BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF CANADA. 
25 
Prof. Williamson, in remarking upon the above paper, stated to the meeting 
that he had not observed the Cornus fiorida in the immediate neighborhood of 
Kingston, but he had seen it the Niagara district. 
Prof Lawson exhibited specimens of the plant from various parts of the United 
States, and alluded to its wide range, but apparently southern tendency. It is no 
doubt correctly regarded as a Canadian species ; but it is absent from Prof Barn- 
ston's list of the Holmes Herbarium, Montreal, from Mr. Billings' lists of Prescott 
plants, and other accessible local lists, as well as from the various collections made 
in the neighborhood of Kingston. It is not difficult to trace the distribution of so 
showy a plant, and it is to be hoped that Prof. Blackie's remarks will lead to the 
publication of Canadian localities. 
ON THE BOTANY OF THE RED RIVER SETTLEMENT AND THE OLD 
RED RIVER TRAIL. 
By John C. Schultz, F. B. S. C. 
The Red River Settlement has of late years attracted much attention in Canada 
on account of its isolated position and the many and vague reports that were in cir- 
culation regarding it, some describing it as a land of milk and honey, others as a 
cold barren waste. But little was known of the real resources of the country till 
the years 1857 and 1858, when the atteotion of our Government was directed to it, 
and they ordered two Expeditions to be fitted out, one under the charge of Mr. 
Hind, and the other under Mr. Dawson. These gentlemen, on their return, after 
an absence of eighteen months, submitted their Reports, accompanied by maps and 
a geological description of the country traversed. These were published and widely 
distributed, and many of you no doubt have seen them. Therefore any account 
that I give of the settlement will be as short as possible. It is situated on the Red 
River, near its entrance into Lake Winnepeg, occupying both banks of the Red 
River and the Assiniboine, which empties into the Red River at the Hudson's Bay 
Company's post Fort Garry, the centre of the settlement. The settlement extends 
from the mouth of Red River up about forty miles, and on the Assiniboine River 
about twenty miles. The distance of the settlement from St. Paul is said to be six 
hundred miles, and from Lake Superior about three hundred. The population is 
estimated (rather high I think) at 10,000, including the roving population, who 
live altogether by hunting. The climate resembles that of Montreal in the length 
and continued cold of the winters, and the rapid vegetation in the spring after the 
snow is off the ground. All the cereals are raised in abundance, the average pro- 
duce to the acre exceeding that of Canada. Garden vegetables are also grown in 
abundance. Indian corn, however, is not so successful, being nipped by the early 
frosts. g 
