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THE BOTANICAL JOURNAL OF G. W. CLINTON |
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THE BOTANICAL JOURNAL OF G. W.
CLINTON – June 1864 |
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[1864] June 1. Took 6 A.M. train to Rome, &
then the Rome & Watertown R. R. to Taberg, 11 miles. The village is 1 1/2
or 2 miles from the station, on Fish Creek. We took the stage, got out just
above Waterman's mills. Descended to Vasey's locality of Primula Mistassinica
& Saxifraga aizoides, a perpendicular cliff 30 ‑50 feet high, moistened
by dripping water. The Primula out, & the Saxifrage not yet in flower.
Found one P. in flower & 2 flowers of Saxifraga. Just beyond the
precipice we descended by a wood road to the bank of the creek, & found
Polypodium Dryopteris abundant. During the day, somewhere, met P.
phegopteris, took a few fronds of each. At Taberg, hired a horse & buggy,
& rode up to Fall Creek (crossing Florence Creek, which we explored at
the crossing, without any discovery worthy of note) stabled our house in the
barn of the corner of the Sawmill, walked down to the Sawmill, & thence
along the wooded bank to, & perhaps a mile below the junction of F. Creek
with Fish Creek, before I found a practicable descent. In walking up, I
managed to lose my footing and slipped into the water over the waist. Took
off my boots & stockings, emptied the boots, wrung the stockings, the
bottoms of my pants & then put on my stockings & boots. And I worked
my way back again up the hill to the road, while Paine kept on up the creek.
He tells me that above, and particularly at the junction of the creek the wet
rocks are covered with the Primula & Saxifrage, & he brought back a
handfull of the former in flower, also some specimens of a Ribes, which is, I
think, the lacustre, and also the leaves and old flowers of (relying upon his
statement that it was a composite), probably Artemisia borealis, which is
also abundant. (It turned out to be Potentilla fruticosa). In the wet part of
the field, behind the school house, I found a few very young specimens of
Botrychium simplex. Rode back to Taberg, then to the station, & by the R.
R. to Watertown, where I arrived all in a shiver. Got a good supper at the
Woodruff House, & went immediately to bed. [This is the Watertown and Rome Rail Road (see
miscellaneous index). Torrey's flora of New York does not mention Vasey: Vol.
2: p. 7‑8 Primula mistassinica Michx., Dwarf Canadian Primrose "Yates
county (Dr. Sartwell, the only known locality of this neat little Primrose in
the United States.' On the other hand, Saxifraga aizoides, Vol. 2 p. 516:
"Wet rocks, Annsville, Oneida county, on the east branch of Fish creek
(Mr Vasey and Dr. Knieskern.) Fl. June. This interesting little plant has
been nowhere found in the United States except in the locality given."
In Gray's 1887 edition of the Manual more Primula stations had been
discovered: "Shores of the Upper Lakes: also Crooked Lake (Sartwell) and
Annsville, Oneida County, New York (Knieskern and Vasey), Willoughby
Mountain, Vermont (Wood, &c.), and northward." (p. 314).] [1864] June 2. Up early [at Watertown]. Leaving
Paine in bed, I crossed the River and walked down it a mile perhaps, then,
returning, took the railroad track, &, in reaching the railroad bridge,
descended to the bank above it, & there, in the rocks, found Ceanothus
ovalis in flower. After breakfast, called on Ms. Crawe, widow of Dr. Crawe, the naturalist. Walked
down the north (right) bank of the river to Brownville. At the R. R. bridge,
with the Ceanothus, Paine found Prunus pummila. Going along the river, we found
on the rocks Alsine Michauxii, (rarely in flower, and almost ripely in seed),
Geranium Caroliniana, Houstonia ciliata (?) & coerulea, Arabis hirsuta,
Turitis glabra, &c., &c. Here also, I found C. eburnea. Saw also
Lonicera hirsuta. From Brownville, searched
the woods & rocks for a mile & a 1/2 to 2 miles, for the Calypso
& Anemone multifida in vain. In a dry grassy field I found Ophioglossum
vulgatum, in profusion, here & there just sending up its fertile frond.
