18 



ris ; Geo. Dodge of Wenham ; Jason Wilkins ; Caleb Cooke r 

 Mrs. W. B. Johnson of Cohasset ; N. B. Baker of Clin- 

 ton, Iowa. 



Letters were read from Trustees of Newburyport Public 

 Library ; Smithsonian Institution ; Trustees of Boston Pub- 

 lic Library ; Massachusetts Historical Society ; M. Spofford. 

 of Groveland ; W. Merritt ; A. Ordway of Boston ; M. 

 Miles of Flint, Mich. 



The Chair proceeded to give a pleasant account of his- 

 own rambles during the day, and the various objects of in- 

 terest which had become known to him thereby. The study 

 of botany, always a favorite with him, was far from being 

 without value to others — to all, even the scientific and some- 

 what technical forms of it. No farmer should be destitute 

 of this knowledge. "Here" said he, "is a plant from New 

 Zealand, a sort of Spinach, raised by one who bought the 

 seed under the supposition that it was parsnip seed. A lit- 

 tle accurate knowledge of botany would have certainly pre- 

 Tcnted a blunder so very awkward and troublesome." 



He further exhibited various other plants, among them 

 the Teplirosia, known commonly as " Catgut," for its long 

 and tough fibrous roots, or sometimes as " Hen and Chick- 

 ens." It is a pleasant looking denizen of the damp boggj 

 lands, and belongs to the great Pea family. 



The Tulip Tree (^Liriodendron) had been brought up from 

 Danvers by Dr. Osgood. This fine tree is native as far 

 north as the interior of Massachusetts, penetrating further 

 in this direction than almost any other of the Magnolia 

 tribe. Its beauty is not to be questioned, and its utility is 

 scarcely less ; its wood being soft and light, and valued by 

 wheelwrights and joiners, who use great quantities for pan- 

 eling, under the name of Whitewood. Many specimens of 

 our beautiful Kalmia or Mountain Laurel, were also shown ; 

 and proceeding from this, he remarked that the beauty of 



