The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1881-07-09
The Timber Line of Mountains.

The highest Alpine vegetation consists
for the most part of short stemmed peren-
mails. Lower down are found dwarfed
trees of species which, still further down
the mountain sides, form forests of con-
siderable height, and which, as trees suited.
to merchantable purposes, make what Is
known to mountain travellers as the timber
lines. In the mountains of Colorado the
forests commence at about : 600 feet above
sea level, and continue up to about II 900
feet, when they suddenly cease. At this
point the coniferous trees are from thirty
to forty feet high, and above the same
species exist as stunted shrubs, seldom ex
eeeding three or four feet in height, and
often but foot though trailing widely
over the ground. In this dwarfed condi-
ton they are often found some 800 feet
higher up, or half way from the recognized
timber line to the top of the mountain.
On Mount Washington, in New Hamp-
shire. which is little over 600 feet high,
the timber runs up to about 1000 feet,
while Mount Webster, a mOuntain forming
the southern peak Of the same chain, and
about 900 feet high, has little timber
above 5000 feet. Roam Mountain, in
North Carolina, is about G 800 feet above
the level Of the sea, and on some parts Of
it timber extends to its summit. At q
height Of 5000 feet black oak was meas
ured that was Ave feet in circumference at
three feet from the ground, and forty feet
high. The question as to the peculiar
course Of the timber line is a mooied one.
Until recently it has been referred wholly
10 climate conditions, Of which tempera-
turc aud moisture have been regarded as
the chief elements in producing the result.
The objection urged to this theory Is that
the dwarfed and guarled cone-beariug
species, extending SO many hundred feet
up the mountain sides, never produce seed,
which leads to the alternative Of believing
that the seeds have been carried up the
mountain sides ia enormous quantities aud
to great distances from the fruitiug trees
below BIZ winds, or else tha, there were
seed bearing prosenitors Of these scrubby
trees. beneath the tall protecting branches
Of which they had their earliest stages Of
growth. The result of an examination Of
different parts Of Mount Washington favors
the latter zupposili0n As Is generally
kaoxn, there is a railway running straight
up the mountain side from the base to the
summit. Near the timber line 4 cut about
ten feet deep bad to be made through an
area covered BY mature balsam 6rs. Tn
der the trees moss aud dead roots aud cid
g. leayes had made an earthly strata Of
foos in depth The moss was still green
FROM the raias. melting SHOWS, aud foss Of
this elevated region, and sustaining the va
rious kinds oC low vegetation common 10
such hcigbts Young Grs vcrc spFinsing
up 10 great abundance, but ali the larger
trees wero dead though here aud there
might Be seen a branch With a few hngcs-
ing green leaves This mass Of dead,
ssandius timber occupied several acres,
ana the reason Of the death of the trees
vas evident, The Gu, showed that the
forest steod on mass Of large bat loose
rock, through which the water from the
mountaiu above rushed, carrying with i
81 the earthly matter on which the larger
trees had subsisted, bu, leaving the tough,
turfy matter =, the surface, on which the
smaller trees of the same sort may i've for
many years. With the death Of the lar
ger trees Shere Is an Increase Of light, aud
then the grasses and sodses speedily take
possession, holding together the loose soil
and permitting, in many cases, an Increase
Of the earthly layer by holding much Of the
disintegra,ed rock which washes down
/ from above. 4 careful examination ofIhe
I patches Of serubby spruees above the tim
Der line not iOfrsquenIly shows dark patch
es Of vegetable mould, evidently the re-
mains of larger trees that have beeu grow
Ing, where now only the masses Of small
scrubby plants exist. La some places a
sharp stick may be pushed down among
the dwarf frs aud spruees, aud the mass
/ Of roots intermixed with earth found to be
but foot or so deep over the loose rock
from which the earth has been wholly
washed away. Again, there are some
/ places, often nearly an acre in extent
where the scrubby frs are still standing
dead, from the earth having been washed
away, not leaving enough for even the
moderate demands Of these small bushes
Ii is evident that many Of these dwarfed
specimens are Of great age. Some that
we're examined were certainly City year,
old, though the stems at the ground were
no thicker than mans wrist, and, trailin!
on the ground, occupied but sixteen Ol
twenty square feet Of space.