Seed Report

1570 Liverpool Court,
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0H4,
May 17, 1977.

B. Wallace,
Archaeologist,
Archaeological Research.

Your file Votre référence
Our file Notre référence
76-4113 to 76-4145
76-1989, 76-6190, 75-1982,
76-3068, 76-6191

Dear Ms. Wallace:

L'Anse Aux Meadows — Seed Report

Please find enclosed the final seed report by John Dawson. It seems to be competantly done and to meet the contractual requirements of the job; I have therefore requested that payment be made.

No sign of the small climatic optimum. The seeds are for the most part still extant in or near the L'Anse aux Meadows area. Only a sample of Butternut is out of place with the present climatic conditions — however Mr. Dawson believes the soil to be so poor for this species that it was never native to the area and the seed arrived, most probably, by human means. Any climatic change that has occured has therefore not caused any qualitative change in species. For this reason it would appear best to look for a quantitative difference in plant ratios i.e. pollen analyses. I have therefore requested that this pollen study be started immediately.

Yours truly,

John Stewart

John Stewart Conservation Scientist,
Conservation Division, National Historic Parks
and Sites Branch,
Parks Canada.