1823, OCTOBER. ALBANY 19 



yesterday's proceedings. "We breakfasted and then called on the Governor, 

 who, with his usual way, received us kindly. His duties occupied his 

 time ; he suggested to me to devote the day in the neighbourhood of the 

 city. 1 left them, having an invitation to call and spend the evening. 

 Being informed when at Lockport, by David Thomas, Esq., from whom 

 I had much valuable information, that Pterospora andromedea was to be 

 found near Albany, and, if he was rightly informed, south of the town — 

 information which I hailed with pleasure — accordingly I set out visiting 

 every place which was likely for it. After a search of seven hours I had 

 the fortune to find it in a small ravine two miles south of Albany. On the 

 right hand, going up the channel of a small rivulet for half a mile, where 

 it branched to the right and left, on the angle, stood a large tree of 

 Pinus alba} and under its branches Pterospora, 10 feet above the level of 

 the rivulet ; soil, light blackish-brown loam and so dry that every other 

 vegetation refused to grow, it looked as if no rain had fallen for the summer. 

 Whether it is annual or perennial I am unable to say. I am of opinion 

 Mr. NuttaU's description is very correct, from 14 to 24 inches high. Being 

 late in the season, it was of course out of flower : a rusty stem covered 

 with a glutinous substance ; I counted ninety-seven capsules on one stem. 

 How glad Mr. Munroe and Mr. Lindley would be to see it. The root is 

 much like Corallorrhiza innata, only smaller, and it seems to be a sort of 

 parasite like Monotropa or Orobanche. On going a few steps to the left 

 hand on the north aspect of the valley, I found it in a situation entirely 

 different from the former, excluded from the sun, soil stiff, wet, and 

 covered with Hypericum and Jungermannia. The plants here were 

 stronger than in the former place. I have no doubt but it will cultivate. 

 A gentleman (Mr. Tracy), Governor Clinton has just informed me of, is 

 very fond of botany and from him I hope to have information as to it. 

 I propose in the morning to sow seeds of it. 



Albany, Friday, October lOth. — I waited on Mr. Tracy, who Governor 

 Clinton said could and would feel glad to aid me. In the first place, he 

 invited me to look at his herbarium, which was extensive and in a good 

 state of preservation, arranged according to the Linnean system. In it he 

 had Pterospora. He informed me that a friend of his who was fond of plants 

 but possessed no knowledge of botany, in his rambles through the adjoining 

 woods found it three years since and placed plants in his garden in June. 

 They continued to thrive throughout the season. The following year 

 they made their appearance and flowered all the summer. This season it 

 sprung again and equally vigorous, flowered, and ripened seed. This 

 information made me stare. I set out again for plants as they affirm 

 it to be perennial. Every plant which I could see I took up, but found 

 only one which had the least appearance of being perennial ; however this 

 had not flowered, therefore it is not perennial but either biennial or 

 annual. On my calling on Mr. Tracy again, he said that he would take 

 me to see his friend's plants ; accordingly, on our examining the spot, we 

 found the roots dead. It was 2 the last year in difierent places of the 

 garden. The soil was light loam, at the foot of a wall, north aspect, 

 1 Picea (Ma, Mast, in Journ. R. Hort. Soo. xiv. p. 221. > MS. obscure. — Ed. 



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