I 
107 
dryest places. Its root is used by the Spaniards as a substitute for 
soap in washing their garments. Among the rocks on dry hills, to 
the south of the piiions, we detected Agave P ringlet, Engelm. (ined.), 
in bloom July 28, 1883, and found the fibre of its long and slender 
leaves to be preferred by the Indians, for making ropes and other 
articles, to that of the more abundant A. deserti. The root, leaves 
and flower- stalk of both species are, after being roasted, eaten by the 
Indians, who also asserted that they ate the golden lichen, Evernia 
vulpina, which grows in small quantities, especially on dead manzani- 
tas, among these mountains. 
Among the large pines or pifions {Pinus Jeffreyif), to the south 
of the pinons, we found the pretty Ivesia Baileyi, Watson, in the 
crevices of the granite boulders that form the immense rocky ridges 
through this district ; and, at the base of these rocks, were many 
pretty plants, among them the familiar Aquilegia truncata and Pieris 
aquilina, and also Geranium ceEspitosunty Arenaria alsinoides, Willd., 
Eriogonum Parishii, Galium pubens and angiistifolium, etc., and on 
the grassy plains or meadows, between the stretches of pine forest, 
were Verbena littoralis, HBK., Cnicus Drmnmondii, var. acaulescens, 
Eriogonum foliolosmn, Wats., n. sp., and a variety of Horkelia Calif or- 
nica. On little pools or lagoons we found Poiamogeton naians, L., 
I Polygonum Ha 
San Diego, Cab 
C. R. Orcutt- 
Autumn Foliage —A comparison of notes on the local condition 
of foliage, made on October 5th, with similar notes of October 1st, 
1882, shows an interesting difference. ^^- ''^ .r. r^.r^^.A m mnnv 
This is SO marked in many 
ioo:j, snows an iriLeres)i.iuj^ uiiici<-iJ<-<— ^ "■- — -- -- . . ' 
cases that it is worthy of note, especially since the opinion has gained 
some ground among botanists that the appearance and fall of the 
leaves occur at nearly the same dates each year. From my notes it 
appears that the season, as regards foliage, is at least ten days later 
this year than last. A few species, the black and red cherries the 
apple, pear, peach and plum are at about the same stage. Ihe diik-r- 
ence appears slightly in the golden willow, sugar-maple and silky 
cornel; to a marked degree in the ash, chestnut, shagbark, American 
and slippery elms, all the oaks (eight species), and the fox-grape, 
while it is very decided iu the flowering dogwood, beech and pignut. 
The three last were perfectly fresh and green on the above date, 
while my notes for 1882 describe them as largelv brown and dead at 
that time. . , r j • 
Of course the explanation of this difference is to be found in 
meteorological conditions, which I am able to give for both years as 
follows : , 
AUGUST. 
Temp. 
1882.. 
1883.. 
67-3 
66.3 
y 
Rel. 
Humidity 
66.1 
69.2 
Rain. 
SEPTEMBER, 
Temp. 
Humidity. 
0.99 
2*91 
63-7 
59-9 
77.2 
71.0 
Rain. 
16.56 
2.27 
