remains of which may still be seen in the outskirts. 
When I arrived, in mid-June, the gardens were beautiful with 
the early summer flowers. Superb roses grew in the most 
luxuriant profusion, and were in their prime. I was told that 
a few weeks earlier the rhododendrons had been equally 
fine. 
