The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1909-08-12

The Pacific coast Of the United
States is rich in coniferous trees like
cedars, sequsias and redwoods, but is
conspicuously lacking in most OF the
trees familiar on the Atlantic slope.
For example, there are not half as
many naples, or ashes, or poplars.
or walnuts, or birches, or oaks on the
Pacific slope. and they are of such In.
ierior quality that II Sc ga.d "a pas.
sable wagon wheel can not be made
OF California wood, nor a really good
che In Oregon" The Atlantic slope
has four times az many species OF non.
coniferous trees as the Pacific slope.
but only n little more than half as
many coniferous species.
The first step In the solution OF this
problem is found in the relation of
the land continents in the northern
hemisphere to each other. Whereas, the
southern ends Of the continents pro
ject far out into deep seas so that they
are widely separated from each other
at the north they approached each
other and are separated by shallow
seas. The water In Behring strait IS
only loo feet deep, and that In the sea
only few hundred feet deep, so that
slight elevation Of the bottom OF the
ocean there would join Asia to Amer.
lea, and permit the migration of plants
and animals from one continent to an.
other. That these continents have
been recently Joined by such a change
in land level is proved by the fact
that bones of the mammoth have been
found on both sides of Behring strait.
and even on the Prlbylolf Islands, far
out In Behring sea. A similar belt of
shoal water extends from Greenland
by way OF Iceland to Norway. Ii is
therefore easy to suppose a continu.
Gus land connection clear around the
north pole enabling plants and ami.
mails to migrate freely. On the 9th.
er hand, the general resemblance of
species both of plants and animals in
the lands surrounding the north pole
Is proof that there has been such op.
for migration. Whereas. |
here is this great similarity In spe.
lies IN the northern hemisphere, there |
IS n total dissimilarity between the
species occupying the southern ex. |
of the continents in the
southern hemisphere.
But with the coming on of the gla.
,ial period this happy family OF spe.
lies around the north pole was rude
y disturbed by the new conditions.
rhe lowering Of temperature and the
low accumulation of glacial Ice made
impossible for trees of temperate
Innate to maintain their existence on
hose inhospitable shores. II they
we're to exist any longer they must
to milder climes. But how
hall tree which is fixed In the soil
emove to better It's fortune? or
curse, single tree is helpless in
UGH a situation. But, as Prof. Gray
'ittily says, when a tree Is driven
D an extremity 1t can take to the
'oods." and the forest can begin
lajestic movement toward better {
lines.
AS the conditions favoring the for. '
st became severe along its northern ,
cit they would become favorable I
yer corresponding belt stretching {
} the south. Over this belt the seeds
ould be gradually scattered by vari- s
Is agencies. Some seeds would be t
own by the wind, some carried by a
reams OF water, some by birds and @
Iuirrels and other animals. Where t
formerly such stray seeds had 4