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Wednesday^ September 16, 1857. 



Field MEETixa at Hamilton. A charming morning 

 ushered in the festivities of this day to be found hy the mul- 

 titude in the fields and woods. Many were the folks, young 

 and old, who took the (juarter past eight o'clock Eastern 

 Railroad train from the Salem depot. Others came later, 

 by the fifteen minutes past one o'clock train, and all as they 

 arrived were welcomed by the good people of this l^eautiful 

 village. ^Vl)undance of teams were in readiness to convey 

 the lame, the weak and the weary, or those who preferred 

 other locomotion than their own, to such spots and places as 

 fancy or whim dictated. The anglers, the herpetologists 

 and such kin were transported to nearest ponds and brooks, 

 and the flower-seekers were conducted to spots which prom- 

 ised something in that line. For matters pertaining to 

 antiquities and civil history, some betook themselves to the 

 grave yard, rich with " storied" slab and tomb stone re- 

 counting the precious memories of sainted and departed 

 worthies. Wc took up our line of observation in a neigh- 

 boring swamp and thicket, where we found the lingering- 

 traces of the floral year. Introduced to a gentleman who 

 seemed remarkably familiar with the names of local medi- 

 cine plants or herbs, we spent the morning in mutual sur- 

 prises and instruction ; each imparting to the other some 

 new fact. The fragrant Solidago odora was now |in perfec- 

 tion and many beautiful asters enlivened our walk. The 

 benjamin or benzoin Inish, (^Benzoin odoriferuiyi) skirted the 

 wet and ditchy edges of the swamps and gave out delightful 

 fragrance. The seeds were ripening into little red plums, 

 which when gathered and dried are used by many people 

 somewhat as cloves or annis-seed or cardamons are, as fit to 

 chew and sweeten the breath. A strong spicy taste they 

 impart to the mouth, certainly less harmful and more gusta- 

 tory than the same quantity of Tobacco. From this spicy, 

 warming quality, common to all parts of the shrub, it has 