Saw it also in another field. The plant very small. In walking back along the
river I collected two very handsome grasses, one, probably, Poa debilis
(=Festuca nutans.) & the other I know not what, spikelets several
flowered & lower palea awned (June 4. Examined it & think it is Avena
striata!). Crossed the River at Brownville, took the road for almost a mile,
then stuck to the woods in the river, kept in them for perhaps a mile. I
micked [sp.?] a grass (Milium effusum), & a Carex, then to the road,
which we kept to Watertown. Supped, took 7*45' train to Rome, which we
reached at about 12 P.M. In a little while Paine was able to go to Utica, but
I had to wait till 8 A.M. of June 3d, for the westward train, which brought
me safely home at about 11 A.M. [The river is the Black River. In the village of
Watertown there were three roads and two railroad bridges; see Watertown in
miscellaneous index.] [1864] June 4. Met A. Westcott, M.D., of
Syracuse, at Geo. W. Tifft's Office, in the morning. Wrote to him, at
Syracuse, & mailed him the Regent's Circular, & my list. ["My list": Clinton, George W. 1863.
Preliminary List oof the Plants of Buffalo and Its Vicinity. 17th Annual
Report of the Regents on the State Cabinet: pp. 24‑35. Albany. [Also 12‑page
pamphlet, Buffalo, 1864 (Zenkert 1934)]. [1864] June 5. Walked, after dinner. In dark
wood, on the left of the State Line R. R. going out, in the corner this way,
found Avena striata with Poa alsodes, also picked up Carex debilis & 2
others. [1864] June 6. Went by 6*30' train to Westfield
& arrived there at about 9.A.M. Finding that the stage to Mayville did
not leave until 3 P.M., walked on about 4 miles to a Mr. Raynor's [sp.?], and
got his boys Rosells [?] & Sam, with their old dog Buck, to show me to
& down the Hog's Back, a ridge like promontory running down some 100s of
feet to the Chautauqua Creek. At the top found Lonicera hirsuta, specimen
poor, flowers worm eaten. Scenery fine. At the bottom found Euonymus obovatus
in profusion, & finely in flower. Walked up the Creek about 1 mile, &
then ascended the bank & crossed to the road & walked on to Mayville.
Dined at Gifford's Tavern and took the steamboat for Jamestown, arrived at
about 7 1/2 A.M., took carriage of Allen House, on the way met Mr. Mayhew
& wife. She recognized me, they turned back, caught & took me to
their house. [Mayville is near the head of Chautauqua Lake,
not on either the Chautauqua or Little Chautauqua Creeks. Chautauqua Creek is
in Westfield. Clinton walked from Westfield, nearly on the shore of Lake
Erie, southeasterly to Mayville, on the head of Chautauqua Lake and took the
steamer down Chautauqua Lake to Jamestown at its southern end.] [1864] June 7. [At Jamestown] Up & dressed
at 5 A.M. Walked down the R. R. to where it crosses the outlet, found nothing
but a Poa. After breakfast walked in the swamp on the left bank of the outlet
& up the railroad to the Lake. Found Milium, a Poa (alsodes), 2 Carices,
one, C. bromoides. Dr. Hazeltine wants to send us his insects, but
has no means of packing. Mem. send him cases. In the afternoon called, with Kate Mayhew, on
Miss Hortense Kinney, a botanist. Promised to send her some specimens.
Got 3 specimens of Magnolia acuminata from tree by the wayside. It is going
out of flower. After dinner (at 6 P.M.), Kate, Mayhew &
myself had a nice row up the outlet. A maple which grows in the water on the
bank is, I think, A dasycarpum, & agrees well with Street's description
of "the water maple" in his sketches of a trip among the woods
& waters of the Adirondacks [?]. ["The foot of Chautauqua Lake extends into
the S. W. corner [of Ellicott twp.]; and the outlet flows E. through the S.
part of the town, receiving Cassadaga Creek as a tributary." (French
1860 p. 212). The dominant railroad in Chautauqua Co. is the New York and Erie
Rail Road between Dunkirk and New York City and "taken in connection
with the connecting railroads and vessels upon the lake is one of the most
important of the great thoroughfares between the Atlantic seaboard and the
Valley of the Mississippi." (French 1860 p. 209).] [1864.]
