Note 16 — PETER KALM’s TRAVELS. (continued 2)

5. However there are some spontaneous plants in Pensylvania, which do not every year bring their seeds to maturity before the cold begins. To these belong some species of Gentiana, of Asters, and others. But in these too the wisdom of the Creator has wisely ordered every thing in its turn. For almost all the plants which have the quality of flowering so late in autumn, are perennial, or such as, though they have no seed to propagate themselves, can revive by shooting new branches and stalks from the same root every year. But perhaps a natural cause may be given to account for the late growth of these plants. Before the Europeans came into this country, it was inhabited by savage nations, who practised agriculture but little or not at all, and chiefly lived upon hunting and fishing. The woods therefore have never been meddled with, except that sometimes a small part was destroyed by fire. The accounts which we have of the first landing of the Europeans here, shew that they found the country all over covered with thick forests.16 From hence it follows, that excepting the higher trees, and the plants which grow in the water or near the shore, the rest must for the greatest part have been obliged to grow perhaps for a thousand years together, in a shade, either below or between the trees, and they therefore naturally belong to those which are only peculiar to woody and shady places. The trees in this country drop their leaves in such quantities in autumn, that the ground is covered with them to the depth of four or five inches. These leaves lie a good while in the next summer before they moulder, and this must of course hinder the growth of the plants which are under the trees, at the same time depriving them of the few rays of the sun which can come down to them through the thick leaves at the top of the trees. These causes joined together make such plants flower much later than they would otherwise do. May it not therefore be said, that in so many centuries these plants had at last contracted a habit of coming up very late, and that it would now require a great space of time to make them lose this habit, and use them to quicken their growth?