190 ESSAYS. 
or its progeny were appropriately borne by the members of 
the Torrey Botanical Club, at its founder’s funeral, two years 
ago, and laid upon his coffin. But very few botanists have 
ever seen the tree growing wild and in its full development. 
I was desirous to be one of the number. 
Among the broad, black lines with which the railway map 
is chequered, I found one which terminates at Chattahoochee. 
This was the objective point, and the way to it seemed plain 
enough, though long. Pilgrimages to famous shrines by rail- 
way, in the Old World, are nowadays systematized and made 
easy. The untried one which I undertook appeared to offer no 
privation or difficulty, except the uncertainty whether I should 
be fortunate enough to find the grove which I sought. And, 
indeed, there was little privation to speak of. It was, how- 
ever, rather trying to us (i. e., to myself and my companion 
in travel and life), when, after leaving Savannah on an early 
April morning, with the assured understanding that we should 
reach Chattahoochee late that evening, we learned that we were 
to be left for twenty hours at a small hamlet on the borders 
of east Florida, named Live Oak, a manifest /ucus a non 
lucendo, as there were no Live Oak-trees in the neighbor- 
hood, but a prevalent growth of Long-leaved Pines. There 
was some good botanizing to console us, and, thanks to the 
railroad conductor for directing us aright, unpretending but 
truly comfortable quarters for the night. Then, the next day, 
resuming our journey after a twelve-o’clock dinner, which we 
were to mend with a supper at Tallahassee, we were at length 
informed that we were to be supperless; that the stations 
both of Tallahassee and Quincy were out of town and out of 
reach of all edibles; that Chattahoochee station, to be reached 
after ten o’clock, was only a freight-house on the wild and 
wooded bank of the river, built upon piles in the swamp, 
of, or its seed, “ was brought from Florida by the late distinguished Major 
Le Conte.” Iam confident that this is a mistake, and that Le Conte knew 
nothing of this tree in its native station. If my recollection is correct, at 
least two seedling trees were placed in Dr. Torrey’s hands by Mr. Croom, 
one of which was consigned to A. J. Downing, of Newburgh, the ultimate 
fate of which is unknown to me, the other to Mr. Hogg, senior, whieh, as 
“The American Agriculturist” states, is now in Central Park. 