June 8. Before Breakfast walked in the cleared swamp on the left
bank of The Outlet just above Jamestown. Collected some Rhamnus alnifolius, now in
green fruit. After Breakfast Kate [Mayhew] & I walked
along the r.r. & around the wood to Mr.
Lowry's house, finely furnished, nice library. Mayhew came along with
carriage & drove us to Panama, 14 miles from Jamestown. Mr. Sessions,
brother of the Senator, guided us
among "the rocks" & treated us to a bottle. The Rocks are on a
hill side, not so extensive as nor comparable with Rock City. The Mountain
ash in bud, but not in flower. Took some leaves. A Carex or two. A Viburnum,
not yet in flower, probably the lentago, took specimen, the lentago being in
flower elsewhere. Dined at Smith's Tavern, good dinner. Did not find out,
until after my return to Jamestown, that Mrs. Smith (a sister of Dr. Hazeltine) is, or was, a botanist,
& is the
Miss Hazeltine who is named,
in the Natural History of the State.
An authority for existence
of the Trollius &c., at
Jamestown. Returned too late for train to Salamanca. In the
cemetery in the Village, found Gillenia trifoliata just flowering. Took
specimen of it & also of the Spruce.
Miss Kinney having told me that there is a swamp
not far from Thi..ah, where she had collected the Sarracenia, determined to
explore it in the morning. [Torrey, J. 1943. A Flora of the State of New
York, comprising full descriptions of all the indigenous and naturalized
plants hitherto discovered in the state; with remarks on their economical and
medicinal properties. Vols. 1 & 2 of Natural History of New York. Albany.
In Torrey, Vol. 1 p. 18: Trollius laxus Salisb, the American Globe‑flower:
"Sphagnous swamps near Utica (Dr. Gray). Jamestown, Chautauque county
(Miss C. Hazeltine). Wet woods, Mount Hope, near Rochester (Prof. Dewey). Fl.
Early in May. ‑ A rare and handsome plant, looking at a little distance like
a large‑flowered Ranunculus."]. [1864.] June 9. Thursday. In the morning, it rained
heavily. Mayhew's name is Jonathan Edward.
The children are Catharine Elise & Edward Carl. Took the 10*45'
accommodation train to Salamanca, which did not start till a little after 12
M. Arrived at Salamanca at about 2 1/2' & dined. On the hill opposite the
station found Lupinus perennis in great abundance. Found 1 specimen of
Chamaelirium, & some Clintonia umbellata. In the evening, Mr. Hawley, agent of the Steam
Mill 2 or 3 miles up the River, told me about the fishing in the Turry (Tunungwant?)
River. You go the Canottus (?) [?] the station next beyond Great Valley &
thence, by rail, to Bradford, & a few miles further. [On the New York & Erie Rail Road the
stations on either side of Great Valley are Tunungwant [sic] on one side and
Bucktooth on the other (French 1860, p. 71). The spelling is otherwise
Tunegawant and it is designated a creek of Cattaraugus Co., which is a
tributary of the Allegany River. (French 1860 p. 186). It flows into the
Allegany in Carrolton twp. (French 1860 p. 188)] [1864.] June 10. Up at about 4 A.M. Walked
through Great Valley to Salmon Porter's, & got bowl of bread &
milk. The old man walked with
me through the City. A high
wind yesterday had blown down some trees, and so enabled me to get a few
specimens of Magnolia acuminata, & also of a maple, probably A. saccharinum. Took specimen of a shrub, just budding, probably Ilex monticola (Gray thinks it
is). Walked down to Salamanca, the
old way. Collected on the hill &
descending, Clintonia umbellata & Listera c[onvallarioides]. On the side of the r.r., some 1/4
mile above Salamanca, found the Oyster
Plant (Tragopogon) established.
