220 FLaunts of the Venus’ Fly-trap. [Sess. 
enced by the way as regards climate and vegetation,—frost 
being on the ground and slight showers of snow in the air on 
starting, while an almost tropical heat with floral luxuriance 
greeted their arrival. It was explained that a waggon drawn 
by two mules was generally hired for these camping expeditions, 
—a tent being included in the baggage, and a cook added to 
the party. It was thus an easy matter to live in the forests for 
weeks, shifting the scene of operations frequently. Wilming- 
' ton, though only some twelve hours’ railway journey from 
Philadelphia, was characterised as a typical Southern city, 
with its large coloured population living in frame-houses quite 
apart from the whites, its broad streets lined with rows of 
trees, and its handsome public buildings in the business 
quarter. In the slides attention was drawn to the evergreen - 
or live oak (Quercus virens), which was the tree commonly 
found on each side of the wide thoroughfares at Wilmington. — 
On this tree a fern akin to the British common polypody lives — 
and thrives. Another growth also found frequently on this — 
oak is the native mistletoe, which thus differs from the — 
European form, that is seldom seen on oaks in Britain. So — 
serious are the ravages of this parasitic plant in the Southern ~ 
States, that unless it is cleared off the trees they frequently — 
succumb. 
Arrived at the camping-ground,—a beautiful spot named ~ 
the Mill Pond,—a feature which at once attracted attention in — 
the lantern slides was the presence of the so-called Florida _ 
moss (Tillandsia usneoides), hanging in long waving festoons — 
from the branches of the swamp cypress (Zaxodiwm distichum). 
The strange, weird effect of these festoons, as they were swayed — 
with the breeze, was graphically described. Several views of 
the cypresses were shown, in which the trees were either 
dead or dying—smothered by the growth of the Florida moss. 
This epiphytic plant is now being largely used for stuffing 
mattresses and for other purposes. Though so like the lichen 
Usnea, it is in reality a flowering-plant, belonging to the 
natural order of the Bromeliacee, to which the pine-apple 
also belongs. 
Before passing from the swamp cypress, several views were 
shown on the screen of the remarkable aérial roots by which 
this tree is often surrounded. Growing as it usually does in 
