THE FERX BULLETIN 



39 



the low and scanty vegetation that covered the hill- 

 side. I made a collection of about sixty plants, and 

 then made an estimate of the number still growing on 

 the hillside. I concluded that there were at least five 

 hundred plants yet remaining, mostly near the summit 

 of the hill. I found also that all the plants were on the 

 side of the hill towards Horse Hill. After a very 

 careful search I failed to find a single plant on the op- 

 posite side. 



For some time previous to my visit to Newfound 

 Hill there had been a severe drouth which continued 

 through the following week, and when I again visited 

 the locality which I did a week later, June S, accom- 

 panied by Mr. Eaton, the simples had almost entirely 

 disappeared. We found only three or four very poor 

 specimens. In order to even up matters as much as 

 possible, I divided my sixty plants with Mr. Eaton, 

 and we consoled ourselves with the reflection that there 

 would be plenty more there next season. 



In this we were mistaken. The very year that 

 ramosum disappeared from Horse Hill, simplex dis- 

 appeared from Newfound Hill, and not one plant has 

 since been found there. Mr. Eaton paid several un- 

 successful visits to Newfound Hill in after years, but 

 of course I do not know their precise dates. I myself 

 visited the locality on subsequent occasions as fol- 

 lows: May 28, 1902. June 3. 190-L June 3 1007, al- 

 ways without finding simplex. 



On the evening previous to the latter date, two years 

 or more ago, as I happened to think of this affair and 

 the season: simplex is in good condition about two 

 weeks before ramosum; I decided that I would have 

 a final search for simplex on Newfound Hill and take 

 a whole day for the purpose. I started away from the 



