294 BOTANY, ETC. OF THE 
Vitis ? Ibelieve 7. Labrusea, the commonest species in the States. 
The Virginian Creeper (Ampelopsis quinquefolia), and W axwork (Celastrus 
scandens), were frequently seen climbing over the fences and bushes. 
An Amaranthus, common in the States, grew abundantly in waste 
grounds, and Rhus typhina appeared for the second time since landing 
in America, frequent as a bush or small tree. Apple-orchards are 
everywhere numerous about Montreal, and the trees, which were 
remarkably healthy and well grown, were absolutely bending under 
the weight of a superabundant crop of fruit. The principal kind of 
apple grown here is known as the Pomme-Neige, from the snowy 
whiteness of the pulp; it is also called Za Fameuse. It is a large 
apple of an intense purple-red all over, with here and there only some 
spots of green, curiously contrasting with the extreme whiteness of 
the interior, and, unlike most ruddy varieties of this fruit, is as valuable 
for its brisk flavour and juiciness at the dessert-table, as for baking or 
boiling; but it does not keep well. The situation of Montreal on an 
island of the St. Lawrence is very pleasing : if it wants the pic- 
turesque site and quaint architecture of Quebec, it is infinitely 
superior to that city in cleanliness, spaciousness of its streets, cheer- 
fulness of aspect, beauty of its publie buildings, and, above all, in its 
climate. All the trees indigenous to the provinces of Upper and 
Lower Canada, excepting Chestnut, Sassafras, and perhaps one or two 
others that flourish only in the mitigated climate of the Lake distriet, 
attain their full stature about Montreal; but most of the arborescent 
plants more properly belonging to the United States Flora, succumb 
here to the rigour of winter, or remain small and stunted. Mr. M‘Cord, 
of Temple Grove, tells me the Tulip-tree (Liriodendron tulipifera), is 
killed back to the root every winter at his residence, and that the 
same thing happens with the common Laburnum of Europe. I saw 
a few tolerably thriving Plane or Button-wood trees (Platanus occiden- 
talis), but they were evidently rare, and only in gardens. The Locust- 
tree still grows in this latitude, but Mr. M‘Cord informs me that on 
arriving at the age of about twenty years, they die off, from some 
unknown cause, like the Peach in the United States. At Montreal 
this fruit requires the shelter of a wall and some covering in winter. 
About twenty years back, I learn from the same gentleman that 
melons could be raised here abundantly, as in Upper Canada, but 
since then, until the present very early and extraordinary warm 
