The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-02
AN AUTUMN TROLLEY RIDE.
Panorama Of Color One Sees Between
New York and Hack ensack.

Panorama Of Color One Sees Between
New York and Hack ens&ck.
For those who are fond Of nature and
love to walk through the woods and fields,
the trolley car becomes means Of especial
pleasure now that the autumn Is at hand
with its gorgeous colors. The network of
trolley roads running into New York offers
abundant opportunity for outings Of this
sort. OF all these reads, there is probably
none that offers greater diversity of scenery
and wealth OF foliage and flowers. in SO
short distance, than that from New York
to Hackensack.
Taking the ferry at i3Oth street, just above
Grants Tomb, one crosses 10 tdgewater,
tiny town that nestles along the river
taak at the foot OF the Palisades Here
the trolley car meets the ferryboat and
carries it's passengers quickly TO the top Of
, the Palisades.
For short distance the car goes straight
up the incline, but when the rocky face OF
the Palisades proper ia reached the track
bends to the left, climbing the hill on mar
row shelf blasted out for that purpose.
Half way up the track swings round horse
shoe curve and continues it's upward course
in the opposite direction.
All trees and foliage have been cut away
on the river side and the view Of the Hud-
son is unobstruCted as the car climbs to
the top of the hill Clinging vines and wild
flowers growing in the crannies soften the
ruggedness Of the rocks.
Winding through piece Of open wood
land, the track passes brentwood and his
toric Fort Lee Here the trees are for the
most part oaks with numerous chestnuts,
birches and beeches. still as green as in
early summer. But plentiful sprinkng
Of sour gums, now deep crimson, the
darker reds of the sweet gum and the dog
wood. and the brown and yellow Of the first
turning hickories lend a beauty to these
vnnIa
match
At Fort Lee the track turns almost due
west continuing through the woods: but
here another splash of color ia added by
wayside trees. And the keen eye notes the
currantlike berries Of the Solomon's seal
and the brilliant red OF the fruit OF the
Jsck-in-the-pulpit tucked away in the I'M
derbrush.
Leaving the wooded summit. the track
slope Of the Palisades The woods give
place to open fields and orchards heavy
with ripening fruit, while the clustered
sumacs on the hillside and the red OF the
of the woods. Fields OF corn, already
stacked, the golden pumpkins dotting the
ground, and acres Of grass and clover COM
plete the picture.
the trolley car approaches Overpeck Creek
and its meadow. From this slight eleva-
ton the meadow appears like vast flower
bed so alive is IT with color.
Gold is the prevailing hue, and nearer
view shows that this comes from great
beds OF golden rod and yellow corn flowers,
that look like huge buttercups. The small
white aster, the pale purple aster, and the
large deep purple aster grow here In pro-
fusion.
Wild carrot, ironweed, arrowhead and
smartweed with here and there snowy
pink swamp mallow, patches OF evening
primrose. artichokes, swamp milkweed,
pink boneset and the thoroughstem our
grandmothers used for ague-these are
some but not all OF the flowers to he found
in this wonderful meadow.
Beyond the meadow Is low ridge, the
watershed between the Overpeck Creek and
the Hackensack River. Here again come
orchards and fields, with hillside flowers,
the brown-eyed susan, the golden rod, the
ironweed, the sensitive plant. vetches and
more asters.
Teaneok and Bogota are on the watershed,
and almost Immediately after passing the
latter the track crosses the Hackensack
meadows. Here again u the forest OF cat
tails, the masses of artichoke and corn
flower, and the asters seen In the first
meadow. But here we have what was
absent from the first. thousands Of ferns
just turning brown. These, with the great
growths OF coarse. brown meadow grass
and sedge form a beautiful brown back
, ground 10 the brighter colors.
Almost Immediately after leaving the
marsh one emf ers the business part OF
| Hackensack and the flowers are no more.
| On the return TO New York the view is the
same, except that whereas in going one
looks from the hillside down upon The
meadows, In returning one Looks from the