Plants seen about the Region of the Notch. 533 



new interest. These short excursions, — a morning's ramble, 

 an afternoon's walk or a day's exploration, — come back to 

 me like some pleasant dream ; and I am fain to recall one 

 such, to which we dedicated the best hours of a pleasant day 

 in climbing the bed of Halfway River, upwards, to and 

 above its waterfall, whose picturesque beauty claims no mean 

 share of the admiration commonly bestowed on other and 

 better known cascades in this neighborhood of the White 

 Hills. 



The early part of September was unusually dry and warm. 

 The thermometer ranged to 80° Fahr., or even more for 

 several successive days ; yet, in less than a fortnight after, I 

 saw on the distant summit of Mount Clinton, and lying at 

 the base of Mount Pleasant, on the line of the black 

 growth, the lately fallen snow of some sudden squall. The 

 temperature about the Mount Crawford House is more 

 equable and delightful than that of the adjacent country ; 

 and the frosts of autumn are more tardy in their visits than 

 they are at the distance of a few miles. Mine host regaled 

 his guests with watermelons from his own garden ; while 

 sweet corn and other varieties of maize, with beans and the 

 usual esculents of horticultural care, seemed to thrive. A 

 sweet apple, originating on the soil, abounds about the house, 

 having been judiciously propagated by pieces of the roots, 

 after its merits had been fully tested many years ago. Some 

 efforts to increase the list of better apples, have not been 

 crowned with that success which so laudable an enterprise 

 should have promised, owing, doubtless, in a great measure, 

 to errors in the scions ; yet the capability of the soil and of 

 the aspect has been established, nevertheless. In a little 

 garden, under the superintendence of his daughters, were 

 •growing most luxuriant specimens of some of the best varie- 

 ties of Verbena, while Carnations, Heliotropes, Clarkias, Ne- 

 mophilas, Chinese Pinks, Asters and Calendulas, luxuriated 

 in the deep virgin loam ; and, with other flowers, afforded 

 many a hastily formed bouquet to the passing traveller, whose 

 ideas of meiun and ttnu?i did not often seem to recognize 

 any particular ownership. My new and valued acquaintance 



