I was interested in an article on page 278, September Gardeners' Monthly, comparing the native flowers of Rochester, N. Y., with California, within a given radius, and the desire to have some adequate idea of the number which grow here became strong within me. I am no botanist, alas ! but I have a keen eye, and when driving each day I always hie to the woods and water courses, trusting to same keen eyes to discover some new species (new to me, I mean). Dr. Asa Gray, but oftenest the Editor of Gardeners' Monthly, has named for me unknown species; and last said a few weeks since in a note, after having named a native Hydrangea nivea for me, that " if I looked sharp I would most likely find an allied plant, American Climbing Hydrangea, Decumaria barbara," which put me into a fever of eager watchfulness. I took my three books - Peter Henderson's " Hand Book of Plants," Chapman's " Flora of the South," and Dr. Preyre Porcher's "Resources of the Southern States" - and read until I thought I could identify it if I was lucky enough to come across it.

For years I had admired a climbing plant with myriads of white flat clustered flowers which clung to the tree whereon it grew with the tenacity of ivy, and always intended removing a small specimen to my own home, thinking it would be a good companion with my Ampelopsis Veichtii which covers hundreds of feet of the brick foundation of my home. Athap-hazard I drove to this specimen and collected many branches, feeling sure as soon as I reached it that I had hit it correctly, for it having flowered in June it was filled with its seed vessels, which, according to descriptions, ought to be urn shaped, and sure enough they are. They remind me of the old fashioned Pot-pourri Pots of our grandmothers with their queer, squeezed-in, little covers. But to make sure I sent specimens to the Editor of Gardeners' Monthly and he replied, " You have found it at last, sure enough." This A. M. I drove out to gloat over this discovery and to study habits of leaf, flower and growth, and afterwards continued my drive a little far. ther.

I suppose I went not over one-fourth of a mile and investigated in a very cursory manner not over fifty feet of the creek banks, but I, who am so proud of the native flowers of this South land, was astonished myself at the richness of that small area, and will here name what I know, assuring you that I am confident that much of merit was passed over from my lack of knowing them. First though came my sought-for Decumaria-and on a steep bank jutting over a gurgling streamlet I found enough to stock almost a nursery. In close proximity and entwined with this is a plant which in ignorance I have always called Bittersweet, Celastrus scandens, until I recently saw an illustration of the real variety. This is a shrub with long, narrow, lance-shaped leaves, not over one-half inch wide by three inches long, almost like a vine, slender, delicate growth, flowers small and inconspicuous; but its beauty is in its rough four-celled capsules, which are, when mature, a pale flesh. In September this capsule burst open like a chestnut burr and from it hung four orange colored seeds by a white hair-like thread which makes them jingle against the waxy sides of the capsules like a bell clapper. These are generally solitary and not over abundant, but in fall after leaves fall it is quite an attractive plant.

In cultivation with careful pinching in it grows into a thick shrub and well deserves more extended cultivation. I would like well to know its name. [Euonymus Americanus. - Ed.] Not three paces from this was the red twigged Cornus, which I insisted was Sanguinea, but Dr. Gray and Prof. Meehan set me straight again and to-day I am reconciled to its being a different variety; I claimed it had three good points, viz.: hardiness, fragrant white delicate laurestina-like flowers, and its blood-red branches; after denuded of its foliage would make a bright spot on any lawn; added to this I have found that its fruit cymes are very attractive, a peculiar blueish purple size of Holly berries - pendulous. One specimen before me has twenty-five berries perfect in form and color; how long they remain on I am unable to say. But here is a shrub every way worthy a wider culture, beautiful in flower and fruit and without foliage. Glancing around I espied three plants of Clematis Viorna which has solitary pendulous purplish red flowers, same shape and size of C. crispa and coccinea; here it is called " Leather flower " from the great substance of flower; near by the never-to-be-forgotten Gelsemium sempervirens or Carolina Yellow Jasmine, which in spring clothes the banks of our streams with a yellow fragrant glory.

These are shaped and size exactly like the flowers of Weigelia rosea, only on a delicate tendril swayed by every passing breeze wafting to our grateful senses a delicious jasmine fragrance. This vine covers acres of low lands, entwines itself on every branch and shrub, and from thence aloft to tops of highest trees. In a boat on the water you can pass under large clusters of it and can cull a boat load of branches from one tree. The water dotted for yards with its shed flowers like golden boats floating around.

My article is now too long, but I long to write of what I saw in my short ramble - Trumpet vine, Menisperum, Columbine or coral honeysuckle, Cocculus Carolinianus, clustered Solomon's seal, another variety with berries in pairs, Clematis Vir-giniana, a tuberous rooted Columbine, Kalmia, Azaleas two varieties, golden rod, three of Eupa-torium purpureum full six feet high, with magnificent plumy branches; Apios tuberosa, wood violets, and ferns, grasses, etc., too numerous to mention. Ah ! the sunny South is the place for me. Here God has with bountiful hand spread abroad his beautiful floral treasures. Azaleas that are equal in beauty with the exotic ones, of white, buff, deep rose and pale pink, sometimes a mile in one stretch of them, as far as the eye can reach you see them in boundless profusion intermingled with Rhododendron and Kalmia. Now, how compares our land with the far-famed California ? We, too, have lilies; one seldom offered for sale on account of its rareness, that is L. Catesbaei, the smallest bulb of the whole tribe, a deep glowing red purple, spotted with foliage close to the ground like that of the tuberose.

These I have in abundance and am trying to collect the largest amateur collection South. I am nothing it not ambitious, and my ambition tends flower-ways - to have something of nearly every species that can be kept in a pit or greenhouse with no fire heat.

Spartanburg, S. C, Sept. 9th, 1885.