692 TRAVEL IN EUROPE AND AMERICA. [1879, 



not looked at the matter since, but I shall be much 

 surprised if you find that my youthful idea is worthy 

 of resuscitation. 



We have come back from the cool mountains of the 

 South to really hot weather at the North. 



TO A. DE CANDOLLE. 



CAMBRIDGE, July 15, 1879. 



MY DEAR DE CANDOLLE, Your pleasant letter of 

 the 3d June reached me on Roan Mountain, in a com- 

 fortable little house, at the elevation of about 6,200 

 feet above the sea, enjoying glorious views of range 

 after range of the Alleghany Mountains, and on the 

 grassy plateau Rhododendron Catawbiense, perhaps 

 more of it than in all the rest of the world, just com- 

 ing into blossom. Then the valleys and mountain- 

 sides all around, covered with rich forest, are adorned 

 with Rhododendron maximum, and Kalrnia latifolia 

 in immense abundance and profuse blossoming, of 

 every hue from deep rose to white, and here and there, 

 among other flowering shrubs, Azalea calendulacea, of 

 every hue from light yellow to the deepest flame color. 

 Mrs. Gray was with me, with her brother, two nieces, 

 and a botanical party consisting of Messrs. Canby, 

 Redfield, and Sargent. We traversed a pretty large 

 and very wild region, much of which I had before 

 visited, some thirty-eight years before. We went to 

 the locality of Shortia galacifolia, discovered by 

 Hyams ; but our search for new stations, or for the 

 old one of Michaux, was in vain. But I have now a 

 clear idea of the district in which it may be sought. 

 The known station is probably one to which the plant 

 has been brought down. 



I have returned home to a crowd of work. 



