172 Rambles of a Botanist in New Mexico. [ March, 
RAMBLES OF A BOTANIST IN NEW MEXICO. 
BY EDWARD LEE GREENE. 
I 
ANTA Rita del Cobre is situated in the extreme south-western 
part of New Mexico, amid the Santa Rita mountains, so rich in 
copper ore. It was in former times a Mexican penal colony 
where convicts did service in the mines; now, however, since the 
acquisition of that region by the United States, Santa Rita del 
Cobre has become a mere pile of adobe ruins; the crumbling 
walls, a group or two of neglected and very ancient looking 
peach trees, and the abandoned mines showing to him who passes 
through, that the place was not always the silent wilderness it 
now appears. New towns are at present springing up within a 
few miles, in different directions; for the American people have 
_ discovered rich silver mines not far from where the Mexicans 
found only the grosser and less valuable metal. It is an interest- 
ing region, the natural history of which has not been looked into 
except by the few scientists who have accompanied one or two 
government surveying expeditions in passing through it. Aglow 
with the ardor of a botanist in a new field of study, I entered this 
remote corner of New Mexico from the westward early in April. 
The broad expanse of plains through which runs the boundary 
line between this territory and Arizona was already decked with 
` a profusion of flowers. The number of species was not great, 
but each species was represented by myriads of individuals, so 
that the whole prairie landscape seemed painted in lively colors. 
The plant most common of all was the smaller species of Cali- 
fornia poppy (Eschscholtsia douglasii Hook. & Arn.), one of the 
characteristic plants of the Pacific coast, hardly to have been 
looked for unless as a rarity so far eastward as this. In northern 
. parts of California the Eschscholtzias sometimes grow in such 
abundance on the plains that sensitive eyes are dazzled and 
pained by the intense brightness of the mass of golden yellow 
bloom; yet never in California have I seen a landscape more 
brilliant with these flowers than were these level tracts away 
upon the borders of New Mexico. An albino variety, more- 
pleasing than the normal yellow was frequently noticed, its petals 
not pure white but pale cream color, with a yellow spot at the 