Took a few specimens. Found
that Charley (Thomas) the landlord's
son, had caught two of the Menopoma, here called Alligator, for me.
Caught them with a snare. Went
out with him in a
canoe. He says they are found
only on the rocky side of the River.
It requires bright sunlight to see them. They are not timid, bite at the snare, when the loop is brought up to them. Can be lured out of their holes by throwing
in dead small
fish. He caught another.
Took 4* P.M.
train, & got my alligator
safe to Buffalo, via Dunkirk, at about 10*30'. [Listera convallarioides (Sw.) Torr. Broad‑lipped
Twayblade. The River is the Allegany.] [1864.] June 11. Saturday. Before breakfast,
delivered the Menopomas to Sellstedt & he put them in one of the
aquariums in the Society's Room. After dinner, near the Grove, in Forest Lawn,
& in the wood beyond the turnpike gate, which I shall hereafter call
White's woods or grove (Dr. White being owner of the land) collected some
Carices & grasses and, among them, Carex retrocurva, and a Festuca which
I think is not in the list (Festuca ovina, v. duriuscula). [1864.] June 13. After dinner, rode to the Dam
& walked up the Conjockety. In the wood, opposite, but north of the
sawmill, found the Festuca & collected yesterday. [Conjockety Creek is the present Scajaquada
Creek]. [1864.] June 14. After dinner, walked with Day,
on the Plains. Picked some grasses &c. Behind Machel's [?], Ipomoea
pandurata just extending its vines. Collected a Carya. Struck the 3d road
above the Tollgate. In the wood before striking it, found a Lithospermum, probably
S. latifolium, in the dry field, between the wood & the grove.
Ophioglossum, very little more advanced than that I found in Jefferson
Co. [See 1863:July 2. On Jewett's 1862 map of
Buffalo, the streets beyond the tollgate, assuming it is at the Scajaquada
Creek, are Steele St., Forest Avenue then LeRoy Avenue.] [1864.] June 15. Wednesday. Took, with Day,
6*15' A.M. train to Tonawanda & there, the connecting train, on the
Canandaigua & Niagara Falls R. R., to Akron, & called on E. W.[?]
Charles B. Rich & on Mr. Covey, the P.M. Mr. Rich walked with us to the
Creek (Murderer's) where, in what had been a white cedar swamp, collected a
little Spiranthes latifolia. Walked to Mr. Rich's house, which he calls the
octagon, it is an octagon,
& his housekeeper, Miss Earl, gave us a nice lunch. Mr. Covey had sent up
his pony & wagon. Mr. Rich drove
us to various points of interest. First to the Wickwire Ledge, a long, tall,
wooded limestone ledge, at the foot of which, many years ago., manufacturers
of false coin carried, or attempted to carry, on their business on the top of
it. As we walked along, Mr. Rich pointed out "one of the black snakes
which run up trees." I tapped it two or three times with my cane, &
stiffened it. Mr. Rich got some
strips of moose wood bark, & we ran a slip noose at the end of it over
snake's head & suspended him on a bush. I had found 1 specimen of
Adlumia. We descended, and, at the foot of the cliff, found Cerastium nutans,
very small, & Draba arabisans. In
the wet wood below the talus I found Asplenium angustifolium, but not in
fruit. Ascended the bank, & returned to the wagon, on the way, picked up
Mr. Snake who had knotted himself up very handsomely, and tieing him to the
back of the wagon, & carried him there almost all day, but, finally, I
put him in the wagon & covered him with grass, and, when we returned to
Mr. Rich's, put him in a paper box
& took him home, & delivered him to Sellstedt. In returning from the
Ledge, in the hard sides of the road, Adlumia plentiful, but the plants all
small. Made for the Falls of The Tonawanda, & came to a long swamp
[Tonawanda Swamp], entered it and took a turn in it near the farther end, saw
there a cranberry [word missing? such as swamp?], Rhus venenata, Drosera
rotundifolia, Potentilla palustris, Menyanthes trifoliata. Collected some of
Eriophorum polystachyon, 3 Carices, C. tenuiflora, filiformis, limosa), a
willow (=S. pedicellaris), specimen Platanthera dilatata, Lonicera
oblongifolia. Think I also collected here the small Scirpus (S. clintonii)
referred to in my note to Gray, of June [space: no date given], and his answer. (No 1 I did not.
