THE FLORA OF COLONIAL DAYS. 



BY MISS MARY T. SAUNDERS. 



In these days of historical research, it is interesting to 

 look back and see what records the colonists left of the 

 plants growing upon these New England shores, and also 

 what efforts they made to promote the growth of many of 

 the home plants which they brought with them. We think 

 of them as a band of men caring little for the gentler 

 side of life and it is pleasant to see that in many instances 

 they had eyes for the beautiful in Nature and rejoiced 

 in the noble trees, waving grass and lowly wayside flow- 

 ers, as well as in the abundance of fish and game which 

 would minister to their physical needs. The first record, 

 of which we find mention, was made by Gabriel Archer, 

 a gentleman who accompanied Capt. Gosnold in his 

 voyage to the north part of Virginia, in 1(502. He says : 

 "May 15, we had again sight of land, which made ahead, 

 being, as we thought, an island, by reason of a large 

 sound that appeared westward, between it and the main, 

 for coming to the west end thereof we did perceive a 

 large opening ; we called it Shoal Hope. Near this Cape 

 we came to anchor in fifteen fathoms, where we took great 

 store of cod fish, for which we altered the name and called 

 it Cape Cod. The captain went ashore and found the 

 ground to be full of pease, strawberries, whortleberries, 

 etc., as then unripe. 



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