the London Horticultural Society as their Botanical 
Collector, in October, 1829. Mr. Bentham states 
that Douglas landed in the spring of 1830, at 
the mouth of the Columbia river, where he met 
with many difficulties and disappointments as to the 
journeys he had intended to make to those parts of 
the interior which promised the best to reward his 
exertions. The natural obstacles opposed by the 
wild state of the country, were, in many cases, ren- 
dered invincible by the dangerous character of the 
natives; and the whole season of 1830 was consumed 
in short excursions in the neighbourhood of the 
Hudson’s Bay Company’s Fort. 
In the winter 1830-1, an opportunity occurred 
of communicating with the northern part of Spanish 
California, of which Mr. Douglas availed himself, 
and landed early in 1831 at Sans Francisco, from 
whence he proceeded to the Spanish settlement of 
Monterey. At this j)lace he was well received by 
the monks, and every facility was afforded him for 
exploring the country in the neighbourhood. He 
remained there till the month of August, 1832, w hen 
he left for the Sandwich Islands. Thence he des- 
j)atched to this country his Californian herbarium 
and seeds. Amongst which was our present subject. 
Our draw ing w as derived from a plant which flow- 
ered in the borders of the Birmingham Botanic 
Garden. It appears to require no peculiar care, 
but may be sown as other hardy annuals. It is not 
improbable, from its present appearance but it may 
produce the finest plants when sown in autumn, 
this, however, must be determined by further ex- 
perience of its powers to bear our climate. 