Collected it on the Plains). Went across Tonawanda Creek a little above the
falls, and to the Falls. There to the Lake [?]. Then called at Eli S.
Parker's, on his sister Caroline, & then back to the Octagon, where we
dined, & took the train at 5*30', and reached Buffalo at about 7 P.M. I
have omitted to state that we also found Cynoglossum amplexicaule just over
the line of Erie County. [1863: Aug. 11. 'On the Plains near the
quarries, a small Scirpus which Gray
named S. Clintonii.' Wickwire Ledge
is probably what is now known as Counterfeiter's Ledge. Moosewood is
presently considered to be Acer pensylvanicum L. Tonawanda Falls is in
Genesee County, the town of Alabama. Zenkert (1934) called this Indian Falls
(see Miscellaneous Index), perhaps a tribute to the Tonawanda Indian
Reservation in the township of Alabama, Genesee Co. "Lake" is a
possible reference to the swamp.] [1864.] June 16. Thursday. Towards evening,
went, with my wife, to Agnes [sp.?] Warren's & Porter Thompson. Took from
former, specimen of the weeping birch, weeping ash, red‑leaved birch, Cytisus
from latter, Aesculus flava. [1864.] June 17. Friday. Afternoon, crossed to
Waterloo, walked through fields & woods to Frenchman's Creek, &
thereabouts. Collected Viburnum pubescens, Carex retrocurva, & some other
common things. [1864.] June 18. Saturday. On State Line R. R.
to Smoke's Creek, up the creek to Limestone Ridge, down by the Catholic
Asylum & West Seneca St. to Gun Bridge & so home. By the fence, at
the hollow, just after crossing R. R.
Bridge, noticed a Rumex, not crispus (=R. altissimus), and another up
Smoke's Creek on its shore. In ditch, by dark wood, beyond Marilla St.
gathered fruit & lowest leaves of the doubtful Sium, a little beyond,
Carex comosa abundant. By the fence, almost at the end of the partially
cleared field adjoining the wood, a fine bush of Rhus venenata, not yet in
flower. Soon after entering the wood at Smoke's Creek, Collinsia verna, in
seed, abundant, took some & found also a few flowers. Polymnia canadensis
abundant there. Found a birch bent
over, (perhaps nigra (No!), & took some fertile catkins. In the Limestone
Hill wood, picked up a Carex, probably C.
digitalis (Yes!). [This passage is the best indication so far of
where the Gun Bridge was located: on Seneca Street, not the bridge associated
with Abbott Road, downstream on the Big Buffalo Creek.] [1864.] June 19. Sunday. River side of Niagara
Falls R. R. this side of Bridge over the Canal, took specimen of a branching
Equisetum, from the sandy bank, supposing it to be E. hiemalis. Having some
doubt, mailed one to Gray. Evening. Mr. Day tells me he has been in Canada,
that de did not find his Liparis liliifolia, & that his Lonicera Tatarica
has gone wholly out of flowers. [The Canal is most likely the Erie Canal.
According to Clinton's miscellaneous index, Day was referring to Fort Erie.] [1864.] June 20. Walked, with Dr. Gay, to
examine a tree at Mr. Lansing's, corner of Delaware & Streets, at Mr. L's request, & found it to be Cornus alternifolia.
Took specimen of a Betula, from front of E.
