Puget Sound and Alaska. 225 



greatest splendor in April, when the bushes for miles and miles were 

 heavily loaded with its showy blossoms ; on the 15th of June I 

 plucked evidently the last cluster of the season. 



The beloved botanist, Dr. Asa Gray, had the pleasure of admir- 

 ing and picking this flower in our garden, on his last visit to Cali- 

 fornia. Though Dr. Parry, at the time of its rediscovery in 1882, 

 introduced it to the attention of European horticulturists, by 

 whom it was well received, it was not until last year that this, the 

 loveliest vine in the west, received attention in America. 



It is considered hardy, blossoming the second season from the 

 seed, forming a strong vine, capable of covering a veranda or arbor. 

 Dr. Parry, after seeing it covering a porch in San Diego with its 

 luxuriant foliage and profuse blossoms, pronounced it the hand- 

 somest plant in the West. Well may it be called the pride of the 

 two Califomias — Upper and Lower — and a fit representative of two 

 republics. C R. Orcutt. 



PUGET SOUND AND ALASKA. 



Nearly all the shores of Puget Sound are about alike. Wooded, 

 rolling back to the mountains, thej'^ form a setting to a rather nice 

 scenery. The height from the water's edge to the top of the bluff 

 varies from a few feet to a hundred. Every where you see evidences 

 of a vast glacial drift, composed of round pebbles, boulders and 

 sandy loam. The general color of soil is reddish yellow. On top of 

 this grows the gigantic firs, two to three hundred feet high. At 

 Snohomish City, Wash., there is a cut in the railroad that is lined 

 with marine fossils, Cretaceous, I believe. There are clams, razor 

 shells, mussels, worm cases and tubes, and a trace of coal is found, 

 also some broad leaves resembling flags. This cut is about 200- 

 feet above Puget Sound, and the same shells are found there toda3^ 

 The coal fossils at Wilkerson are known and described. Coal is 

 found plentifully, adjacent to the sound, and iron further back. The 

 journey to Alaska should be taken by every naturalist that can do 

 so. Its glaciers, mountain peaks, broad rivers and other novel 

 features should be seen. The Treadwell gold mine, w^ell known as 

 one of the largest and richest in quantity of ore is opened in the 

 side of a high hill. The ore is low grade, but easily got out and 

 pays well. The fauna of this country is very interesting and varied. 

 Black bear have been shot from the steamers' decks, going through 

 the Narrows. The glaciers, probably because they break off" in the 

 bay, cannot be surpassed in beauty and size. U. L. Hertz. 



