The Placer herald., 1866-07-28
From the San Francisco Bulletin.
Professor Woods Botanical Tour....The
Flora of California.

EDITOR BULLETIN: Having completed. or
nearly so, my journeyings and wanderings
in your State, making II general survey of
native products, especially ils plants, can
not forbear brief mention of the fact and
some of its incidents aud results. Itook
San Diego as the initial point, on the 9th
January, and there culled the earliest flower
of spring-Lepidium Calitoraicum. Thence
)ourneying northward as the season advan.
ced, making very many excursions both to
the east and west of my baee line, have at
length reached this extreme point, ready on
the morrow to exchange California for Ore,
gon. Five months have been employed in
this delightful, wonderful tour. have trav>
eled within the limits of California, by pub,
lie conveyances 3,lOO miles, and not less
than half as many in buggy, wagon, saddle
and on foot. Of the 10 old Spanish Mis-.
sions, which once ruled California, have
visited u, and gathered flowers around and
within their walls In good company, or
ofener alone with Nature and Natures
God, have climbed all the ranges from the
coast to the Slerras, and finally, yesterday,
brought up against the eternal SHOWS of the
mighty Shasta.
The object Of these travels, as before re.
marked, is the study of the Flora OF your
State-a Flora more Interesting bv far than
any othe. Slate in the American Union, and
probably than that of any other country
without. In like manner | have surveyed
all the States eastward of the Mississippi
river and attempted the history of their veg
citation; and now am but carrying out a
lifelong purpose and ambition in culling
here, along this Pacific slope. the materials
Gov tho con,inua,ion OF MA, history, which
if God will, may yet embrace the entire ter.
ritory of the Union. Not under State pat
ronage, and yet with The full knowledge Of
and lhe most friendly cooperation with the
corps of the State Geological Survey, and
aided in my collections by gentlemen (and
ladies slso,) of the highest positions in all
parts of the State.
On counting up the trophies of this long
assault on FIoIa's domain, find specimens
of fourteen Hundred and ninety species Of
Towering plants now in my herbariun,
strictly California, j. e., spontaneously grow.
ing here. How many of these are mew to
science cannot be known until after thor
ough comparison of all the botanic publica'
tons heretofore issued by Congress by the
Smithsonian Institute, by The scientific socie.
ties, by the reports of foreign voyagers to
these coasts, etc.,-a study yet awaiting my
leisure at home.
The Flora of California is marked by a
deicacy of structure, brl|iancy of color.
ing, and vastness in multitude which strikes
with delight and establishment those bolan
lists accustomed to tramp in Eastern grounds;
and when made The subject of study these
flowers are again remarkable for their sim.
plicity and regularity of structure, render
ing them unusually satisfactory to the stu.
dent in botanical analysis. Thus the Clay.
tomas, Calendrinias, the HydrophyIls, the
Phloxwol's and the Poppyworts seem to be
here the especial favorites Of Nature, con.
verting the hills and the plains into land
scapes Of tints and hues Of beauty, and effect
wholly indescribabe. And lie who succeeds
in writing the book, yet nnwr,ten. which
shall faithfully interpret and delineate the
Flora of the Pacific Coast, will give to the
youth, and to the aged too, book which
will delight and utilize many and otherwise
vacant and lonely hour and lonely journey.
Near Shasta Butte, struck new locality
Of the celebrated Daringtonia California;.
YREKA, June 2l. 1866 A. WooD.