Pirson's house, corner of Chippewa & Delaware. P.M. at Forest
Lawn, picked a few grasses, including 1 specimen of an Eatonia, & the
Festuca ovina, v. duriuscula. [1864.] June 21. Took early morning train to
Rochester, breakfasted at Congress Hall, called on Dr. Dewey, & submitted
some Carices to him. Took from his court yard, immature, what he called
Koeleria cristata (sed?) is Cynosurus, which he says is common in Rochester,
in courtyards, being from foreign seed, but not in the fields, also a
specimen or two of Laburnum (=Cytisus). Descended the bank & walked to
Upper Falls, nil, rather than take nothing, took 3 specimens of the common
rose from the talus. Noticed, on the cliff above, a fine bush of Rhus
aromatica. Took 11 A.M. train to Batavia, walked to the swamp by the gravel
hill, 1‑1 1/2 mile east of Batavia.
Collected in swamp Carex ampullacea, Carex filiformis, & Carex
flava, and Naumbergia, on the way, a Nyssa multiflora by the roadside, took
specimen. On the dry knolls, Festuca elatior. It seems commonish in this
western region. A wood duck, with her young, came suddenly upon them, they
made for the thick rushes, she, pretending she could not fly, fluttered along
to lead me away, acted like a hen partridge under similar circumstances.
Walked westwardly, probably 2 miles, on the central railroad, examining woods
& swamps. Nil, except in one field, on dry edge of swamps, some
Ophioglossum, a little better than that found at Buffalo, took a few
specimens. Returned by 6*45' train to Buffalo. [Cynosurus cristatus L., Crested Dogtail, an alien
grass of New York State. House (1924) reports it as "adventive as a weed
about the larger cities and towns. Not common." Dore & McNeill
(1980) report that the plant persists only a year or two. House (1924)
reported Koeleria cristata Pers. as occurring in "dry sandy soil.
Chemung and Tioga counties westward." The name Koeleria cristata,
commonly used in botanical manuals, is a nomen illeg. according to Mitchell
& Tucker (1997 p. 320); the name currently used in New York State is
Koeleria macrantha (Ledeb.) Schultes, an introduced grass (Junegrass).
Cynosurus cristatus was not mentioned in the 1887 version of Gray's Manual,
but the Koeleria is.] [1864.] June 23. Evening. Took from Day's
garden, Geranium sanguineum, from Coleman's Linaria bipartita, Willd., and
Spiraea filipendula, L., also a specimen of Veronica peregrina. [1864.] June 24. Before breakfast, from Mr.
Robinson's garden, easterly side of Terrace, between Church & Eagle,
Lychnis diurna, L., which seems to be propagating itself freely. Took also 2
specimens of common street side Poa, answering description of P. pratensis,
& yet, apparently, quite different from the pratensis of dry
pastures. About 11 A.M. walked on
State Line R. R., across the Bridge,
& at the hollow, collected Rumex altissimus, which is commonish along the
R. R. Took specimen of Heracleum, of the Thaspium barbinode on Wheelbarrow
Point, and two willows, for the stipules, also a specimen of Rumex crispus,
& one of Erigeron Philadelphicum. Also took a common branching Sparganium
, Festuca elatior common in the meadow
& everywhere. Along the R. R., at different points, took specimen
of Geum album, Geum Virginianum & G. strictum. By r. r. fence, at the
easterly end of Wheelbarrow Point, Dactylis growing abundantly. By side of
ditch, here & there, Erysimum cheiranthoides, very diminutive. by r. r. ,
at crossing of Marilla Street, on crossroad into dark wood, took another
Rumex, & there is, I am confident, a third species, but it is not yet
mature enough, the tip divaricately branched & leafless, & short
pedicellate flowers crowded. Along
ditch in dark wood found the Erysimum taller. Viburnum nudum & V. dentatum still in flower. Cut across
meadow to the Turnpike. Up Turnpike to swamp. Took leaves of small oak in the
open swamp on the right. Kept on the turnpike to the end of the road, &
thus, through the fields, back to the r.
r., & on to Smoke's Creek, & in crossing, took leaves of
another oak. Took a little more seeds of Collinsia, & snatched a Carex
from the wood, looking like bromoides. Walked on R. R. home. Approaching
Limestone Ridge from Smoke's Creek, in the stumpy hollow on right side of R.
