In looking over a journal kept by me, during a visit to the Sandwich Islands, some forty-five years ago, I find several showy and otherwise interesting plants noted, which are to my mind well worthy of being introduced to our country. As communication with these Islands is frequent and easy - by way of San Francisco - the possibility of an intelligent collector securing them would not prove very difficult; and in order to make it less so, I will designate the localities, as near as I can, where the most desirable plants are to be found.

The Islands comprising this group, are seven in number - with a few detached clumps of small size - the whole being of volcanic origin, mountainous and rugged in outline. Owing to trade winds prevailing the lee sides present a somewhat grayish tint, and in many districts are almost destitute of vegetation; while the tops of the secondary ranges of mountains, and the weather sides are clothed with a luxuriant forest vegetation. Again, the mountains Mouna Roa, and Mouna Kea, on the Island of Hawaii - the first is 13,463 feet high, Mouna Kea 13,656 feet, - are both destitute of vegetation within 2,000 to 3,000 feet of their summits. Even animal life can not long exist there. With these preliminary remarks, I shall now notice some few of the most remarkable plants which we met with.

The first and most interesting is a set of four species of shrubby Geraniums. One of these, Geranium cuneatum, (Hook.) detected by Menzies in Vancouver's Voyage, is a shrub 2 to 3 feet high, bushy, branches terminated with wedge shaped leaves I to 1 1/2 inches long, 3 to 4 toothed at the apex, silvery white pubescent on the upper side - often on both sides, but sometimes glabrous; flowers white, showing to advantage over the leaves of the green variety. Found in great abundance in open places, at an elevation of 4,000 to 6,ooo feet on the Islands of Maui and Hawaii, near the great Crater of Kilauea.

2d. Geranium Multiflorum (Gray)

A much branched shrub, 2 to 4 feet high, with slightly pubescent roundish, obovate bluntly-toothed leaves about 1 1/2 inches long; flowers profuse, of a pale purplish color. Growing' on dry hills, district of Waimea, Hawaii.

3d. Geranium Ovalifolium (Gray)

Shrub, 3 to 5 feet high, leaves ovate, coriaceous, sharply serrate, the surface presenting a chalky appearance, when found in exposed places; flowers large, white with purplish veins. Hab.: Crater of Haleakala, East Maui, at an elevation of 8,000 feet.

4th. Geranium Arboreum (Gray)

A large shrub or small tree, 6 to 14 feet high. Much branched, leaves membranaceous, slightly pubescent, oval and sharply serrate, peduncles bearing 2 to 3 reddish-purple flowers which are very attractive. I have seen plants of this so large that three or four men could have hid behind it. The stems are sometimes 3 to 4 inches in diameter. We brought a truncheon of this home to the United States. Hab.: Mountains East Maui, at an elevation of about 6,000 feet, in open exposed situations.

Pittosporum Confertiflorum (Gray)

A low, bushy tree, 20 to 25 feet high, leaves of a coriaceous texture, ovate-oblong, crossed on the branch- lets, smooth on the upper side, tomentose on the other, with a fulvus wool. Flowers of a creamy; white, numerous in umbels, 3 to 4 inches broad, ! very odoriferous. Of the twelve to fifteen species of Pittosporums with which we are acquainted, this bears the palm on account of its fine habit, large, beautiful and fragrant flowers; and then, it is found at such an altitude as to warrant its proving hardy in our middle Atlantic and Southern States. Farther North it is well worthy of a place in our conservatories. Found in great abundance on the margin of forests on East Maui, at an elevation of 6,000 feet.

Broussaisia Arguta (Gaud)

This is a large shrub, 4 to 6 feet high, much branched, with opposite ovate-oblong leaves 4 to 6 inches in length, smooth on the upper and strigose-hirsute on the under surface. Inflorescence terminal, composed of a broad compound cyme, somewhat resembling that of Hydrangea hortensis, to which it is closely related. A common and very ornamental plant found on the lower range of mountains behind Honolulu, also on the Island of Hawaii.

Gunnera Petaloides (Gaud)

This imposing plant is rather rare, and only to be found on elevated moist rocks, in situations almost inaccessible. It is strictly herbaceous, with round kidney-shaped leaves 2 to 3 feet in diameter. Its general appearance is that of a plant of Victoria Rhubarb. Flower spikes 3 to 5 feet high, with crowded branchlets and insignificant flowers. Found on West Maui, Kauai and Oahu.

Agati Tomentosa (Nuttal)

An elegant and profuse scarlet pea-flowering plant, bearing a remarkable strong resemblance to the A. grandiflora of Desvaux, which we saw growing in the garden of a missionary on Oahu; only our plant has a more prostrate habit, extending on the ground 30 to 40 feet from the stock, and in having the underside of the leaves more tomentose. The flowers are also smaller in the wild state. We found also, a yellow-flowered variety. Both varieties are well worthy of the cultivator's notice. Found on lava plains east of the crater of Lua Pele, Hawaii.

Canavalia Galeata (Gaud)

Here we have another Pea flowering plant, having a habit very much like that of Kennedya rubicunda, but a much stronger grower. Grows among bushes near the coast on the Island of Oahu.

Metrosideros Polymorpha (Gaud)

A tree or broad branching bush with scarlet flowers and entire leaves, varying from subrotund and pubescent to oblong-lanceolate and smooth on both sides.

Dr. Gray describes six distinct forms of this, and to these he might very properly have added his M. lutea and M. rugosa, as well as M. macropus of Hook, and Am. Of this plant we could have collected many more forms, for all over these islands, wherever you turn, specimens present themselves, varying in form and consistency of the leaves from anything you have met with before, causing one almost to arrive at the conclusion that there is no such thing as species in nature; and were it necessary we could cite many instances similar to the above in other tribes of plants to bear us out. Taking the two extreme forms of this plant they would apparently form to a closet botanist, two very good species, while the intermediate forms would again afford excellent material for the species maker. There is a form with yellow flowers found by me near Hilo Bay, Hawaii; this is Dr. Gray's M. lutea; the natives call it Ohea.