228 Foreign Notices. — North America. 



were also common in the neighbourhood of London. Speaking of the neigh- 

 bourhood of Fort George, Mr. Scouler states, " We saw plenty of Menziesia 

 ferruginea, but not yet in flower ; we found various species of Trillium and 

 Smilacina ; but no plant we found gave us more pleasure than the HooJceria 

 lucens, not only on account of its beauty, but as it brought to mind our 

 distinguished botanical preceptor, to whose instructions we had been so 

 much indebted. {Brewster's Journ. No. XI. p. 57.) 



Vegetation round New York. — Extract of a letter from Mr. Drummond, 

 a botanist, engaged in the N. American expedition under Captain Frank- 

 lin. " On landing at New York, I was first struck by the novel appearance 

 of the trees growing about the city, such as Platanus occidentalis, and Cat- 

 alpa syringifolia, with their curious seed vessels. The forests near New 

 York consist mostly of oaks and deciduous trees. The public roads are 

 lined by poplars and willows, probably introduced, (i. e. not natives,) but at- 

 taining a very large size. In the shade of the forests, I observed the two 

 umbellate species of Wintergreen, very common, Mitchella repens, &c, in 

 the marshes, Pothos foetida, at that time in flower, with vestiges of numerous 

 grasses and herbaceous plants new to me. The swamps were covered by 

 Juniperus Virginiana, and the Sarracenia purpurea was common, growing 

 amongst the Sphagni. The pine barrens are covered by Pinus resinosa, and 

 the remains of numerous interesting herbaceous plants. There was little 

 variation in the general appearance of the country, until we reached lakes 

 Huron and Superior, where it becomes more mountainous, but the^rocks 

 appear very bare. {Breiuster'' s Journ. No. XI. p. 110.) 



Edible Plants of the N. American Indians. — There are probably very few 

 vegetables, the succulent parts of which might not be eaten and afford 

 nourishment, in times of scarcity. In the neighbourhood of Fort-George, 

 Mr. Scouler " met a number of Indians in the woods, chiefly women! and 

 children, who were employed in collecting vegetables, as the young shoots 

 of different species of Rubus and Rosa, and, above all, the tender shoots of 

 the horse-tail, Equisetum arvense, which attains a large size, and is much 

 esteemed by the Indians. {Brewster's Journ. No. XI. p. 57.) The roots 

 of Phalangium esculentum are much used by them as a substitute for bread ; 

 while the tubers of a species of Sagittaria, which grows on the marshy 

 banks of the river, affords an agreeable substitute for potatoes. {Ibid. p. 60.) 

 New species of Pinus. — Mr. Douglas writes : ". I rejoice to tell you of 

 a new species of Pinus, the most princely of the genus, and probably the 

 finest specimen of American vegetation. It attains the enormous size of from 

 1 70 to 220 feet in height, and from 20 to 50 in circumference. The cones 

 are from 12 to 18 inches long ! I have one which is 16J inches in length, 

 and which measures 10 inches round the thickest part. The trunk is re- 

 markably straight, and destitute of branches till within a short space of the 

 top, which forms a perfect umbel. The wood is of fine quality, and yields 

 a large portion of resin. Growing trees of this species, that have been 

 partly burned by the natives, to save the trouble of cutting other fuel, (a 

 custom to which they are greatly addicted,) produce a substance which, I 

 am almost afraid to say, is sugar ; but as some of it, with the cones, will soon 

 reach England, its real nature can be easily and correctly ascertained. The 

 tree grows abundantly 2° south of Columbia, in the country inhabited by the 

 Umptqun tribe of Indians, The seeds are gathered by the natives in autumn, 

 pounded and baked into a sort of cake, which is considered a luxury. The 

 saccharine substance is used in seasoning dishes, in the same manner as sugar 

 is in civilised countries. I shall bring home such an assemblage of specimens 

 of this Pinus, as will admit of a very correct figure being made, and also a 

 bag of its seeds." {Breiuster'' s Journ. No. XI. <p 114.) 



