LAWSON NOTES ON SOME NOVA SCOTIAN PLANTS. 173 



To the Editor of the Herald : 



" Honor to Whom honor is due." 



In reference to the botanical discovery in this morning's Herald, allow 

 me to say that the Rhododendron at Sheet Harbor was discovered many 

 years ago by the early Gold Hunters of Nova Scotia, who were strongly 

 impressed with the idea that gold was indicated by a certain evergreen 

 plant. The Indians at Sheet Harbor had known of these trees ; thither 

 they led the explorers. Though disappointed and disheartened theD, 

 gold has since been discovered in near proximity to the locality of " the 

 evergreen trees." 



Ten years since, the late Captain Chearnley went to see these trees, 

 of which he had heard so much, and pronounced them the Irish Holly, 

 and had with great care a fine specimen transferred to his garden in 

 Halifax ; but I understand, at the time, he was unsuccessful in its culti- 

 vation. I am much pleased to hear of Mr. Morrow's success, and hope 

 others may be as fortunate, though, from frequent removals, I noticed 

 when last there, that the specimens were becoming very scarce. 



Yours, &c, 



J. D. VanBuskirk. 



Dartmouth, Jan. 5th, 1876. 



King's College, Windsor, 



Jan. 8th, 1876. 

 To the Editor of the Herald: 



Dear Sir, — I was particularly interested in the notice of Mr. R. 

 Morrow's discovery of Rhododendron maximum in the wild country in 

 Sheet Harbour, contained in the "Agricultural Journal," and copied into 

 the Halifax papers, as the identification of the plant confirms a notion 

 I have had for many years, that it grows in parts of the Province near 

 that mentioned, and possibly others not very much visited by Botanists. 

 As long ago as 1860, when returning from the Gold Expedition to Old 

 Tangier (Mooseland) with the Hon. Joseph Howe, then Provincial 

 Secretary, I heard of a plant known to my informant as " Green Bushes." 

 We came out of the woods striking the Sheet Harbor Road, near the 

 Beaver Dam, or midway between the Upper Musquodoboit and the sea ; 

 we travelled through byroads to Welsford, and the Shubenacadie Railway 

 Station I think was where we took the cars for Halifax, The description 

 of the plant interested me much. I afterwards spoke of it, I am pretty 

 sure, to Mr. Herbert Harris, of Halifax, and it seems to me that Captain 

 Hardy mentioned having seen or heard of the plant, which I put down as 

 that now announced. At any rate, I have had, for years, a note in my 

 copy of Gray's Manual of the Botany of the Northern United States, in 

 the margin opposite Rhododendron maximum indicating " Stewiacke " 

 and " Wine Harbor" as possible stations for the plant. The discovery 

 of it not very far off is an agreeable circumstance, and I hope the Public 

 Gardens of the city will soon contain numerous specimens of this magni- 



