384 BOTANICAL GAZETTE. 
A Botanical Tramp in North Carolina. 
BY GERALD M’CARTHY. 
Of all the districts the Washington botanist has to choose 
from, the amphibious section along the Atlantic coast, southward 
of Norfolk, including the great Dismal Swamp, is the most in- 
teresting, especially in its summer flora. 
Having decided to collect in this region, June 22, 1884, 
found me at Norfolk, Va., with a store of drying paper and 
presses prepared to 
“ Botanize for summer months three, ‘ : 4 
Maugre the doughty mosquito and all that with him might be. 
y t 
searcely anything worth mentioning. 
found it expedient to change my plans somewhat, and to begin 
with the Tar River country of North Carolina. The sgste 
the mouth of Tar River, whither our steamer was bound, prov 
to bea straggling, untidy town of some 2,000 inhabitants. : 
he Tar River, so called, I presume, from the large —_ 
of pine tar which is floated to market on its waters, Is 42 . 
sized stream, as yellow as the Tiber from the clay brought dow 
from its head waters. The country on both sides of the river Fe 
sembles that bordering on the lower Potomac, and the two floras 
have many things in common. Here, however, we find 
sombre hue of the cypress gives to the country the oO ee | 
of having but recently emerged from a Noachian ba 
— that seems to be well borne out by the superabund 
or water everywhere present oe 
" yw sent. : 3 ure 
T he Magnolias, both glauca and grandiflora, flourish Ye the 
antly. The handsome Cyrilla racemiftora is very abundant BE" — 
