4 
some places there were splendid views of ‘the surrounding 
country, the whole a vast sea of mountains. Then, too, there was 
an occasional bush of Rhododendron calendulaceum or R. Cataw- 
biense, forerunners of what was to come, for, a few hundred 
yards east of our headquarters was a little forest of the former, 
one great mass of color, ranging from yellow to scarlet. About 
a mile west of this spot, near the village of Blowing Rock, which 
is situated on a plateau many acres in extent, was a great quan- 
tity of R. Catawbiense, bushes ten feet ог more in height, and 
between the two we almost lost our heads. Both, however, 
were past their prime, and a week later only the ghost of their 
former glory remained. 
Our hopes at this time concerning the weather were none of 
the best, but in a day or two the sun came out, and our work 
was begun in earnest. One of the first things which claimed 
our attention was a Pentstemon. This had been collected in fruit: 
the previous year and its peculiarities noted, but now its dissimi- 
larity to any of our eastern plants was apparent in its large pink- 
purple, secund flowers. It is rather plentiful on the eastern 
slopes, especially in damp places. It was not noticed below 3,000 
feet elevation, if indeed as low as that. 
Along the road near the Blowing Rock hotel isa clump of 
Ligustrum vulgare. It was also noticed sparingly in the John’s 
River valley, though not recorded in Chapman’s Flora. 
Asarum Virginicum was different here from any seen by us 
in Virginia and the middle country of Carolina. The leaves, in-. 
stead of being mottled with white, were dark green and more 
orbicular in outline. 
Menziesia globularis was so plentiful and the specimens so 
fine that what seemed to be an everlasting supply was collected. 
Viola hastata and V. rotundifolia were in their accustomed 
habitats, and some plants of a depauperate form of V. blanda 
grew at one place. Stellaria pubera was quite scarce, as was 
‘also Ranunculus recurvatus. 
On the 16th of June we turned our faces toward Grandfather 
mountain. This was quite a task for our unseasoned limbs, but 
the summit was reached shortly after midday. A thunder storm 
to the west of us was making things lively, and we were not al- 
