THE NATURAL HISTORY AND THE 



TOPOGRAPHY OF GROTON, 



MASSACHUSETTS. 



FLORA. 



Nature, the .old nurse, took 



The child upon her knee, 

 Saying: " Here is a story-book 



Thy Father has written for thee. 



" Come wander with me," she said, 



" Into regions yet untrod ; 

 And read what is still unread 



In the manuscripts of God." 



And he wandered away and away 



With Nature, the dear old nurse. 

 Who sang to him night and day 



The rhymes of the universe. 



And whenever the way seemed long. 



Or his heart began to fail, 

 She would sing a more wonderful song. 



Or tell a more marvelous tale. 



Longfellow to Agassiz, on his golden birthday. 



Groton has a widely varied Flora. Its beautiful trees have 

 always been admired, especially the elms ; not only those 

 which add so much beauty to the Main Street, but also many 

 in the outlying districts. Two of the largest as well as the 

 oldest elms were set out in 1740, — one in the grounds of Mr. 



