170 
RURAL HOURS. 
gliany vine, adlumia. This is the season for the climbing plants 
to flower ; they are usually later than their neighbors. The Alle- 
ghany vine, with its pale pink clusters and very delicate foliage, is 
very common in some places, and so is the common clematis. 
Observed, also, several vines of the glycine, Apios tuherosa, 
though its handsome purple flowers have not yet appeared. This 
plant has been recently carried to Europe by a French gentleman, 
sent out to this country by his government for scientific purpo- 
ses. He supposes that it may be introduced as a common article 
of food, to take, in some measure, the place of the potato. The 
root has a pleasant taste, and is said to be much eaten by some 
tribes of Indians. A kind of one-seeded pea, growing in the west- 
ern part of the county, Psoralea, was also carried to France, with 
the view of turning it to account in the same way. This last is 
not found in our neighborhood ; but the glycine, or ground-nut, is 
not uncommon in our thickets. Whether the plan of making 
these a part of the common food of France will succeed or not, 
time alone can decide. It usually takes more than one genera- 
tion to make a change in national diet. Potatoes were several 
centuries coming into favor on the Continent of Europe ; and dur- 
ing the last scarcity in Great Britain, the Scotch and English did 
not take very kindly to the Indian corn, although it is certainly 
one of the sweetest grains in the world. After a change of this 
kind has once been made, however, and people have become accus- 
tomed to the novelty, whatever it may be, there is generally a 
sort of reaction in its favor, until presently no one can do Avithout 
it. This has been strikingly the case with potatoes, in the way 
of food, and with tea and coff'ee in the way of drinks. 
Wednesday, llth. — Very warm. Thermometer 89 in the cool- 
