90 History of Hingham. 



by forest-growth, may be allowed to display itself and gladden 

 the eyes and heart of the wayfarer. Yearly many of these roads 

 are adorned with flowers of varied hue, charming to every be- 

 holder. In the spring the modest Violet, the delicate Anemone, 

 and the showy Buttercup open their petals to the sight. As the 

 summer " sun shoots full perfection through the swelling year," 

 the Wild Rose, the Eglantine (Sweet brier), the Common Elder, 

 and many other species display their loveliness and exhale their 

 fragrance. Then follows autumn, and everywhere there start up 

 to beautify our highways the many Asters and Golden-rods, and 

 it is just when these expand in gorgeous loveliness, outrivalling all 

 that man can produce by the most consummate art, that the de- 

 stroyer comes and sweeps them away in a day. The writer cannot 

 too strongly express his regret at the custom of mowing down 

 every plant that shows a flower through miles of highway, where 

 this is by no means necessary. 



A gentleman of much culture and taste, who had but recently 

 visited and travelled extensively over England, remarked in con- 

 versation : " 1 pined when abroad for the sight of wild flowers along 

 the roads. The bordering grass-plots smoothly shorn to the 

 hedge-rows became monotonous. I longed for the picturesque 

 objects that everywhere attract attention here and which serve 

 so much to interest the mind." The year before this was said, 

 the writer had passed through the Third Division wood-road, 

 where was displayed along its borders a profusion of fall flowers, 

 making the view at many points simply exquisite. Delighted 

 with the prospect of presenting to his friend a scene so in contrast 

 with those mentioned, he was taken through the same road that 

 had been spangled with beauty the previous season, with the hope 

 that there might be a like display, but it was too late. The scythe 

 had done its vandal work, and scarcely a flower was left to meet 

 his eye. There is no desire to criticise in these remarks the work 

 necessarily done for the convenience of wayfarers, whether on 

 foot or in vehicles, but only to urge that what no person of taste 

 would wish to have destroyed may be allowed to live. In the 

 case referred to it is doubtful if ten persons could be found in the 

 town who really would regard the devastation an improvement. 

 Man should not ruthlessly destroy what has been given for his 

 pleasure and refinement. 



In the following list of plants native to or occurring in Hing- 

 ham, the names have been given in accordance with the recent 

 edition of Gray's Manual, 1890. There have been numerous 

 changes since the previous edition of 1848, and the student will 

 therefore find this harmony with the last edition of great service 

 to him in the identification of species. 



The names of the introduced species are printed in italics, that 

 they may be thus readily distinguished from those indigenous to 

 the town. 



