63 



and bearing much larger fruit. On entering the woods, the trees were 

 of various kinds and sizes ; oaks varied from six to nine feet in cir- 

 cumference, elms from eight to ten, white pines from seven to twelve, 

 and tapering to one hundred feet of elevation. In one spot we ob- 

 served six fine specimens of the white pine, within twenty feet of each 

 other, and each ten feet in circumference, appearing as if they had 

 belonged to the original forest. Amongst the rich vegetable soil on 

 the surface of the ground under the deciduous trees, we picked re- 

 markably strong specimens of the coral -root [Corallorhiza multijlora), 

 and on the dry barren soil under the pine trees, Rudbeckia divarica- 

 ta, Aster macrophyllus, Pyrola uniflora, with Monarda fistulosa and 

 mollis, were the chief plants in flower. A considerable extent of the 

 rough stony ground presented at this season of the year (29th July) a 

 singular appearance, from the quantity of golden rod [SoUdago altis- 

 sima) with which it was covered ; mixed with it was the lion's foot 

 [Prenanthus serpentaria) ; this plant is very much diffused over the 

 country, and generally found in situations most likely to be infested 

 with rattlesnakes, and is extensively used by the American Indians as 

 an antidote for the bite of these venomous reptiles. On the surface 

 of some exposed neglected lands, the button-wood {Cephalanthns oc- 

 cidentalism formed extensive groups. Astragalus canadensis was also 

 plentiful, with large and fine-flowered specimens of Scutellaria gale- 

 riculata. On the damp places Lobelia Kalmii was richly clothed with 

 its beautiful blue flowers, in company with Campanula asarina. In 

 the marshes Utricularia vulgaris. Ranunculus filiformis and Achamera 

 rigida were the chief plants in bloom : and here, for the first time, we 

 observed the Tuscarora or wild rice [Zizania aquatica), covering a 

 considerable portion of clear shallow water ; it stood two feet above 

 the surface, and was in fiill flower. From its quantity, and graceful 

 waving in the wind, it greatly resembled a field of oats." — Id. Jan. 

 18, 1845. 



BOTANICAL SOCIET'^ OF LONDON. 



January 3, 1845. J. E. Gray, Esq., F.R.S., &c., President, in the 

 chair. Mr. S. Gibson presented a specimen of Scirpus acicularis 

 {Linn.), with much longer stems than ordinary. The culms formed a 

 dense tuft, about fourteen inches high. 



Mr. Fitt presented specimens of an Qj^nanthe, commonly consider- 

 ed CE. pimpinelloides by the botanists of Norfolk. It is the CE. La- 

 chenalii [Gmel.) of Babington's Manual, and the species confused 



