THE WINTER FLORA OF A 

 MOUNTAIN TOP 



By Walter H. Buswell. 



TOEING in the vicinity of Chocorua Mountain in eastern 

 New Hampshire early in December, we planned a walk 

 to the top of this, one of the most interesting mountain peaks 

 in New England. Starting about nine o'clock in the morning 

 we climbed along a rocky but well marked trail to the Peak 

 House which stands on a long narrow ridge at the foot of the 

 real peak. This latter is a huge rocky dome towering about 600 

 feet higher. Vegetation of any size stops at about the elevation 

 of the peak house. It consists mostly of scrubby spruce, fir, 

 mountain alder, white birch, red maple, striped maple, mountain 

 ash, viburnum, rhodora, sheep laurel, mountain cranberry, black 

 crowberry, two or three species of willow and several species 

 of blueberry. 



The only passible way to the top of the dome winds around 

 the west side along almost perpendicular cliffs, icy in places at 

 this season. Then from a small level spot on the west side, 

 where a small signal station is located, one must pick his way 

 upward over the steep smooth rock where a slip would be dis- 

 astrous. On the top of the dome we found a greater variety of 

 plant growth than one would expect to find on a point of solid 

 rock a few rods square, 3600 feet high. A plant that can gain 

 a foothold and continue to live, year after year, in the few 

 small crevices in the rocks, swept by the fierce cold winds of 

 winter and with absolutely no protection from the sun on the 

 hottest days of summer may well be placed in the hardy class. 



