The poplar, birch, and
some other trees, on which beavers feed, and which they also use in making
their dams, are softer and more easily cut than oak, elm, or birch would
be; these trees are found growing near the water, and in such places as
the beavers build in. The settler owes to the industrious habits of this
animal those large open tracts of land called beaver meadows, covered with
long, thick, rank grass, which he cuts down and uses as hay. These beaver
meadows have the appearance of dried-up lakes. The soil is black and
spongy; for you may put a stick down to the depth of many feet. It is only
in the months of July, August, and September, that they are dry. Bushes of
black alder, with a few poplars and twining shrubs, are scattered over the
beaver meadows, some of which have high stony banks, and little islands of
trees. On these are many pretty wild-flowers; among others, I found
growing on the dry banks some real hare-bells, both blue and white."
"Ah, dear nurse, hare-bells! did you find real hare-bells, such as grow on
the bonny Highland hills among the heather? I wish papa would let me go to
the Upper Province to see the beaver meadows, and gather the dear
blue-bells."
"My father, Lady Mary, wept when I brought him a handful of these flowers;
for he said it reminded him of his Highland home.
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