284 THE FLORIST AND ' . 



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Towards the end of the month a bed of small Onions should be planted. 

 Protected by a little loose straw they will endure the. winter and come in 

 early in the spring, when the old crop is "just put," and the new one npt 

 "come in. *. T. J, 



-o~o>_ 



Botanizing during the hot days pf summer js rather severe work ; and we 

 have tramped a good many miles under the severest rays of the sun. But 

 in the last few weeks the weather Jias been often of the most delightful 

 kind and we have taken advantage of several-cloudy days, and made some 

 interesting additions to our herbarium. The neighbourhood of Gloucester 

 in New Jersey, is a very celebrated one for plants ; we have been there fre- 

 quently and never without being repaid- — the trip down and up in the steam- 

 boat is cool and refreshing ; quite different from toiling through the sand 

 when once there. — Among the beautiful plants we have gotten we. can men- 

 tion the llhexia virginica, which with. its congener II. mariana are the only 

 representatives of the order Mdastomacece in the Northern States ; the 

 Gerardia flava and Gratiola aurea, showy and beautiful species of Sero- 

 fhulariacece ; Lobeliti cardinalis ; Trichostemma and Monarda punctata, 

 well known among the.Labiatce or Mint Family, Cassia marilandica, and C. 

 nietitans, with several species of Desrnodium represent the numerous family 

 of Leguminosoe. Hibiscus, Oenothera, Ludwigia macrocarpd, Sida spino- 

 sa, several Polygonums and various other plants add to the beauty of field, 

 wood and swamp. 



One of our most favourite walks is along the banks and through the woods 

 which border the Schuylkill, a river which is without a rival for quiet beauty. 

 Shut in as it is by lofty trees, spanned by fine bridges, and with here and 

 there a stately mansion standing at the top of a lawn sloping to the river. 

 Starting from the western side atFairmount, passing by John Penn's house 

 of "Solitude," the beautiful Egglesfield and Sweetbrier and the once mag- 

 nificient mansion of Landsdowne, the seat of Richard Penn, now the pro- 

 perty of Lord Ashburton, — picking up beautiful flowers and graceful ferns, 

 and ''hooking out" of the water the sweet smelling JYgmpJioea alba, we come 

 to the Columbia bridge, opposite to Belmont, famous as the country seat of 

 the witty Judge Peters, and as a favourite resort of General Washington. 

 Here is that avenue of Elms festooned with ivy, which so excited the admi- 

 ration pf the late Mr. Downing, 



Peter's Island in the middle of the river adds greatly to the landscape. 

 Along the tow path blooms the graceful Saggittaria, the Impatiens fulva, 

 the 3fe7itha and other beautiful plants. Looking up from this ppint, the 



