336 
over Jonas’ Ridge (a part of the Blue Ridge) and to Franklin’s, a farm 
house near Linville Falls. This is hardly the place to recount the 
adventures of the day—the roughness of the road, remarkable even 
for these mountains,—the wayside lunch—the break down of the 
baggage-wagon—how Canby “ put his foot in” a nest of “moon- 
shiners,” to the equal trepidation of the discoverer and the discov- 
ered, and the rapid making of tracks by both—how the faithful Jeff 
was left to pass the night alone upon the mountain-side in charge of 
mules and baggage—and how the party with much ado succeeded in 
reaching their destination after night-fall. At sunset the culmina- 
ting point of Jonas’ Ridge, free from trees and at a height of not far 
from 4,000 feet, afforded a view of almost unequalled extent and 
magnificence, in which the Black Mountain and Grandfather predom- 
inated, and under the lee of some rocks the first specimens were col- 
lected of Vaccinium erythrocarpon and Saxifraga Careyana. The 
plants noticed during this day and the next were Azalea calendulacea, 
Menztesia globularis, Calycanthus levigatus, Boykinia aconitifolia, 
Lontcera flava, Zizia integerrima, Phlox glaberrima, Asarum Virgint- 
cum, Pogonia divaricata, Calopogon pulchellum, and Clintonia umbel- 
fata. In the gorge at the Falls the best specimens of Asplenium 
montanum were found. UHere too Rhododendron Catawbiense was 
found growing mixed with 2. maximum and equally tall, reaching the 
height of 12 or 15 feet, and here already dropping its corollas before 
the middle of June. This caused forebodings (not, however, to be 
realized) that we might be too late for the floral display of this spe- 
cies on Roan Mountain, where it reigns supreme.* 
Linville Falls are worth visiting, and are readily accessible from 
the south, by the Linville mountain road; but both the Falls and 
the botanizing fell below our expectations. 
It was hoped that Shortia might be found on the Linville ; but 
all search was in vain. To increase the chances, now that we were on 
Michaux’s track (as shown by his diary), Messrs. Canby and Sar- 
gent, on horseback, made a two days excursion down the North 
Cove, and up Turkey Creek, and over to the upper waters of the 
south fork of Toe River, and thence to Bakerville; while the rest of 
the party came directly to the north fork of the Toe and so by the 
nearest wagon road to Bakerville. Yet nothing was seen of Shortia.+ 
Plenty of Azalea arborescens was met with of a size to justify the spe- 
cific name,—shrubs of 15 feet in height, on stems two or three inches - 
* Our own observations would restrict Rhododendron Catawbiense to the to 
_ of the higher mountains, or to some such peculiar station as this at Linville Falls 
at somewhat lower elevations. But Mr. Howard Shriver pointed out to me a ~ 
locality at the foot of the low mountain’ which rise behind Wytheville in Virginia’; 
and, what is truly extraordinary, Prof F. W. Symonds, of the University of North 
Carolina, sends specimens, in full bloom on the third of April, on a steep and 
shaded bank on Morgan’s Creek, near Chapel Hill, in the middle upper count: 
of the State, flourishing at an elevation of only 500 feet above the level of the sea! 
A 
+ The best hopes of the rediscovery of Michaux’s habitat, in my opinion, are 
concentrated upon that portion of the Blue Ridge which directly flanks the Black 
_ Mountain ranges, and upon the eastern face of the latter from Swananoa Gap 
northward. A. 
