The Portland daily press., 1871-08-17
Terms $500 per amman, in oa,o,.o

the form OF charming prospects. of cross 40,
leys, OF narrow bands of intervale. Of olinnso.
OF streams, excite the interest and ad miratio.'
of the tourist. The full effect OF this d;vers;fl
scenery is appreciated only as the fact is borne
in mind Of the profuse luxuriaDce of vegeta.
tion in all the region On this topic the temp
tation is great to dwell at length, however su-
perfiuous; this Characteristic being already so
notorious as even to have given their names to
the mountains of the State. In the condition
OF nature the entire territory was covered with
WOODS. There were no bare spots. Valley,
hili and mountain were equally buried in great
forests. These forests were to a remarkable
extent, as they now are, of deciduous trees.
the rock maple, the beech, the birch. the brown
ash, the elm, etc. Evergreens ara nowhere
seen in such unbroken and mountainous masa
as in Maine. The elm tree seems here to be
Indigenous. IL Crews in the woods, and not as
with US in Maine merely as a cosseted growth.
ln multitudes of localities this tree was LETT
standing as the country was cleared, the VEN
cradle monarchs now towering to the stature
of giants, and standing dispersed or clustered
with an art beyond the reach OF man. But the
one growth that gives this whole country its
most characteristic aspect is the rock or sugar
maple. This is everywhere. 1t shades the
village streets. 1t is clustered in green groves
by the farm houses. 1t stands here and there
in the pastures for shelters to the grazing herds.
1t covers whole mountains for miles and mile
together with its summer-green mosses, the
Dlack cones Of the spruce and hemlock thrust
up here and there and making a fine contrast
of form and color. Wherever space is given
there, the maple takes possession and elabo-
rates its delectable juices, giving character to
the landscape, and adding materially, as will
be shown hereafter, to the income of the peo-
pie. The effect OF these forests when autumn
has glorified them with her coloring must be
almost without parallel and passing all pow
ers OF language adequately to describe.
Such woods, as everybody understands,
flourish only where the soil is strong. Accord
ingly when displaced in favor OF the plants
yielding food for men and cattle, vigor q
growth is manifested not less characteristic.
and aspects of beauty are displayed less i'm
posing indeed but not less pleasing to the eye
| and sense. The present has probably been a
| more than commonly favorable season. OF
this can hardly help being convinced, in spite
of the assurances of the people to the contra
ry, when my eyes behold the vast burden oi
grass still uncut, the broad acreage of oats
widely "lodged" by their own weight, the thriv-
ing fields of potatoes, and even wheat threat
ening in many localities yield of thirty bush.
els to the acre. The sight of all this is beautiful
1t was not expected. The same thing is seen
every year, so it is declared. Be it observed
this fertility is not confined to the alluviums o
the rivers; the uplands, the hill farms are rich
strong lands. 1t is literally true, and is visible
on every hand in the passage across Northern
Vermont, that the high hills and even the
mountains far towards their submits are strict
ly good cultivable land, so at least to a remark
able extent. So that lovely as this countr!
now is to look upon, we know it will not b.
less lovely when over wider acres the forest
have bee cut down and the lands shall bav
been put to the service of bearing food 70
bread-eating men. ~