266 ESS A YS. 



crossing the continent, he comes upon large tracts of ground 

 yellow with Eschscholtzia or blue with Nemophilas. But 

 with a sentimental difference ; in that Primroses, Daisies, and 

 Heaths, like nightingales and larks, are inwrought into our 

 common literature and poetry, whereas our native flowers and 

 birds, if not altogether unsung, have attained at the most to 

 only local celebrity. 



Turning now from similarities, and from that which inter- 

 change has made familiar, to that which is different or 

 peculiar, I suppose that an observant botanist upon a survey 

 of the Atlantic border of North America (which naturally 

 first and mainly attracts our attention) would be impressed 

 by the comparative wealth of this flora in trees and shrubs. 

 Not so much so in the Canadian Dominion, at least in its 

 eastern part ; but even here the difference will be striking 

 enough on comparing Canada with Great Britain. 



The Coniferce, native to the British Islands, are one Pine, 

 one Juniper, and a Yew ; those of Canada proper are four or 

 five Pines, four Firs, a Larch, an Arbor- Vitas, three Junipers, 

 and a Yew, fourteen or fifteen to three. Of Amentaceous 

 trees and shrubs, Great Britain counts one Oak (in two 

 marked forms), a Beech, a Hazel, a Hornbeam, two Birches, 

 an Alder, a Myrica, eighteen Willows, and two Poplars, — 

 twenty-eight species in nine genera, and under four natural 

 orders. In Canada there are at least eight Oaks, a Chestnut, 

 a Beech, two Hazels, two Hornbeams of distinct genera, six 

 Birches, two Alders, about fourteen Willows and five Poplars, 

 also a Plane tree, two Walnuts and four Hickories ; say forty- 

 eight species, in thirteen genera, and belonging to seven 

 natural orders. The comparison may not be altogether fair ; 

 for the British flora is exceptionally poor, even for islands so 

 situated. But if we extend it to Scandinavia, so as to have 

 a continental and an equivalent area, the native Coniferce 

 would be augmented only by one Fir, the Amentacece by sev- 

 eral more Willows, a Poplar, and one or two more Birches ; 

 no additional orders nor genera. 



If we take in the Atlantic United States east of the Mis- 

 sissippi, and compare this area with Europe, we should find 



