348 TRANS. ST. LOUIS ACAD. SCIENCE. 



black nightshade, Solanutn nigrum^ was not more common than 

 usual. The sand burr, Solanum rostratrum^ of the plains, here- 

 tofore of rare occurrence, was occasionally found growing large 

 and spreading very wide. I would remark that only a few years 

 ago this plant was unknown in Missouri ; now it has advanced 

 75 miles into the State. The cockle burr, Xanthium strumari- 

 um^ was abundant as usual. The Salvia trichostetnmoides grew 

 over 2 feet high, and often patches of it would average 3 feet. 

 The various species of morning glory put forth their energies, 

 and were great pests in the fields. 



The locusts did not seriously interfere with the prairie grasses, 

 not eating them much anywhere, and none at all where there 

 was other more genial food. The seasons being favorable, the 

 grasses grew very luxuriantly, forming fine meadows and 

 pastures. 



Up to the 20th of June we find no kitchen vegetables in the 

 country excepting such as were imported, and the many that have 

 been raised are all results of plantings at that time and after- 

 wards. The season was favorable : potatoes were finer, turnips 

 larger and more abundant than ever known. My grape-vines 

 grew 10 to 12 feet, but bore no fruit. Melons were also finer and 

 more abundant. Large quantities of all kinds of seeds were sown 

 and the result was a magnificent yield. The summer apple trees 

 had a few blossoms after the first crop, and late in season found 

 apples of second growth one inch in diameter. 



The growth of wild grasses was more luxuriant than I have 

 known for many years. On the 20th of September I observed 

 the following grasses : Andropogon furcatus., 6^ feet high ; Spar- 

 tina cynosuroides^ 6 ft. ; Sorghum nutans^ 6 to 8 ft. ; Panicum 

 sanguinale^ 6 ft. ; P. Cms galli^ 5^ ft. ; P. capillare^ 4 -J ft. ; 

 P. virgatam, 5^ ft. ; P. glaucum, 5^ ft. ; Eragrostis poteoides^ 

 3J ft. ; E. Purshii^ 2 ft. ; Vilfa vagincejlora^ and Aristida oli- 

 gostachya^ over 2 ft. Some of these grasses, as Vi'i/a, I do not 

 remember to have seen here before ; it abounds in S.E. Missouri 

 on post-oak and white-oak land, and probably may be common 

 on similar soils of Western Missouri. The Aristida, although 

 growing abundantly south of this, I have rarely seen here before. 

 The Eragrostis I have only heretofore seen in yards and road- 

 sides, recumbent and scarcely to be noticed ; but, this season, 



