345 



naturalized, and wish to be understood that I do not mean imper- 

 fectly naturalized nor temporarily so. The station for the Euphorbia 

 is in " Mains Flowery Den," about two miles north from Dundee, in 

 Forfarshire, and any visitor will easily find the plant on the north 

 bank of the Den, nearly opposite to the Castle, and on the east side 

 of the old burying-ground. As a naturalized plant it has been known 

 at this station by the botanists of the district from time immemorial,* 

 and while we may look to its proximity to the old castle ruins as a 

 conjectural proof of its not being indigenous, we may at the same 

 time, with some degree of safety, conjecture that, if the histories of 

 both the castle and the Euphorbia are not coeval with one another, 

 the latter has at least dwelt in its present place since those days, long- 

 gone by, when resounded, with sounds of mirth and music, the deso- 

 late walls that now softly echo the gentle love-coo of the dove. And 

 if we thus consider the naturalization of the plant to have taken place 

 at a period so remote, and farther, the undeniable facts that it is now 

 firmly established, plentiful, and is in a thriving condition, and depend- 

 ing in no way upon mankind or unnatural circumstances for a con- 

 tinuance of its existence, then we have a plena probationis of its 

 right of record as a naturalized species. 



It will be well known to those acquainted with the Den of Mains 

 (through books or otherwise) that it contains a host of plants that 

 cannot.be considered as natives, nor in some cases, indeed, as quite 

 naturalized. Many of these are, I believe, the remains of a garden 

 that once existed in the Den ; but the Euphorbia had its existence, 

 I am informed creditably, prior to that garden ; and although Hiera- 

 cium aurantiacum and some others have disappeared from the place, 

 and Viola odorata, with, perhaps, one or two et cateras of imperfect 

 naturalization, appear on the eve of doing so, yet there is not the 

 slightest doubt of the permanency of the Euphorbia ; nor do I fear 

 much the rural improvements which have been begun upon the Den 

 (one of which, by the way, is the attempted (!) unmerciful exclusion 

 of vasculum-bearers and other visitors) ; for the Euphorbia bids fair 

 to withstand a good deal of the ill-usage and exterminatory efforts of 

 the rightful owner of the soil (should these be attempted), in like 

 manner as Dundee naturalists bid defiance to the never-ending array 

 of " trespass " tickets and built-up bye-ways that hem in the smoke 

 cloud of " bonnie Dundee." George Law 7 son. 



Stirling, October 9, 1848. 



* One botanical friend of mine (Mr. Palmer) has himself known it as abundant as 

 it now is for forty years. 



