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24 E. S. Rand, Jr., on Heather in the United States. 
had never received any parcels from Scotland, or done anything 
in any way by which the plant could have been introduced; that 
was as much astonished as delighted when, about ten years 
before, he discovered the plant, which he at once recognized as 
the Scotch heather, and each year since he had gathered it when 
in blossom to adorn his house. On being farther pressed by one 
of the committee as to the possibility of its being introduced by 
him, he indignantly replied: ‘ Wuld’na I-hae been a fule, mon, 
to sow it on another mon’s land when my ain as good wuld hae 
- grown it as well?” Mr. Sutton’s land is on the same stream, 
adjoining Mr. Thwing’s, and in every respect as well adapted to 
_ the growth of the heather, yet it occurs only on Mr. Thwing’s 
land... The next supposition was, it might have been planted by 
“Mr. Thwing; but upon questioning him, it was ascertained he 
had owned the farm for about three years only; had observed the 
heather in its present locality; but though he noticed it as a 
pretty plant, and one not found elsewhere on his farm, he knew 
- nothing of its rarity, or had he given the matter a second thought; 
he had used the land for a peat meadow and for pasturage, and 
had noticed the cattle would not browse on the plant; he had 
purchased the farm of Caleb Livingston of Lowell, in whose 
family it had been for a long time; he believed the field was 
formerly mowing land. 
Mr. Thwing took great interest in the discovery, did everything 
in his power to aid the committee, and has agreed to protect the 
plants against injury or removal. 
_Another ingenious theory was that the seed of the heather 
had in some way been washed down by the stream from some 
me above, and being deposited by a freshet in a congenial soil, 
had vegetated and thriven. It is well known the seed of the 
heather is minute, and will preserve its vitality for years. The 
plant not unfrequently springs up in the earth in which imported 
_ are potted. But it was ascertained that there is or had 
been no greenhouse and no importers of foreign plants anywhere 
in the vicinity on the course of the stream, and the nearest green- 
house is five miles distant. The question arises, why should the 
plant occur in this one spot when there are so many localities all 
along the stream for miles equally favorable for its development? 
The neighbors stated they had never observed it elsewhere, ex- 
cept Mr. Sutton, who remembered seeing, several years ago, @ 
oo on the other side of the brook directly opposite the present 
J my ec 
co ctemme 
