Page:The Maine Woods (1864).djvu/325

Rh (sweet-gale), Nemopanthes Canadensis (mountain holly), Cephalanthus occidentalis (button-bush), Ribes prostratum, in some places (fetid currant).

More particularly of shrubs and small trees in swamps: some willows, Kalmia glauca (pale laurel), Ledum latifolium and palustre (Labrador tea), Ribes lacustre (swamp gooseberry), and in one place Betula pumila (low birch). At camps and carries: raspberry, Vaccinium Canadense (Canada blueberry), Prunus Pennsylvanica also along shore (wild red cherry), Amelanchier Canadensis (shad-bush), Sambucus pubens (red-berried elder). Among those peculiar to the mountains would be the Vaccinium vitis-idæa (cow-berry).

Of plants commonly regarded as introduced from Europe, I observed at Ansel Smith's clearing, Chesuncook, abundant in 1857: Ranunculus acris (buttercups), Plantago major (common plantain), Chenopodium album (lamb's-quarters), Capsella bursa-pastoris, 1853 (shepherd's-purse), Spergula arvensis, also, north shore of Moosehead, in 1853, and elsewhere, 1857 (corn-spurrey). Taraxacum dens-leonis—regarded as indigenous by Gray, but evidently introduced there—(common dandelion), Polygonum Persicaria and hydropiper, by a logging-path in woods at Smith's (lady's-thumb and smart-weed), Rumex acetosella, common at carries (sheep-sorrel), Trifolium pratense, 1853, and carries frequent (red clover), Leucanthemum vulgare, carries (whiteweed), Phleum pratense, carries, 1853–7 (herd's-grass), Verbena hastata (blue vervain), Cirsium arvense, abundant at camps 1857 (Canada thistle), Rumex crispus?, West Branch, 1853? (curled dock), Verbascum thapsus, between Bangor and lake, 1853 (common mullein).

It appears that I saw about a dozen plants which had accompanied man as far into the woods as Chesuncook, and had naturalized themselves there, in 1853. Plants begin thus early to spring by the side of a logging-path,—a mere vista through the woods, which can only be used in the winter, on account of the stumps and fallen trees,—which at length are the roadside plants in old settlements. The pioneers of such are planted in part by the first cattle, which cannot be summered in the woods.