The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1874-08-19
MISCELLANY.
Correspondence Of THE REcoRp.l
A TRIP TO THE CATSKILLS.
(coSTIHUED.)

CAMP RINGoEs; July 25th, 1874.
The morning dawns bright and fair-the
sky is clear@the air is bracing- temperature,
IS degrees. We have gone out to see the sun
rise, but the view Is not very good--there is
too much fog in the valley below us. At this
hour the landscape is grand. The cities Of the
Hudson lay open to our view for perhaps one
hundred miles. The farms are counted by the
thousands, and their division into fields of va
rious hues contrasting with the pieces of wood
land, makes the whole plane below look like
some fantastic bcd-quilt, pieced from fabrics
Of various culors. Hills and Wales fuse into
one continuous sheet, and seem to lay beneath
rs as plane perfectly horizontal. The Hud-
son meandering through this beautiful lawn,
looks like a belt of satin or a glossy ribbon,
tastefully arranged upon d velvet carpet
The rivulcts and rills sparkling in the sun
shine, as they flow along through the meadows
add lustre to the view as u trimming of silver
cord does to a silken garment. The small
lakes in the distance remind us of mirrors laid
cut upon a closely shorn lawn. Our altitude
is about 5000 it. above the level of the sea,
ahd tuI cJtQWtf CiouuS tIt DtUedtl tltt tcFtl VI
our feet. The eagle in his flight performs his
gyrations far below us, and the hawk sailing
about in search of food. seems no larger than
a robin. The farln-houses on the plain look
like some miniature buildings that we some
times see sold for holiday presents, and the
roads seem like irregular lines drawn upon
parchment. Everything seems to be in min
iature-yct the whole is sublime. Who can
gaze upon such scenes and rot feel inspired to
devotion! Who can contemplate this Wow
and not feel that it is the work of Divinity
How beautiful and yet how awful to behold
As we stand upon this precipice, over 5000
it. above the beautiful and awc-inspiring plain,
contemplating its grandeur and the Hand that
formed it, we find ourselves breathing the
language Of the sacred writer: "Great and
marvellous are thy works o Lord of Hosts, in
wisdom hast thou made them ALL
But it is breakfast time, and we must leave
bur favored site and attend to the sommissary
department.:
One o'clock P. NJ: Dinner is over-temper-
attire is 81 degrees ;Aand must review the
order of the forenoon. The chief scientific
work of this morning was in the Botanic De-
partment. That curious little plant perfectly
white and transparent; found only in shady
places, growing upon decaying wood-know
as the Indian Pipe (Monatropa Unahora) and
a considerable number of Ferns were analyz-
ed, and classified. But what is more interest
ing to you, Mr.. Editor, and no doubt to your
roo ,laru 4la,, fl,;c Rofouiool ,,;nuf;o &c Soma
general principles Of this science which are
here we'll illustrated. have already describ-
ed the forest at the foot of the Mountain !;
but as we ascend all the trees of the forest be-
come dwarfed--until upon the top, the oaks
although dying with age attain height
of scarcely 90 ft In tile rear Of our tent
staiids an old Blackjack; the largest have yet
seen on this elevation, which measured care
fully and found its circumference to be 55
inches, and its height about 10 feet. 1t is in
all appearance dwarfed Blackoak-no child
could mistake the class of trees to which it
belongs. / have no doubt that 1t has vegetat-
ed here for 800 years, and now, at this advance
ed age it is dying limb at times as is the GUS
tom with this class Of trees everywhere
Near by stand the trunks of several of the
same class-dead and naked of bark. They
have lived out their days in peace for, no
axe Is to be feared here this is virgin for
est--the timber, were it worth anything; could
not be got to market.
The Maple that ffourishes SO well upon the
plain, here attains very small dimensions
The Chestnut ceased to grow at the altitude
of 1000 feet. The Birch and the Beech here
arc the loftiest trecs-they are sometimes 25
feet in height. A popularity Of the Birch of
this place is that the old trees are not cover
| ed with rough firm bark as they are ON the
plain /; but can be distinguished great way
! IF by their white appearance and loose dang
limo fakes of thin leather cuticle, waving to
and fro N this ever agitated atmosphere
Rat Il secp,s as sweet and inviting to our taste
hese as elsewhere.
| Native to this elevated soil is the Double
spruae-so highly priced by Hunterdonians
as evergreen ornamental trees for the door
yard, Here have not seen any-although
some are dying Of old age--more than Is OF
20 IT. high.
To the Botansst, the accent Of this and sim.
! liar mountains is very instructive. The giants
Of the forest at the foot, by the influence Of
elevation, dwarf into insignificant pjgmies
and Just where these cease another variety Of
vegetation will spring up and attain perfec
ton. So, we see that the Divine Architec'
has arranged the Flora of the Mountain upcr
4 hale ar zones that CORRESPOND with the tenn
perature of the several belts or zones encirc
ling the earth from the equator to the poles