56 NOTES TAKEN. 
marygold of many varieties, the convolvulus, the ranunculus, 
the sensitive and other liguminous plants, the flag, the sun- 
flower and the wild pea—all luxuriant in growth and brilliant 
in colour—all bloom here together, and though “ wasting their 
sweetness upon the desert air,” still, as the occasional tourists 
wander among them, they stand the fragrant evidence of 
creative power, hallowing the scene and raising the thoughts 
from nature up to nature’s God. 
The timber found in the country passed through is the cot- 
tonwood, black jack, post oak, pecan, pride of China, and the 
“bois dare,” or Osage orange, which occurs first at Boggy. 
The wood of this tree is the hardest and toughest known. It 
is used by the Indians for making their bows, (hence its name,) ° 
is very close grained, and of a deep-yellow colour. It is also 
used for hedges. A very fine and lasting dye is also ex- 
tracted from it: ‘The foliage is very thiek, leaf small and of 
a very deep-green, making it a handsome addition to the 
forest. It bears also a very large apple, which contains the 
seed, and which, when fully ripe, is a deep orange colour. 
The pecan, is very useful for mechanical purposes, as it can 
be split into very thin laths, and is very pliable. We also 
found some hickory and white oak, but very rare. . 
Althongh the soil is in general a black loam and very rich, 
the timber i is short, except the cottonwood. 
The soil is well adapted for corn—the only thing the 
{ndians raise—and vegetables, evidenced by the strength 
