Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1925-04-29
LURE OF MAINE.
President Little Tells of Wonders OF
Mt. Desert Island,

| Mt. Desert Island.
President Little of the University
of Maine, in his speech broadcasted
from New York last Friday night,
gave most of his attention to Mt.
Desert island, in Hancock county.
He said
81 want to spend the few minutes
at our disposal in telling you of what
consider a unique wonder spot
namely Mt. Desert island-visible
from Sorrento across few miles of
water.
Maine has great sweeps of densely
wooded country extending for miles
upon miles-a giant area on an enor-
nous scale great rivers and beau
tiful and impressive mountains and
lakes. One can take trips OF days or
weeks in many parts of the state IN
wild country where nature is lavish
in her variety and charm.
I'm the case of Mt. Desert island,
however, it is as though show case
of all sorts of country had been
carefully made up and gathered SO
that the visitor could obtain sort
of summary of attractions, an appe-
tier or hors d'oeuvra which st1mu-
lates the imagination and makes the
visitor eager for more.
For ten weeks last summer with
some fifteen students from the Uni
versity of Maine, l tramped ana
climbed and biologized on the island.
Every day was characterized by new
F.! wonders and a more powerful charm
! than that of the preceding one. 1t
| was the marvellous detail OF natural
life and it's variety that caught ana
held the imagination
"For example, take high, rocky
headland, Otter Point, rising sheer
with majestic granite cliffs, fog-blown
cold and chill in northeaster and
! clear as crystal with wonderful sun
lit paths among the thick northern
spruces when the northwest wind was
! abroad. This region contained the
: ground plants and vegetation COM
monty found some hundreds OF miles
to the north, while in the spruces
sang and nestled northern birds at
home in what were essentially Arctic
surroundings.
ga few miles away is Picked Noun
tain. whose peak is separated by
valley from Newport mountain
Picked mountain has on it one or the
most interesting and spectacular con-
trasts in vegetation and forms OF lie
to be found anywhere in the country.
It's south exposure is dry, sunbaked
and rocky The predominant tree is
nitch pine, characteristic not OF the
northern forests, but rather of the
sandy coast of New Jersey-some
seven hundred miles to the south.
AS one passes over the dry ledgy
summit. the vegetation becomes
mixed. and a few naples and b1rches
join the pitch pines. Then, all at
once, literally in few steps, one
enters a typical northern mixed ever
green forest, where great spruces
and hemlocks characteristic OF north
ern New England and of Canada are
| found.
"Here are two armies of vegetation,
a southern and a northern, with
their characteristic insects ana other
! forms of life Between them stretches
thin band of conflct-a battle
! ground of nature where most inter-
esting adjustments are being made.
Another very beautiful region is
/
between Jordan pond and Eagle
! lake, for Mt Desert has many very
beautiful lakes and ponds shored by
| thickly-wooded hills or spectacular
rocky mountains.
'In this region there are three par
ticularly interesting forest types.
First is stretch of mixed hard
woods-beeches, naples and beautl-
full birches, both white and yellow.
| Many of these trees are very large.
They are of the same type as those
which characterize much OF the
White Mountain region, such as
Crawford Notch or the lower slopes
of the Presidential Range. In the
early autumn their leaves color bril-
liantly and with the lively brooks,
the emerald of moss-covered stones,
make a real blaze of barbara splen-
dor
"The second region is dark, silent
hemlock swamp at the Eagle Lake
end of the Carry. Through it flows
easily and smoothly golden brown
! brook between moss-covered banks.
| The whole place is quiet and some
what oppressive in its solemnlty.
Gray, frowsy moss hangs from the
spruce trees. One may sit here with
no sound to interrupt for long time,
until perhaps a beaver swimming IN
! Eagle lake a hundred or so yards
away, breaks the silence by bringing
down his fat tail with board-like
slap on the surface of the water.
visit to the places where the beavers
have gnaWed down small trees and
pulled and rolled them to the water
is also we'll worth while.
1.-The third spot is hard to lind ana
it's whereabouts is left to the vlsltor
willing to become more than pass
ing acquaintance OF the region. III
is a small stand of fifteen or twenty
! of the giant spruce that formed the
virgin growth Of that part OF the
island Immense, and with their
ID, ruv rrooad branches far. far