12 INTRODUCTION. 



I must be brief in conveying a slight idea of 



them. 



Let the practical Botanist who wishes like 

 myself to be a pioneer of science, and to in- 

 crease the knowledge of plants, be fully prepar- 

 ed to meet dangers of all sorts in the wild 

 groves and mountains of America. The mere 

 fatigue of a pedestrian journey is nothing com- 

 pared to the gloom of solitary forests, when not 

 a human being is met for many miles, and if 

 met he may be mistrusted; when the food and 

 collections must be carried in your pocket or 

 knapsack from day to day ; when the fare is 

 not only scanty but sometimes worse; when 

 you must live on corn bread and salt pork, be 

 burnt and steamed by a hot sun at noon, or 

 drenched by rain, even with an umbrella in 

 hand, as I always had. 



Musquitoes and flies will often annoy you or 

 suck your blood if you stop or leave a hurried 

 step. Gnats dance betore the eyes and often 

 fall in unless you shut them ; insects creep on 

 you and into your ears. Ants crawl on you 

 whenever you rest on the ground, wasps will as- 

 sail you like furies if you touch their nests. 

 But ticks the worst of all are unavoidable 

 whenever you go among bushes, and stick to 

 you in crowds, filling your skin with pimples 

 and sores. Spiders, gallineps, horse-flies and 

 other obnoxious insects will often beset you, or 

 sorely hurt you. Hateful snakes are met, and 

 if poisonous are very dangerous, some do not 

 warn you off" like the Rattle-snakes. 



You meet rough or muddy roads to vex you, 

 and bhnd paths to perplex you, rocks, moun- 

 tains, and steep ascents. You may often loose 

 your way, and must always have a compass 



