white or whitish color, but these are for the most part 'diminutive and 

 inconspicuous. The yellows are more noticeable in Spring, owing to 

 the size and abundance ot" the flowers of a few common species, such 

 as buttercups, dandelions, potentillas, calthas, etc., ])ut there are really 

 as many white flowered species, though the flowers are smaller. 



Reds are not abundant at any time, but more common in the Sum- 

 mer months. Purples are most frequent in August and September, 

 when they rank next to the yellows, while the blues are more larethan 

 any other color, and flowers of this hue are small in size, with the ex- 

 ception of the Iris, Lupine, Chicory, Aster, Pontederia, and Gentian. 

 Nature seems to have appropriated this color for the sky and sea, as 

 she has the green to mantle the earth, while she uses the white, yellow, 

 juirple, and red, as gems to decorate the whole by a contrast of colors 

 most pleasing to the eye. 



The percentage of each color, as to number of species, is as follow's : 

 white, 33; yellow, including orange, 33: red and blue purples, 15: 

 red, including crimson, scarlet, and rose, 12 ; blue, 7. 



In collecting a Flora of a populous district it is somewhat difficult 

 to determine what plants ai'e entitled to be recorded as growing spon- 

 taneously, and what are not, owing to garden escapes, which are mostly 

 transient or mere waifs. If every such plant were recorded, the list 

 would be considerably increased. The few })lants of this class are 

 noted as being " escapes about gardens." There are here, in fact, two 

 distinct floras, one the natural flora of the country, and the other the 

 flora of the town or city. 



In a city like New Bedford, with ample grounds around the dwellings, 

 and where the citizens have a marked taste for ornamental plants, the 

 flora of the city is quite difterent from that of the country, and it would 

 seem to be an inexcusable omission to take no notice of the latter. 



I have therefore noted in the Procession of the Flowers the more 

 conspicuous of such cultivated trees, shrubs, and vines, the same being- 



