18 
HARTLAND NATURE CLUB 
June 24, 1923: 
“The Gravel Pit” is a well-known landmark at the ap¬ 
proach of Hartland village, and here the Club assembled to hear 
a fascinating bit of earth’s story read by Dr. Edward Williams, 
jr., from the various strata of pebbles that this partially exca¬ 
vated pit reveals so strikingly. Gravel of varying degrees of 
coarseness and fineness with corresponding variation in pitch 
show, as Dr. Williams explained, that these deposits were brought 
by tremendous river currents of differing speed. That many 
pebbles came from a distance was shown by those of granite 
from Bethel and hornblend schist from Hanover, N. H. Others 
showed examples of weathering indicating sudden changes in 
temperature, gash veins where potash had dissolved quartz, 
cementing of fine stones on larger ones by carbonate of lime, 
stones showing rotted garnets, mica in a great variety of color¬ 
ing, and an endless variety showing spheroidal weathering, 
progress in weathering and iron staining. 
In the afternoon the meeting was adjourned to the Club 
room where each one had an opportunity to have identified the 
specimens collected in their individual localities. Then at the 
close, as a happy surprise, Dr. Williams presented the Club with 
a beautiful collection of minerals and added to its value by 
explaining each specimen as it was unwrapped. A most enthus¬ 
iastic vote of thanks was extended to Dr. Williams for making 
this meeting so uniquely valuable and interesting. 
May 19, 1923: 
The rallying point for this meeting was the Bates 
schoolhouse where Miss Mary Blood, teacher, and several of her 
pupils welcomed the members and friends of the Club in their 
attractive schoolroom, and shortly after acted as guides on a 
walk which first led to a sphagnum meadow through which a 
clear brook, bordered thickly with marsh marigolds, wound in and 
out under great willows, and making a never-to-be-forgotten 
picture in the bright May sunshine. Nearby on a dry hillside 
were countless beds of checkerberry, heavily fruited, where all 
paused to feast, and to listen to the rare note of the solitary 
vireo. Five kinds of violets, many of them in great masses, 
studded the pastures, warblers were numerous and tame, and 
were observed at close range. On the homeward way a pond fed 
by living springs and tucked away under a protecting hill was 
