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moss hunters, indeed for several seasons the moss flora seems to have almost 
entirely failed, at least as far as fruiting is concerned. These cycles are 
puzzling, and they appear to hold with several, possibly all departments of 
our botany. In 1904 the Agarics were in wonderful profusion and variety, 
and I added about 150 varieties to my collection, this year not one.”] 
Dear Mrs. Smith; 
At the risk of appearing obtuse and of broaching a subject trite to care- 
ful observers, permit me to call your attention, and that of Members of the 
Society, to a few facts with regard to alternation of moss growth that have 
forced themselves upon my notice during the years in which I have taken an 
interest in bryological study. Your attention has already been called to the 
fact that only a small percentage of the seasons yields what may be called a 
full exhibition of the Moss flora of this coast, but an additional peculiarity is 
noticeable in the fact that alternate years exhibit an entirely changed facies 
in the products of the same locality. 
For instance, 1904 was a most prolific season in our moss flora and the 
Mniums , in their several varieties, being among the most abundant of our 
genera, were in evidence everywhere and while the smaller varieties were 
not wanting, Mnium insigne was very greatly . in the ascendant, covering 
large spaces with dense and luxuriant growth in finest fruitage. Such 
patches could not fail to catch the eye of the collector and to be permanently 
located by him ; but fancy the surprise when the next season not a single 
plant of M % insigne was to be found, but in its place, in every instance, the 
smaller varieties were invariably substituted. 
It would be interesting to know if other students have observed a like 
phenomenon. 
A somewhat similar case is now in evidence on an old and neglected 
lawn in this vicinity. The soil is slightly damp and last year was covered 
with a dense, matted growth of minute and sterile Mniums , whereas this 
season it is as densely covered with well developed Hy locomium triquetrum , 
also sterile, and not a Mnium of any variety is to be seen. It is a patent 
fact that not a plant of either of these mosses occurs within considerable 
distances of this old lawn and as H. triquetrum is well known to be an 
exceedingly rare fruiter, it is a matter of wonder how these startling alter- 
nations of genera and species can occur. 
Another peculiar fact presents itself in the case of Funaria hygromet- 
rica which never fails to appear in densest growth wherever, in damp situa- 
tions, the soil has been recently and thoroughly burned. 
One may be prepared to attribute the phenomenon to abio-genesis but if 
not to what source can we trace it ? 
The same peculiarity is noticeable in forest growth. While not so much 
in evidence on this coast where practically all our forests are evergreen 
without any alternation, it is an invariable rule in our Eastern Provinces 
that the destruction of an evergreen forest is immediately succeeded by a 
deciduous growth and vice versa. It is not unusual to see the site of a 
former fir forest, which has been thoroughly burned, spring up within a year 
