CHARACTERISTICS OF THE NORTH AMERICAN 

 FLORA. 1 



When the British Association, with much painstaking, 

 honors and gratifies the cultivators of science on this side of 

 the ocean by meeting on American soil, it is but seemly that 

 a corresponding member for the third of a century should 

 endeavor to manifest his interest in the occasion and to render 

 some service, if he can, to his fellow-naturalists in Section D. 

 I would attempt to do so by pointing out, in a general way, 

 some of the characteristic features of the vegetation of the 

 country which they have come to visit, — a country of " mag- 

 nificent distances," but of which some vistas may be had by 

 those who can use the facilities which are offered for enjoying 

 them. Even to those who cannot command the time for dis- 

 tant excursions, and to some who may know little or nothing 

 of botany, the sketch which I offer may not be altogether un- 

 interesting. But I naturally address myself to the botanists 

 of the Association, to those who, having crossed the wide At- 

 lantic, are now invited to proceed westward over an almost 

 equal breadth of land ; some, indeed, have already journeyed 

 to the Pacific coast, and have returned ; and not a few, it is 

 hoped, may accept the invitation to Philadelphia, where a 

 warm welcome awaits them — warmth of hospitality, rather 

 than of summer temperature, let us hope ; but Philadelphia is 

 proverbial for both. There opportunities may be afforded for 

 a passing acquaintance with the botany of the Atlantic border 

 of the United States, in company with the botanists of the 

 American Association, who are expected to muster in full 

 force. 



What may be asked of me, then, is to portray certain out- 



1 An Address to the Botanists of the British Association for the Ad- 

 vancement of Science at Montreal ; read to the Biological Section, Au- 

 gust 29, 1884. (American Journal of Science and Arts, 3 ser., xxviii. 

 323.) 



