98 



present day, when contrasted with the paucity sometimes 

 manifested at collections brought in at some of these 

 meetings, even when conducted by committees of con- 

 siderable size. Since that time much waste and unoccu- 

 pied land, then quite wild and neglected and seldom 

 visited by its owners, has been enclosed and built upon : 

 woods have been cleared, new roads made, or old ones 

 straightened and widened, and the ancient rude stone 

 walls, under and around which nestled many a rare plant, 

 have given place to more modern structures of wall, 

 fence, or neatly trimmed hedge. 



The custom of laying out extensive suburban resi- 

 dences has rapidly increased, until at the present day 

 the fear of trespassing upon private property keeps the 

 investigations of the botanical student longer in the high- 

 way, and forces him to travel a far greater distance than 

 formerly, to lind the choicer gifts of flora in her favorite 

 haunts. 



This is, perhaps, more than compensated by the ease 

 with which distant points are readily gained, and a much 

 larger circuit surveyed, by availing one's self of the rapid 

 conveyance which the radiating lines of railroad now 

 afford. 



We are confident from the botanical experience of 

 many years in the county and other parts of the State, 

 and of New England, that the territory of Salem was 

 formerly remarkal)le for its numerous and peculiar locali- 

 ties of wild shrubs and plants, which fact has had many 

 an attestation from strangers who have visited us. Many 

 plants now justly esteemed rare could then be readily 

 obtained by an early morning walk before the labors of 

 the day began. 



Some of these localities were as follows : The vicinity 

 of "Castle Hill," where flourished tine specimens of the 



