DISTRIBUTION OF THE HEATHER. 



replaced by the Epacridse, which are often as beau- 

 tiful as any of the Cape heaths. In North America 

 the Scottish Menziesia is more abundant than it is 

 in Scotland, or even in Norway. 



"Hudsonia ericoides, which covers the white 

 sandy wastes in many parts of New Jersey, is so like 

 the common heath that it is not infrequently mistaken 

 for it when out of flower. 



"It is recorded of the first Highland emigrants 

 to Canada that they wept because the Heather, a few 

 plants of which they had brought with them from 

 their native moors, would not grow in their newly 

 adopted soil. It is understood, however, that an Eng- 

 lish surveyor, nearly thirty years ago, found the com- 

 mon Ling in the interior of Newfoundland ; while in 

 one spot in Massachusetts it occurs very sparingly 

 over about half an acre of boggy ground in the strange 

 company of andromedas, kalmias and azaleas, pecul- 

 iar to the country. 



"It was first observed by a Scottish farmer re- 

 siding in the vicinity, who was no less surprised by 

 its unexpected appearance than delighted to set his 

 foot once more on his native heath. None of the 

 plants seems to be older than six years, and may, 

 therefore, have been introduced by someone who found 

 relief from homesickness in forming the simple floral 

 link between the new and the old country." 



A fuller account of this discovery, and the dis- 

 cussion upon it which ensued, is given in the chap- 

 ter entitled "The Heather Abroad." 



In Koerner and Oliver's "Natural History of 

 Plants" occurs the following passage relative to the 

 29 



