22 
Bulletin of the Natural History Society. 
tunately this basin is not all ours. The south and west bank for 
nearly 75 miles is foreign territory; and for about 40 miles further, 
below Grand Falls, our slice of territory is so thin that a good-sized 
jump from the west bank of the River would almost land one in 
Uncle Sam’s territory. Nevertheless we have enough left to be 
proud of : with a quality of soil and a beauty of landscape that will 
compare favorably with any other spot in the world, it needs only 
patient labor and perseverance to give an industrious population 
very great material advantages. To the botanist this is almost an 
unknown land. The careful and interesting paper read at a recent 
meeting by Prof. Bailey showed us that the River now can be made 
to trace the story of its birth and growth. The vegetable organiza- 
tions along its banks have yet to be subjected to that examination 
which shall reveal data enabling us to compare them with other 
vegetable forms past and present, their limits in the geographical 
distribution of plants, with other facts that will make our botanical 
information of interest and value to scientific men the world over. 
Could our legislators realize more fully the importance of encourag- 
ing the researches of those engaged in studying our natural history 
and resources, they might see our Province take a more advanced 
position in the scientific world. 
The only careful investigation of the fiora of the upper St. J ohn 
that has been made was that by Prof. Goodale, in the scientific 
survey undertaken by the Government of the State of Maine some 
years ago. Although that survey was confined to the State of 
Maine, it is presumable that the plants discovered in northern 
Maine have their representatives in northern New Brunswick. But 
we would be a poor set of scientists to accept that result without i 
patient and determined investigation. Again : it is highly probable r, 
that we have plants in northern New Brunswick not found in Maine. 
It would seem to be a fact in one instance at least, for I found Polygala 
Senega at the Mouth of the Aroostook in July last. It has never 
been found, so far as I can ascertain. North of Massachusetts, and 
its habitat is south and west of that State. This is a further testimony 
to the fact established by that scientific survey in Maine, that the fiora 
of the Aroostook Country has a southern character, in other words that 
the climate and soil in Aroostook are adapted for plants which grow 
several degrees south of us. In my visit to the upper St. 
