and the bush allaraanda* almost vied in splendor with the foregoing. The Cape tecoma' 

 also flowered in great profusion, and its orange-sCarlet flower trusses could be seen from 

 quite a distance. Now the gorgeous blossoms of the Chinese hibiscus came to view, 

 now the large fragrant trumpets of the datura." Never fell the rays of the sun on 

 brighter spangles, never kissed the light of the moon more delicately fragrant blooms. 

 Some of the cestrums* reached above my head and were covered with trusses of orange- 

 colored aromatic flowers. The hamelia", a beautiful native shrub of southern Florida, 

 which ultimately attains a height of from ten to twelve feet, was covered with dark 

 purple berries and vermillion-red flowers, which contrasted charmingly with the dense 

 dark green foliage. The white flowers of the gigantic St. John's lily* and of the scarcely 

 less imposing, red flowering Crinutn amabile and Crinum augastum, the powerfully 

 fragrant sweet olive and the rare vanilla shrub' perfumed the air of the whole place. 

 Under a lg,ttice-roofed arbor, covered with passion flowers' and star jasmine', exquisite 

 specimens of the noble Chinese daphne" and the dark evergreen laurustinus" commenced 

 to blossom. Yuccas in great variety and in splendid specimens, and graceful araucarias, 

 cypresses, arbor-vitaes, and retinisporas were interspersed among the other plants. A 

 really tropical aspect is imparted to the plantation by the many noble palms, mostly 

 cocos and date palms. The shining green leaves of the grand sago palms" reflected the 

 sun with dazzling effect. On the lake's edge transplanted specimens of the fetter-bush" 

 were flowering for the second time. 



The pine-woods are delightful sauntering grounds at any time of the year, but 

 more so in autumn. I found the much despised "poor sand" of these woods in a high 

 state of natural cultivation. The whole ground w^as covered with patches of w^ild 

 flowers. Some places were transformed into a sheet of white by the masses of pure w^hite 

 thoroughworts '^, and others were brightened by the beautiful yellow blossoms of the 

 golden sneezewort*' This was especially true of the border of the woods near the 

 garden, and the combination of pure white and bright yellow was very striking. Near 

 by quite a number of different species of plants were growing and flowering together 

 as in a mixed border. The prevailing plant was the white Petalastetnon corymbosuta, 

 a singularly elegant and highly ornamental flower. The bush liatris or blazing star^* 

 and the grassy knot- weed" were also flowering profusely. A gigantic species of 

 thoroughwort*', six to eight feet high, with immense plume-like flower-stems, was every- 

 where met with, and in the evening the flowers exhaled a delicate fragrance. Many of 

 the lakes were fringed by dense masses of golden yellow coreopsis'', like central gems 

 girdled with sparkling brilliants. These are only a few of the most common wild 

 November flowers of central Florida. The vegetation in the poor looking white sandy 

 soil was something marvellous. When I set forth in the exhilerating freshness of the 

 new day, rejoicing in the salubrious air, in the fragrance and beauty of the flowers, and 

 in the pure wildness so close about me, I only regretted that so few birds were seen. 

 I was, indeed, surprised to find such a dearth of small feathered inhabitants. When I 



) AUamanda neriifolia. 2 Tccoma Capensis. o Datura arborea and £>. Knigbtii. * Oestrum Bondouxi and C. 

 La Martola. o Hamelia patens. ^ Crinum pedunculatum. 7 Artabotrys odoratissitnus. s PassiHora ceerulea, 

 » Tracbelospernum jasminoides. J" Daphne Indica. *i Viburnum tiaus. u Cycas rcvoluta, la Andromeda aitida. 

 i< Bupatorium serotinum. 1 o Helenium tenuifolium. 10 Liatris fruticosa, 1' Tbysanella Smbriata, >» Eupatorium 

 coronopifolium. *» Coreopsis aurea. 