R. found 4 or 5 better specimens of Ophioglossum than I have met with yet,
also an orchid, 3 leaved, looking very much like Platanthera flava, but the
leaves are keeled, erect (not flat) and, after I got home, by an imperfect
light, could see no spur. [Written
above: 'The spur longer than the tip, but, probably, P. hyperborea.'] Grabbed
another Carex. In the Smoke Creek wood took a grass, in a wood I passed
through in going to it, had taken another. Also Panicum latifolium & P.
dichotomum.) Also, in Smoke Creek wood, 1 small specimen of Botrychium
Virginianum, with a very small sterile frond, probably = simplex. [1864.] June 25. Collected, in Dr. White's
grove, some Festuca duriuscula, & Turitis glabra. (Erigeron strigosum
& annuum are in flower.) also some of the Carex which Dr. Dewey thinks to
be foena, and of glomerate‑headed one.
In the Grove, on dry land, an Eatonia. In Day's
Sphagnum, another, or the same, also Triticum caninum. Collected there a few
specimens of Spiranthes latifolia, & at the N.W. corner of Main St. &
crossroad by Schanzlin's Triticum Caninum? var! [Carex foena Willd.] [1864.] June 26. Sunday. After dinner, on
Genesee St., Mr. & Mrs. Day, driving by, took me in, on a visit to their
Aunt Susan (Mrs. Beech) in Cheektowaga, 7 or 8 miles from the City. Kindly
received. Walked with Mrs. Beech & Mr. Day in the neighboring woods. Mr.
Day pointed out a Stellaria which, he said, was the same Mr. Austin had sent
him for S. longipes, took some, & also some June grass (Poa) &c. In
the garden, found growing spontaneously, what Ms. B. called English chamomile.
Took some, & also Silene noctiflora (3 styles) One of the girls gave me a
specimen of Digitalis, & one of Sedum. Took also, from Garden, what Day
calls Thymus serpyllum. [Probably Coe Finch Austin; see Miscellaneous
Index. Cheektowaga, now a township of Erie County, did not appear in French's
Gazetteer.] [1864.] June 27. Monday. The English chamomile
is, probably, Matricaria chamomilla, L. The Stellaria collected yesterday is
longifolia. Collected some docks in Court House yard &
think they are R. crispus, obtusifolius, & (perhaps,) sanguineus
(=obtusifolius, var.). Afterwards, before dinner, walked up Niagara St.,
to the Reservoir & down to 6th Street, to Erie Co. Pen'y [=Penitentiary]
back to 6th St., & so home. On corner of Card... [Connecticut? Court?] &
Niagara Sts, took 2 or 3 specimens of Cynosurus cristatus. In grass flats
before Penitentiary, took the same, also a very small Bromus (B. mollis!) a
little bit of Lolium perenne, and a very small Festuca (F. ovina v.
duriuscula.) Sent the small Festuca & small Bromus,
& also the Koeleria (=Cynosurus), to Gray. [See June 21 for the reference to Koeleria.
Koeleria cristata is a totally different plant from Cynosurus cristatus. The
Workhouse, that is the Erie County Penitentiary, was located on Fifth St.
between Pennsylvania and Hudson Sts. Plants called 'docks' are in the genus
Rumex, in the Buckwheat family: Polygonaceae] [1864.] June 28. Thursday. Looking over &
changing my plants, am satisfied that the large Sparganium gathered June 24 is
the ramosum, so that we have at least S. eurycarpum, ramosum, & simplex,
as stated in prelim'y [=preliminary] list (1866, but believe in S.
