Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-04-27
ONE OF NAMES WONDER
SPOTS

In the series Oh Iddio piodueoSeS'
"The Lure of Maine. President Lit
tie of the U. of NJ. last week contrib
uted delightful description Of what
to him is one of the many wonder
spots Of this State. Mt Desert Is
land.
He actually did more than present
allurements of one wonder spot. he
revealed not only possibilities but
ways in which one may arrive at ap-
probation of wonders SO commonly
overlooked.
To those who have eyes to see
and use them intelligently-there Is
so much of absorbing interest one
wishes the restless minds ever seek
ing diversion that so often leaves lit
tie save dissatisfaction and greater
restlessness might come to realiza-
ton Of how nature can help us.
Don't we wish we might see these
things with comprehensive vision:
'For example, take a high rocky
headland, Otter Point, rising sheer
with majestic granite cliffs. fog.
blown. cold, and chill In q north
easter and clear as crystal with Won
derful sunlit paths among thick
northern spruces when the north
west wind was afield. This region
contained the ground plants and veg
etation commonly found some hum
dreds Of miles to the north. while In
the Bpruces sang and nested north
ern birds at home in what were es-
eentially arctic surroundings.
"A few miles away Is Pickett
Mountain. whose peak is separated
by q valley from Newport Mountain.
Pickett Mountain has on it one Of
contrasts in vegetation and forms of
life to be found anywhere in the
country. 70 .r4a> "a. 7
Its south exposure Is dry, sunbak-
ed and rocky. The predominant tree
Is pitch pine, characteristic not Of
the northern forests but rather of the
sandy coast Of New Jersey-some 200
miles to the south. AS one passes
over the dry ledgy summit, the vege-
tatton becomes mixed and q few ma .
pies and birches join the pitch pines.
Then all at once, literally in few
steps, one enters a typical northern
mixed evergreen forest where great
spruces and hemlocks characteristic
OF Northern New England and Of
Canada are found.
Here are two armies of vegeta-
ton. q southern and a northern, with
their characteristic insects and other
forms Of life. Between them stretch
es a thin band Of confiict-a battle
ground Of nature where most inter-
esting adjustments are being made.
Another very beautiful region is
the so-called carry" or strip Of land
between Jordan Pond and Eagle
Lake. for Mt. Desert has many very
beautiful lakes and ponds shored by
thtckly wooded hills or spectacular
rocky mountains.
In this region there are three
particularly interesting forest types.
First Is a stretch Of mixed hard
woods; beeches. naples and beauti-
ful birches. both white and yellow.
Many Of these trees are very large.
They are of the same types as those
which characterize much of the
White Mountain region, such as
crawford Notch or the lower slopes
OF the Presidential Range. In the
carry autumn their leaves color bril-
liantly and with the lively brooks.
VITA the emerald OF moss covered
stones. make real blaze Of barbaric
splendor.
The second region is a dark silent
nemlock swamp at the Eagle Lake
end, OF the carry. Through it flows
easily and smoothly a golden brown
brook between moss covered banks.
me whole place is quiet and some
What oppressive in its solemrity.
fray, lrowsy moss hangs from the
spruce trees. One may sit here with
no sound to interrupt for long time
unui perhaps beaver swimming in
Eagle Lake a hundred or so wards
away breaks the silence by bringing
oown his fiat tail with a board : like
sap on the surface of the water. A
WISH to the places where the beavers
nave snawed down small trees and
puiled and rolled them to the water
Is also we'll worth while.
T.. Inc third spot is hard to find and
Us Wnereabouts is left to the visitor
shns 10 become more than a pas s-
ing acquaintance Of the region. 1t
80 small stand Of fifteen or twenty
s,;, ene giant spruce that formed the
Ign growth of that part of the is
rv Immense and with their shay
Tnanv W "hcheS lar. far above
traas y OF the surrounding lesser
storr, .ney nave survived fire ana
wcai,t, anu me sweeping inroads of
al tnem much Of the same ~. in ate
ana calm strength OF the wrsr 1es.y
ice ice or an American Jnd;anman4a
10y nave some OF the same sad
auanty OF tragic appeal, II wn',,d sa az
e. uImaginative person that COLI
ano beneath them without to"n,,
~ sorrow that SO few OF then, ra
NAMED and a deep awe Of their
primitive beauty" '''oi'