Enlarged bases of certain trees growing in swamps are very familiar to botanists and naturalists. The spectacular buttresses of cypress offer classical examples of such responses to water. Ordinarily, however, a cypress buttress is not seen in its entirety for the greater part of it is masked by the water, especially in the deeper lakes and ponds. The form, therefore, that the bases assume from the water level downward, unless the water is unusually calm and clear, can only be conjectured by the explorer boating about casually during high-water periods. The prolonged drouths of 1927 and 1931 gave the senior author excellent opportunities to explore dry-footed a number of ponds and lakes in middle northern Florida. Figures 1, 2, and 3 show three distinctive types of buttresses developed by pond cypress, Taxodium ascendens Brongn., when growing in as many different habitats.The first type is very low, wide, and truncated. Harper has described ('02) and published photographs ('OS) taken in Coffee County, Georgia, of bases so flat that one can walk around the tree on them. He associates thesl: with shallow water of rather constant level. Mattoon ('15) also illustrates this type of "low broad base" and correlates it with shallow, non-alluvial swamps. The second type of buttress is plainly conical. In conversation with the senior author, Harper has stated that this form is associated with habitats which fluctuate actively and over a considerable range of depth. The third type appearing like gigantic bottles, previously described by Kurz ('30), is found in ponds or lakes attaining much greater depths than either the habitats of the shallow or conical-based trees.All three of the foregoing types suggest the influence of water level fluctuation in fashioning them; but they hardly indicated, much less proved, the importance of a second factor in buttress development. The junior author's studies of Reelfoot Lake make quite certain the nature of the second factor. Reelfoot Lake, lying just east of the Mississippi in northwestern Tennessee, was formed by land subsidence during the famous New Madrid earthquake of 1811-12. Fuller ('12) has given a comprehensive report on this geological phenomenon. Nelson ('24) gives an admirable popular account of the history of Reelfoot Lake. The catastrophic subsidence referred to above
PuRPOSEIn this work the writer has attempted to show : (I) the influence of sphagnum and other mosses on bog reactions ; ( 2) the minor role of sphagnum in the development of some so-called sphagnum bogs; (3) and incidentally the effect of hydrogen ion concentration on the distribution of certain bog plants. METHOD In all cases except the Hartford bog the samples from the deeper horizons were taken with a Davis peat sampler described by Dachnowski ('24). Dr. Hugo Oswald of Sweden, using a very efficient Swedish instrument, furnished the writer with samples of the Hartford bog. The hydrogen ion concentrations were determined by the colorimetric method as described by Clark ('20) and Wherry ('22), using color standards for comparison. The sphagnum content of the substratum was ascertained by microscopic examinations of the peat samples in the laboratory. PRESENTATION OF DATAProfiles, pH.-The data are presented in diagrammatic profiles, the younger zones being placed to the left. Excepting the Wauconda and Hartford bogs, concerning which see the text, the total depth bored for samples is to be found at one of the peat columns so that the value of the scale divisions will be obvious. The Cowles and Hartford bog profiles show peat legends. Exceptional soils like muck or pine needles are specially indicated. The moss indicated in the profiles is usually some member of the Hypnaceae, like Amblystegium riparium L., Drepanocladus aduncus (Hedw.) Warnst. or Stereodon pratensis (Koch.) Limbd. The pH may be read at the successive horizons beside the· peat columns.Listing of species.-Only species characteristic, important, or known to the writer are listed. The nomenclature is sometimes abbreviated. Sometimes only the generic name is given, for example" Rhus" (u Vernix," understood), or Liriodendron, which is monotypic.Classification of habitats.-For reasons more fully developed in the discussion, the writer has classified the habitats studied under two headings, 56
A Durable PeaceIt is, of course, within the province of writers on science to inform the public about the character and the consequences of nuclear war. This has frequently been done of late, never more effectively, perhaps, than in Gerard Piel's contribution "On the feasibility of peace" [Science 135, 648 (23 Feb. 1962)], the subtitle of which states very blandly and encouragingly that "a world without war is no less plausible and no more difficult than a world built on thermonuclear threat." Here a writer on science makes an outstanding analysis, depicting a more than difficult world ahead unless we have peace, only to step out into another field later on and leave a more than mischievous impression at the end.There have been several recent economic studies of the readjustments needed in the United States in moving from a war economy to an economy of peace. The latest one is briefly outlined in a recent issue of Science [135, 519 (16 Feb. 1962)]. This realistic and up-to-date study was not available when Piel wrote. He used, instead, an earlier and much less satisfactory analysis. He noted that, because of savings from military cutbacks, there could be a considerable increase in spending for education, welfare, housing, and help to "emerging nations." Hence, he concluded, peace is "feasible"; all he thought to be further needed were "advocates and voices" to advance such desirable peacetime goals "in the councils of our government." Let the necessary action be taken, "by interested and responsible citizens," and peace would "become as feasible as war."There would of course have to be, Piel adds more or less parenthetically, "a disarmament convention that provided controls adequate to shut off the arms race," but the rest would, he apparently believes, follow automatically as a matter of course. A Durable PeaceIt is, of course, within the province of writers on science to inform the public about the character and the consequences of nuclear war. This has frequently been done of late, never more effectively, perhaps, than in Gerard Piel's contribution "On the feasibility of peace" [Science 135, 648 (23 Feb. 1962)], the subtitle of which states very blandly and encouragingly that "a world without war is no less plausible and no more difficult than a world built on thermonuclear threat." Here a writer on science makes an outstanding analysis, depicting a more than difficult world ahead unless we have peace, only to step out into another field later on and leave a more than mischievous impression at the end.There have been several recent economic studies of the readjustments needed in the United States in moving from a war economy to an economy of peace. The latest one is briefly outlined in a recent issue of Science [135, 519 (16 Feb. 1962)]. This realistic and up-to-date study was not available when Piel wrote. He used, instead, an earlier and much less satisfactory analysis. He noted that, because of savings from military cutbacks, there could be a considerable increase in spending for education, welfare, housin...
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