Page:All Over Oregon and Washington.djvu/265

Rh the bosom of the forest. Its banks are adorned with several species of willow, alder, the crab-apple, grasses, English clover, the daisy, the cockspur-thorn, the sweet-brier, the wild-rose, and the beautiful festoons of the wild pea. There is plenty of open land, and half a mile up we observe the telegraph wires crossing the river—a silent prophecy of their speedy settlement. … Our canoe was propelled against the stream at times by paddles, and at times by poles, and made about three miles an hour. This was slow progress, but we did not regret it, as the scenery became surpassingly beautiful. There were long rows of cottonwood-trees, which, at first sight, reminded one of the English elm. The cottonwood is sometimes called the balsam-poplar. In the spring, when the buds are breaking, the air is filled with the scent of it. Then there would be successive rows of pines in serried ranks, mingled with the cedar and broad-leafed maple, relieved by the gorgeous crimson and Indian-yellow tints of the vine-maple and hazel. The scene would then change: there would be next long reaches of alder and willow, indicating good bottom-lands. Now and then the stately ranks of pines would be broken by some tall fir gracefully leaning forward with its arms, and sweeping the stream like some disheveled beauty. Conspicuous among the arborage is the Menzies spruce (Abies Menzii), so called from its discoverer, the surgeon of Vancouver's expedition. Its feathery foliage hangs down in delicate clusters, like lace upon a lady's jeweled arm. Coleridge has said the birch was 'Lady of the Woods,' and we certainly rank the Menzies spruce as the 'Queen of the Forest.' "

From this extract, it will be seen that the same kinds