The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-05-11

There arc four hundred and twelve
opocles OF forest trees in North Ameri-
ca. Atlantic slope has two hundred
number one hundred and three, or one
fourth OF all, are found In West Virgin
A. The Atlantis slope has two hundred
ana ninety-two speclGs; the Pacific
slope fewer than one hundred. There
are not thirty species between the
Rocky Mountains and the Alleghenies
which are not also found on one coast
or the other. The Inference Is drawn
that wide open country, not crossed by
mountains, Is favorable 60 the uniform
distribution ot trees; but II rugged
mountainous region Is apt TO coniiue
a certain species to 4 certain locality.
The mountainous eastern country n
more prolific Of species than the noun
talnOuB western country. This Is seen
in q comparison between West Virginia
and the west This state. with less than
twenty-five thousand square miles OF
6urfRce, has more species OF forest trees
than the whole Pacific coast region.
with an area OF more than one million
sQuAre miles, including Alaska, the
western part OF British America and all
me western C1AEN VI AllN AAAAhNN Nsf~-NN-s
from Mexico TO the Attic Ocean.
Forest trees OF any specific kind usu-
ely grow large area, but there Is
nsarly always some restricted locality
an which q certain species reaches It's
greatest development From this To-
raiitY OF greatest development, che
species deterviates and thlns out In all
directions until the borders OF Its hRol-
tat are reached In size and appearance
between specimens OF n particular tree
Al It's highest development and AT its
worse sometimes so great that a person
acquainted with the tree at ono extreme
would scarcely recognize II az the other.
The chinguApln oak Is a case to the
point. Il reaches the It's highest dcvel-
unFnent In Arkansas and Its extreme
tegenerRcy In Massachusetts on the
east and the base OF the Rocky noun
ESlns on the west. reappcaring again iu
y few localities beyond. But even
within tho narrow limits OF West Viz
r,inis IL shows remarkable change IN
size and appearance. In some or the
t,estern portions Of the state the
tree Il Of considerable size. and as soon
ns the AlleghenleS are crossed, going
eastward. the chIuguapin degeEerateS
into q mere shrub.
Perfection In west Virginia.
A number OF the forest trees Of North
America reaches their Highest develop
ment in West Virginia. Few ;erritor-
les Of similar size In the world can show
the perfection OF 80 many species some
OF the most important OF these are, Gu.
cumber or mountain magnolia; wild
black cherry and the wild red cherry
near the summit of the AlleEhenies;
black thorn; service tree: witch hazel;
black walnut In the southwestern part
of this state; white oak along the west
ern slope OF the AleeEhenies. On the
other hand there are fine species, haV-
ing their greatest development else
where, which reach the limit OF their
geographical range IN West virginia.
Balsam fr, which fiourtsheS north OF US.
extends southwest Into the state with
only a few catered trees along the
highlands Of the Allephcnies. Black
spruce Il another case to the point II
Is more abundant than balIam mr., bus
IL restricted to the highest mountain or
West Virginia. Mountain ash has It's
southern limit on the highest mountains
of West Virginia and lts northern limit
in Greenland The snoWdTop Is q forest
tree, has its northern limit in this state
and Is seldom met with, but Is common
In cultivation. The white Pine reaches
rs southern limit In this state as an I'M
portant source Of lumber supply. but
the tree Is found further south.
The difference between tree and a
shrub are not agreed upon by all bot
anists. In counting the species OF trees
In this state. have considered as trees
ali that have straight. wooden stems.
with branches above the ground. size
Alone does not settle the question.
nave seen shrubs in Florida thirty feet
high. and trees on Mount Goddard NOT
two feet high. In drawing distinction
between trees and shrubs. have fol-
lowed PROT Charles ). Sargent, OF Har-
ward University. II distinction were
drawn according to some other au-
thority the number OF species IN West
Virginia might be more or fewer.
There Is no well understood reason
why certain species among trees
should flourish in one locality and be
absent from an adjoining area OF SINH
lar climate and soil. With the facilities
nrovited by nature for distributing
seeds. we might expect certain spec
les OF trees to extend the length and
breadth Of continents wherever soil and
climate are suitable. Yet they do not.
They content themselves, like races OF
people. in occupying certain tracts ana
localities. and going no further, al
though there IL no visible reason why
they should not do so. Why. for In
stance. should the white pine appear 50
beautifully In certain belts crossing
three or four counties OF West Virginia,
and be absent. or nearly absent else
where? The differences In climate, soil.
elevation and rainfnli are not so great
chat It should be responsible for u The
peTsImmon tree does not grow In vast
forests like the white pine, but II shows
a similar popularity and Is found In one
district and is absent from others where
Il seems II ought 10 flourish.
Variation Of Climate aud Soil.
There are, however in many cases
well known reasons why certain spe-
Giles Of trees do not spread in all dIrec-
lions. Trees are naturally migratory
in their habits. That Is. the seeds viii
be scattered and the species viii spread
in all directions until some barrier lS
reached beyond which further advance
IL impossible. The most usual barriers
are high mountains, unfrlendly soil, or
an area preoccupled by species so Wig
olrous that they viii crowd out an new
CnmcrS. Rivers and lakes are not often
grent hindranccs to the spread OF trees.
Tire seeds can cross more rapidly than
many migratory animals West Nlr-
ginia's geography and topography offer
many barriers to the universal spread
OF species, and many advantages 10 d.
Verslty and variety. II II were a hat
plain. like Kansas. there would be little
difference In climate, rainfall. elova.
ton. exposures Of the surface to diflcr-
ent points Of the compass and much
greater uniformity OF soil than at pres
ent. The result would be that the
same kind Of trees would be scattered
all over. with probably u few exelep-