The times., 1899-10-29

The fields and woods Of northern klr-
giuia are not so radically different from
those Of Massachusetts. yet when one
leaves familiar surroundings, even slight
variations in the appearance Of nature
force themselves into prominence, and an
observing person will doubtless require
little time to accustom himself to them;
he may even develop a dangerous tendency
10 draw comparisons not always favorable
10 his new surroundings. Thus, I find the
red earth Of this region always a little
distasteful to my eyes, but don't doIbt
that q Nirginian or Jerseyite is quite as
unhappy with the unfamiliar sight OF our
Massachusetts blue clay and yellow sand
The rather slack husbandry of the average
negro. too his neglected crops and half
starved animals and land; his rickety
Fhanty and tattered progeny; the pastures
fun Of mules, all the streams. even the
mighty Potomac itself. so clouded with the
red soil that they look more like foul
bitches than living watercourses-these
are things to be digested slowly by New
Englander. ] am always an admirer of
the red birch and have often described and
commended IT, but find myself a little dis
concerted at having il usurp the place, so
largely as ii does here. of my old friend
the gray birch OF our New England forests.
birch q distinctly Southern tree, is found
only very sparingly along one or two Of
our Massachusetts streams, while the white
Tor grey variety is as plainly Northern
In its preferences. seen at its best IN the
woods Of New Hampshire, Maine and Can
ada, and dwindling TO a mere scrub as II
approaches its Southern limit, which l
believe is something north OF Maryland
IN my limited observation OF the upper
woodlands have Vaf hapn
able to decide wherein they chiefly differ
from those / am most familiar with in
New England. The noble white pine Of
the NoTth-pinus stTobus-is unknown here
except as introduced for ornamental pur-
poses; there are however, the shOrt-leaved
and other Southern varieties akin to our
familiar pitch-pines. The hemlock and
hacmatack do not appear, either, unless
they are found in the mountainous parts;
yet there is, I believe, a goodly list of
coniferous evergreens peculiar 10 the lati-
tude with which / have not yet become
familiar. Varieties Of the oak abound, as
the white oak, the swamp white oak, the
chestnut oak. the scarlet red, black, and
pin oak which we do not have in Massa-
chusetts. and Others. yet more or less i'm
p0rtsnt- ] find the naples, too, the sugar,
silver and red varieties, all growing here
indigenously, as the white beech also,
the hickory. chestnut, and locust The great
Oriental plane, used as a shade tree in
Massachusetts, and often called the but
tCuwO0d. springs up everywhere here along
the roadsides and through the woodlands,
as do also the catalpa and the tulip, both
true Southern trees. The latter grows 10
enormous size in the forests often rising
10 forty or fifty feet without a limb and
constantly exciting ones admiration by
the immense size Of its clean, straight
boles.
The Florida dogwood, now full Of red
punches OF fruit almost identical in appear
ance. as are the leaves and blossoms also,
with those OF its loWly Northern relative,
the common buuchberry, is one OF the most
fragrant Of The lesser trees, and with its
early coloring tendency, makes q very at
tracyve feature in the September and Oc-
tober woodlands. Beneath the trees in the
deep forests 7 find the pretty maple-leaved
yiburram, which we al know; the forest
floor often bristles with "pine-sap''-or
beech drops. as you viii; the partridge
berry CLEANS up from its mottle vine. the
striped leaves Of the pipsissiwa and the
paIe-gTeen foliage Of the training arbutus
abound the latter set already with buds
for the next seasons Towering. Here. too.
is the false Solomon's seal, with pendant
berries where the white blossoms hung; the
black and wiyhered stems Of the false indigo
aHd the white goldenrod. which loves the
shade and fingers through q long season of
bloom. The witchhazel is another familiar
sight, its leaves turning 10 light amber and
the twigs even row displaying little yellow
buds and few Of the weird-Iooliug flow
ers with petals expanded; the mountain
laurel grows freely through the forest,
though small in size where 7 found 1t. The
savin or red cedar, such a familiar sight
along The New England coast, where it,
makes a hardly but somewhat stunued
growth is equally common here, attaining
somewhat larger size and Is often found il
almost perfect symmetry Of form Among
the beautiful woodland groWths which in
close the National Cemetery at Arlington
quite large specimens Of this tree may be
seen, where they have a peculiarly solemn
and fitting air. over some OF them the
Virginia creeper had clambeTed, quite as
It does with US. draping their sombre
figures in q splendid garment OF brilliant
carmiue shades.
Out in the open fields I have not hap
pened upon q great variety OF fall flowers,
though some OF the goldenrods and asters
are very abundant. The garget, whose
-Rlories have often chroniclcd at home, is
no stranger here, but grows in rank dis
order wherever bit Of broken ground by
the roadside gives its seeds a chance for
entrance. and since the frost its fruit has
turned 10 a deep rich Burgundy shade and
It's stalks and stems TO a pinkish red. The
little blue lobelia is abundant ia dry fields.
& certain broOmy-looking herb Of the mint
family also. whose specific name / do not
know, often covers the waste lots abOu,
Washington and perfumes the air with the
spicy fragrance Of its multitudiuous in
Gorescence. Wild suni0wers are common
the pretty Maryland golden aster and tho
false foXgiove ] have found several times
also the dainty little djttany. which I am
told Is cumila mariana an herb Of the
hslf-lighted wood edges, sometimes found
IL flower after frosts have swept Of all its
companions. The beautiful eirardia pur-
puTea, with It's delicate rosy purple norets
was also one Of the prizes which ! brought
from a raiuy-day walk. 4 curious looking
plant. which l take 10 belong to the sola-
nuns. grows frequently under hedges and
in neglected corners IL is about the size
Of & small potato plant and is not VERY
unlike one ia general looks. but has rows
Of sharp needle-Iike spiues along the
stems and mid-ribs OF it's leaves. and
like others Of that family. bears clusters
of small fruiuike potato balls. In color d
bright orange yellow The coraaelds ara
oyerrun by pink-tasseued knotweed and
Roman wormW God, and 10y titanic growth,
Of pigweed-I have seen this weed six feet
IN height-which In turn are clambaret
over by wild convolVulus, dodder. and
similar piraticsl vines
The deadliness Of the vast marshes ot
the Potomac is doubtless mitigated some.
what by the long rows of p0plars and vii.
lows which line the river for miles
These marshes are often iIFur4f fuurea d.