88 History of Hingham. 



situated south of a shallow land-locked bay, loses this influence 

 and has that of the prevalent summer southwest winds which 

 come from the Gulf Stream. Although possessing a considerable 

 sea margin on the north, it has no sand beaches, and therefore 

 several of the peculiar plants of the ocean beaches do not occur 

 upon its shores. These are stony, or have marsh grasses growing 

 to the water's edge. Its ponds, excepting Accord Pond upon which 

 it only partially borders, are all artificial, formed by damming its 

 streams, and are lined with trees and thickets extending to the 

 water, leaving no sandy margins like those of the Plymouth and 

 Weymouth ponds, which afford a home for numerous plants not 

 to be found in Hingham. A large proportion of the town's area 

 has been cultivated for centuries and there remain few localities 

 which have been undisturbed by the hands of man. 



It may be asked how thoroughly the task of presenting a 

 full account of the flowering plants of the town has been ac- 

 complished, and it will gratify all interested in the subject to 

 be assured that, though it cannot be asserted that every spe- 

 cies growing within our borders is included in the list given, 

 yet it may fairly be stated that the omissions can be but few. 

 It embraces not only the trees, the shrubs, and the flowering 

 herbs, including the Grasses and Carices, but also the Equi- 

 setaceEe (Horsetail Family), the Filices (Ferns), and the Ly- 

 copodiacea 1 (Club-moss Family). The Lichens, the Fungi, and 

 other Cryptogamous forms have been necessarily omitted, as they 

 could not have been presented without additional years of inves- 

 tigation by specialists. 



In regions where glacial action has not led to a general mixing 

 of the earth derived from various geological formations, and where 

 that from the decayed rocks has been but little disturbed, it is 

 always interesting to note the influence of the several soils upon 

 the growth of species. This is so marked as to enable the 

 student often to recognize the character of the geological forma- 

 tions beneath the surface by the prevalence of certain trees. This 

 of course is not the case in Hingham, yet there is much in the 

 varying character of locations within its limits to influence 

 greatly the kind of species which will find in them healthy devel- 

 opment. Some arc found only in salt marshes, others only in 

 fresh-water swamps and meadows: some only in dry, sandy, or 

 gravelly localities, others only in rich soils. A large majority 

 open their petals only in sunny exposures, whereas many expand 

 their beauties only under the shade of trees or of sheltering rocks. 

 That nature thus varies her gifts of beauty adds much to the 

 charm of botanical research in Hingham, diversified as its sur- 

 face is with hills and dales, with marshes and swamps, with ex- 

 tensive woods and rocky elevations; for who can wander over its 

 high lands and its low lands, along its water-courses, and into the 

 romantic recesses of its forest glens, without being impressed by, 

 and gladdened with, the beauty spread before him everywhere ? 



