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E. S. Rand, Jr., on Heather in the United States. 23 
is peculiar, and is noted for producing many rare and beautiful 
plants. The locality of the Heather is about half a mile from 
the State Alms House, on the farm of Mr. Charles H. Thwing. 
Leaving the Alms House on our right, we take a narrow sandy 
road and shortly come near the field; a few minutes walk brings 
us to the spot, near a lane on the left hand side of the road. 
The plants occur sprinkled over an extent of perhaps half an 
acre; there may be in all twenty or more old plants, some, allow- 
ing for the slow growth of the plant, from fifteen to twenty 
years old, others much younger. — 
The surface of the ground is varied by small hummocks, and 
is covered with a short close grass, interspersed with numerous 
lants of Kalmia angustifolia, Spireea tomentosa, Cassandra calycu- 
ta, Azalea viscosa, Myrica Gale, &c. A rapid brook bounds one 
side of this field, its banks densely fringed with the common 
alder (Alnus incana), of which shrubs are sparingly scattered 
over the whole field; in several cases the Heather was foun 
overgrown and shaded by these shrubs. The common Cranberry 
(Vaccinium macrocarpon) occurs somewhat abundantly in the 
immediate vicinity of the Heather, usually most so on the de- 
pressions, while the Heather occurs on the hummocks. From 
appearances, overflows of the brook are of not unfrequent oc- 
currence, when the greater part of the field would be submerged, 
and, as it is surrounded by low ground and ditches, a moderate 
freshet would convert the spot into an island. At the time of 
the visit of the committee, owing to the continued drought of 
the past summer, the whole field was parched, and the brook 
very low. The soil is a sandy peat, just that which a gardener 
would choose for heaths 
The committee explored the stream on both sides for some 
distance; but a heavy shower prevented a more satisfactory ex- 
amination. They also searched for young plants, and found a 
multitude of seedlings, from one to two years old, and a few 
somewhat larger. The plants were in full bloom, and presented 
a most pleasing sight. 
About a week later a sub-committee visited the spot, and ex- 
lored for several miles up and down the stream on bot banks, 
ut without finding any farther traces of the heather. : 
e committee, unable to believe the plant indigenous, started 
many theories to account for its introduction. Of the existence 
of the plant in a wild state there was no doubt, and a more un- 
likely place for it to have been planted could scarcely be found. 
The question was, whence came it? The first supposition was, 
that it had been planted or the seed sown there by a Scotchman, 
Mr. Sutton, who lived near by; but in an interview with Mr. 
Sutton, he denied all knowledge of the plant till within a few 
years; said he had never had any heather in his possession, 
