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In developing field sampling techniques to aid students studying ecology at West Chester State College in understanding succession, some interesting quantitative data was obtained from abandoned corn fields. This data together with personal observations and records from additional sites in Southern Chester County suggest several trends and raise certain questions that may be useful to field biologists for further research.

A total of 1080 square meters of flood plain forest was studied along the East Branch of Brandywine Creek in Chester County, Pennsylvania. The total area mapped for crown cover and woody plant stem counts in the 1 to 5 foot and 5 to 20 foot height classes was 9600 square meters. The most common crown cover species were Silver Maple (36 percent), White and Red Ash (20 percent), and Bitternut Hickory (11 percent). Spicebush, Silky Dogwood, Multiflora Rose, Japanese Honeysuckle, Common Elderberry, Privet, and Wild Grape were, in order of abundance, the most common shrub species. Individual relic trees and local groups of very large relic trees provided some clues to the composition of the original flood plain forest. It consisted of a rich mesic forest of many crown cover species in contrast to the more limited species composition of present day forests. Problems of plant succession are discussed and an interpretation of seral communities is presented. A review of other regional flood plain studies is presented for comparison.

Field populations of Scarlet Oak and Hill Oak were studied from southern Indiana to northern Michigan with additional populations from northern Illinois and central Wisconsin and their morphological characters compared. Collections of acorns were made from field populations and grown under \"common garden\" conditions for evidence of genetic similarities or differences. The evidence indicates a continuum of character change between the two species from south to north. Data from the common garden studies appear to support a genetic continuum from south to north. Hill Oak is considered as a northern small-fruited expression of Scarlet Oak.