KAL'MIA LATIFO'LIA. 



BROAD-LEAVED KALMIA. 

 Class. Order. 



DECANDRIA. MONOGYNIA. 



Natural Order. 



RHODORACE2E. 



No. 33. 



Peter Kalm was an eminent botanist of Finland, 

 and professor of the science at Abo. He imbibed a 

 love of nature among the flowery rocks of Sweden; 

 the wilds also of North America, and icy forests of 

 Russia were alike explored by him. He published 

 his travels through North America in 1753, which 

 were translated into English by Mr. Forster in 1771 ; 

 and Linneus, it may be conceived, paid no more 

 than due respect to merit, in bestowing his name on 

 this splendid family of plants. Latifolia, from the 

 Latin latus, broad ; and folium, a leaf. 



The first sentiment excited by the presence of 

 this beautiful North American shrub, is one of re- 

 gret, arising out of the difficulty of keeping it in 

 perfect health. The principal requisites towards 

 this appear to be purity of air, moisture and shade 

 during our summer months, and a proper imitation 

 of its native soil. 



Abercombie says, 'most of the exotic shrubs 

 brought from America, were originally found grow- 

 ing on tracts of ground resembling our beds of peat, 

 and the luxuriance of these vegetables may partly 

 be ascribed to the excessive moisture which is 



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