SPRING AT THE CAPITAL. 203 



scape is seen from a number of points in 

 the city. Looking along New York Avenue 

 from Northern Liberty Market, the eye 

 glances, as it were, from the red clay of 

 the street, and alights upon this fresh scene 

 in the distance. It is a standing invitation 

 to the citizen to come forth and be refreshed. 

 As I turn from some hot, hard street, how 

 inviting it looks ! I bathe my eyes in it as 

 in a fountain. Sometimes troops of cattle 

 are seen grazing upon it. In June the gath- 

 ering of the hay may be witnessed. When 

 the ground is covered with snow, numerous 

 stacks, or clusters of stacks, are still left for 

 the eye to contemplate. 



The woods which clothe the east side of 

 this hill, and sweep away to the east, are 

 among the most charming to be found in the 

 District. The main growth is oak and chest- 

 nut, with a thin sprinkling of laurel, azalea, 

 and dogwood. It is the only locality in 

 which I have found the dog-tooth violet in 

 bloom, and the best place I know of to gather 

 arbutus. On one slope the ground is covered 

 with moss, through which the arbutus trails 

 its glories. 



Emerging from these woods toward the 

 city, one sees the white dome of the Capitol 