eurycarpum, at least that the we have it.) After Breakfast, crossed to
Waterloo, & walked up by R. R. nearly to & then cut across to
Windmill Point. Took nothing by the way but a common Carex & Scirpus,
& Rubus odoratus. On the wet rocks a little above the Windmill Point,
collected Carex Crawei, Oederi, & aurea, all small, &, perhaps
stinted, noticed there Carex granularis, collected there, also Calamintha
glabella, & Spiranthes latifolia, & also 2 specimens of a small
panicum. Along the dunes, collected
Lithospermum hirtum. Took on the rocks & below, also, specimen of a small
Eleocharis (tenuis) with a running rootstock. Took specimen of Juniperus communis, depressed in fruit. Returned
by the beach. On a similar rocky point, found the same Carices & 1
specimen of Carex flava. Before reaching the dead stream which we cross close
to the fence, took specimen of an Equisetum growing in the sand. In the dunes
I visited so frequently last year, at the upper end, found a little of a tall
grass, just in flower, which looks like a Festuca, Bromus, or Poa, & is,
probably Poa trivialis (It was extraordinarily rank P. compressa) Took a
grass or two, probably a common Poa & Agrostis (A. alba) Also, for Day,
leaves of a Quercus. Also leaves from a poplar (there were 2 of them) 2 or 3
feet, leaves intermediate those of Candicans & balsamifera. Before
reaching the dunes last mentioned, near where I took the Equisetum, 3
specimens of Lathyrus maritima, below, 3 specimens of Rhus typhina, with very
soft yellowish flowers. Rosa blanda abundant on all the dunes, took specimen.
Took specimen also of Vitis cordifolia v. riparia & of Triticum repens. In the field,
approaching Fort Erie, Erysimum cheiranthoides, quite small. [According to Wood's Botany, Sparganium ramosum C‑B.
is a synonym of S. eurycarpum Eng. There is a Pellaea glabella Mette., the
Smooth Cliff‑brake.] [1864.] June 30. Went, by R. R. to Akron, & called
at the Octagon. Found Mr. Rich busy. Ms. Earl gave me some breakfast, &
then took me in one horse wagon to the Council House, & left me. I to be back by 4 P.M. Explored the swamp
below Council House, nil, back to Council House, & then, with help of an
old Indian found the Cranberry marsh. Collected in the two Carices, limosa
& tenuiflora, a Scirpus, but alas! not my little one (=E. tenuis),
Potentilla palustris, Calopogon pulchellus, Pogonia ophioglossoides,
Vaccinium oxycoccus. Pyrola, with white, rose‑tinged flowers, style long
& exserted, curved but growing straight, seems intermediate chlorantha
& minor (=P. uliginosa.) Eriophorum polystachyon & gracile.
Cypripedium spectabile very abundant. Walked back by the road Mr. Rich took
in bringing us in here, took, by way side, two specimens of Rosa lucida,
&, by the crossroad to the cliff, some Adlumia. Reached Richville just as
the train arrived, and found Mr. Rich at the Akron Station, & shook
hands, &c. He told me there had been a young man about from Yale College,
for some days, collecting fossils. I did not see him. Observed that Hypericum perforatum & Sambucus
Canadensis are just flowering, Sambucus pubens in
perfect fruit. [Akron is in Erie Co., Richville, where most of
the Tonawanda Swamp is, in Genesee. On the Canandaigua & Niagara Bridge
Branch of the New York Central there were stops at Richville and at Akron
(stations), 3.2 miles between them (French 1860, p. 70). See 1864:June 15
above. Note the reference above to Caroline Parker (June 15) who Clinton
designated a "squaw" in his miscellaneous index, the brother of
perhaps another Indian: Eli S. Parker. That another Indian helped Clinton
find the cranberry marsh may indicate an Indian community here, or the
Tonawanda Indian Reservation. This reservation "occupies a section of
land 2 mi. wide, lying on Tonawanda Creek and comprising about one‑fourth of
the area of the town [of Alabama, Genesee Co.]" (French 1860 p. 324).] |
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Scientific names may be looked up in the online checklist of Western New York plants. Find genus names beginning with A - C D - K L - P Q - Z. |