January, 1900. Bruncken— Distribution of Some Trees, etc. 
31 
Notes on the Distribution of Some Trees and Shrubs in the 
Vicinity of Milwaukee, 
By ERNEST BRUNCKEN. 
The territory covered by the observations herein recorded em- 
braces all of Milwaukee County except the two southern and the 
northwestern townships. Its elevation above Lake Michigan 
ranges from nothing to more than two hundred feet. The soil is 
mostly a marly clay, with more or less admixture of siliceous and 
calcareous sands, gravel and larger boulders. 
This territory has some interesting characteristics from a 
phytogeographic point of view. At least one tree, the beech, here 
reaches its western limit, as far as this latitude is concerned. One 
shrub, Cephalanthus occidentalism has not, to my knowledge, been 
reported from any station farther north in this state. But aside 
from such facts as these there are certain peculiarities in the dis- 
tribution of trees and other woody plants in this neighborhood 
which make a study of it of more than local interest. 
We wall first consider a number of groups of trees and shrubs 
separately, and then append a few remarks of a more general 
nature. 
THE BIRCHES. 
There are found, within the limits above detailed, three species 
of the genus Bctida, each of which presents certain peculiarities. 
These are Betiila papyracea, B. lutea and B. glandulosa. 
B. papyracea occurs exclusively on the east side of the Mil- 
waukee river and southward along the immediate vicinity of Lake 
Michigan. At the same time cultivated specimens seem to thrive 
well in gardens in other parts of the territory. This species never 
grows to large size here. Where it occurs at all, it is plentiful, in 
a few localities even forming the dominant forest growth. 
B. lutea, yellow birch, has not been heretofore recorded from 
this county. I have found it, however, in two places, both of 
which are in the Town of Wauwatosa, west of the citv, and several 
miles from the lake shore. In neither case is it associated with the 
paper birch, although it is possible that it mav still be found in 
the territory occupied bv that species. The first locality is just 
outside of the city limits, between State and Chestnut Streets.. 
