E.. 8. Rand, Jr., on Heather in the United States. 25 
committee was adverse to its being considered indigenous. Upon 
inquiry it was ascertained that until within about a dozen years 
the field had been used for mowing; but lately it had -been pas- 
tured; this at once accounts for the occurrence of no decaying 
clumps and no old dead branches. Mr. Dawson’s attention was 
first attracted to the plant through members of Mr. Sutton’s fam- 
ily a few years ago; through whom also its existence has also 
been known to parties in Salem (Mass.) for some time, and 
plants of the heather removed from Tewkesbury are now flour- 
ishing in a garden in Salem. Che iO 
_ The next step in the investigation was to interrogate Mr. Liv- 
Ingston, the former owner of the farm. At an interview with 
him, he at first could remember no such a But, upon being 
shown a sprig of the heather, he remembered t 
and gave a great deal of trouble; he has never seen the plant 
elsewhere, and had forgotten the circumstance, but it recurs 
— to his mind, and he is fully persuaded of the identity of 
€ plant. : be VA Aa 
During his occupancy of the farm he does not remember the 
plant ; arte eR pre but as that field was mowed each 
year he thinks the constant cutting would have killed the plants — 
When they grew to any size. In order to assure himself of the 
identity of the plant he showed a'specimen to his mother who is 
still living at a very advanced age! She at once recognized the 
plant, told where it grew, said it had grown there for man: 
years, and remembered the trouble it was to plough the field. 
Mr, Livingston then came to Tewkesbury, and undirected went 
immediately to the spot where the plant now grows. ’ as 
The vitality of the seeds of the heather is well known 3 ine 
‘deed experience has shown that it is difficult to keep land in 
Am. Jour. Scr.—Szconp Serres, Vou. XXXII, No. 96.—Nov., 1861. ae 
4 ae 
