The Trees and Shrubs of Hingham. 149 



downward in a regular row. Their peculiar honey-like sweetness 

 is unequalled by the perfume of any other of our plants. 



Leather-Leaf (Cassandra calye-ulata, Don). The Cassandra or 

 Leather-leaf grows in the swamps near Weir River west of Union 

 Street and at Sojith Hingham. It is a bright, pretty shrub, two 

 to five feet high, and has racemes of white sweet flowers much 

 like those of the Leucothoe, but smaller. The fruit, as in many 

 plants of the Heath family, is very persistent. 



Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latffolla, L.). The Mountain Laurel, 

 exquisite in its beauty, is found in great quantities just over the 

 borders of Hingham, but within the limits of the township it is 

 rare. It grows in one locality at least in the woods near Gardner 

 Street, in Gushing Street woods, and perhaps may be found 

 elsewhere. 



Sheep Laurel (Kalmia angustifolia, L.). This plant, the 

 blossom of which is not less beautiful, if less conspicuous, than 

 the preceding species, is common all through Hingham. 



The Clammy Azalea or White Swamp Honeysuckle (Rhodo- 

 dendron viseosum, Torr.) grows in the wet woods of Summer 

 Street, Martins Lane, Lascll Street, and Turkey Hill, and is 

 found also in other localities. Its pretty, white, very fragrant, 

 and somewhat sticky flowers appear in conspicuous clusters and 

 are of that trumpet-like shape common to the azalea tribe. 



Rhodora (Rhododendron Rhodora, Dow). This beautiful plant 

 is very rare in this region, being found only in a peaty bog at the 

 west end, and possibly occurring in the swamps of the south part 

 of Hingham. Its delicate, rose-colored blossoms, appearing very 

 early, are among the most exquisite of our wild flowers. 



White Alder (Clethra alnifolia, L.). The Clethra inhabits all 

 our swampy woods, and is well known from its upright racemes 

 of white fragrant flowers, which are conspicuous from the latter 

 part of July even into October. 



OLEACEiE. 



Privet or Prim (Ligustrum vidr/are, L.). This shrub, much 

 used for hedges, grows wild at Martin's Lane, Lincoln Street 

 woods, Huit's Cove, Turkey Hill, and Stoddard's Neck. Its fine, 

 fresh-looking foliage, white flowers, and black berries are familiar 

 to all observers. 



White Ash (Fraxinus Americana, L.). This noble tree is 

 common in the swampy woods, and as an ornamental tree all over 

 town. One of the noblest specimens in this State was standing 

 until 1869 in the field on the corner of Summer and East streets, 

 opposite the residence of the late Deacon Gorham Lincoln. This 

 tree was mentioned by Emerson in the " Report on the Trees and 

 Shrubs of Massachusetts." It measured when he described it, in 

 1839, four feet two inches in diameter at four and a half feet from 

 the ground. A tornado, in September, 1869, destroyed it. 



