May; leaves contorted, and about three feet long; flowers pitchershaped, the California species differing from those elsewhere in having the opening on the under side; hence, it contains less water-only such moisture as it gathers from evaporation or its own secretions. The throat of the orifice exudes a sweetish substance attractive to flies and other insects, which having entered it are unable to escape, owing to the inside of the flower being set with slender hairs pointing downwards, like the wires in a mouse-trap. In this manner the flower becomes often half filled with the foetid accumulations of these decaying insects. It is considered both a preventive and sovereign cure for small pox, the Indians having the greatest confidence in its virtues as such. It is considered a valuable addition to the Materia Medica.

Arnica mollis, Soft Arnica. Found along mountain rivulets and ravines; in the redwood lands, and along the coast. Plant from two to three feet high, pale green color, clothed with soft, fine glutinous hair; has a bitterish taste, resembling that of the dandelion root-but more balsamic and biting; exhales an odor slightly like that of the apple blossom. Abounds in strychnine, and is, therefore, useful in all diseases where that substance is indicated. The tincture is also used for bruises, sprains, etc. Though its salts, when extracted, are a deadly poison, rabbits and other wild animals feed on it greedily, and with impunity.

Silene Scoulari, the Catchfly.-Plant from two to three feet high. Flowers-light lively red above, paler beneath. Stalk, except lower part, covered with velvety, viscid glandular hairs, to which flies and other insects adhere when lighting upon them-whence the name. Leaves-five to eight inches long, and one inch and a quarter wide.

Linum decurrens, and L. trisepalum, California Flaxworts.-There are several species of wild flax in California, two or three of which are found growing on the hills about San Francisco. The most common kind, the L. Californicum, is an annual herb, about one foot in height, much branched, with few leaves below; flowers, whitish, or slightly pink-tinged; found in Sacramento valley, back of Oakland, and in many other places. Several bales of this plant were collected near Marysville a few years ago, and sent to San Francisco under the supposition that it was "canchalagua," the popular fever and ague remedy, with which it really does possess many properties in common. One species of this wild flax bears large blue flowers; another, yellow flowers in May and June.

Conyza Saliciflora, Willow-leaf Flea-bane.-Abounds in salt and

fresh water marshes, and in shallow upland ponds; perennial; evergreen-blooming from September to April; from six to ten feet high, resembling a willow at a distance. Leaves-lancelate; seeds-rough and silky; plant and leaves, when bruised, emit an unpleasant odor, something like a mixture of camphor and bitter-weed. It is employed to make flea powders, also useful for dispersing gnats-hence the

name.

Hierochloa fragrans, fragrant, variable Grass.-Found on banks of Paper Mill Creek, Marin county, growing in tufts; blooming about first of April, (Bolander); also grows on old logs, and in forks of low trees; grass two to three feet high; slightly rough; roots perennial, creeping; leaves six to fourteen inches long, one quarter to three quarters inch wide, long pointed, rough, and bright green color; is used in this country for scenting clothes; in some parts of Europe is strewn before the church-doors on festival days.

Marrah.-Two species in California, one also on Cerros Island, coast of Lower California; purgative and tonic-used in early settlement of the State as a substitute for quinine.

Rahmus.-Shrub four to six feet high; wood hard and fine grained. Native Californians extracted from it an alkaline salt, much used as a tonic. Grows in barren, stony grounds.

Sarcodes Sanguinea, California Snow-Plant.-Found growing near the edges of, and even in the snow, along the sides of the Sierra. Specimens found by Kellogg, opposite Sitka. Is a parasite, growing from decayed wood on the soil; abounds with gallic acid.

Chlorogalum pomeridianum, (Kunth.), the Soap Plant of CaliforniaAmole. The bulbous root contains a large quantity of saponine, and when rubbed in water makes a lather like soap, and is good for removing dirt. It was extensively used by the Indians and Spanish Californians previous to the American conquest. The Amole has a stalk four or five feet high, from which branches about eighteen inches long spring out. The branches are covered with buds, which open in the night, beginning at the root of the boughs, about four inches of a branch opening at a time. The next night the buds of another four inches open, and so on. Is found from the upper Sacramento valley to Monterey.

Strawberries, Blackberries, Currants, Raspberries, and Salmonberries are all indigenous, and in a few localities abundant, though inferior in size, and the most of them also in flavor.

GRASSES.

While the grasses of California are numerous in variety, and the most of them valuable for pasturage, few are well adapted for making hay; wherefore, it may yet become necessary to import foreign varieties for meeting this want, provided such can be found suited to our peculiar climate. It may be easy to find grasses adapted to those portions of the State situated within the foggy regions along the coast, especially west of the redwoods. But to find those that will survive the long dry summers in the interior valleys, and on the foot-hills, will be difficult, if not impracticable.

Avena fatua, (Linn.), the Wild Oat.-Among the indigenous nutritious grasses, this is the best yet found for making fodder, save the cereals sown expressly for the purpose. The Wild Oat, in the year 1835, was found only south of the Bay of San Francisco; but about that time, when the whites began to cross frequently from the southern to the northern side of the bay, this grain being sown in a natural way by horses and cattle, spread rapidly over the Sacramento valley and the coast region, its range now being very extensive. It grows luxuriantly, surpassing in some localities the cultivated grain both in height, size and abundance of stalks.

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Lately the Wild Oat has been eaten down so closely by cattle, that in many places it has been killed out, and is fast disappearing in California on account of the country having been overstocked. This grain is propagated not by the roots, but by the seeds, many which fall into cracks in the earth, opening in every direction during the dry season, where they lie in safety until the rains come, when the ground closes up and the grain sprouts. The position of these cracks of one year may often be traced the next season by the stalks of the grain. The Wild Oat grows both on the hills and plains. The berry is so much shrunken that it is never threshed like other grain.

Atropis Californica, (Manro), Squirrel Grass.-"Comes in after the Wild Oats have become exterminated by close feeding. Foliage of no value," (Prof. Brewer). Very common throughout the State; perennial; March and April.

Quite late in the season (July and August) the dry hills are covered with another species of grass, the Gastridium Australia, (Beauv.), or Milium lendigerum, (Linn.) San José, in November. This has not before been noticed as a North America plant. Steudel states that it has been found in Chili. It is one of those few annual gregarious grasses Many consider it an introduced species, but its general distribution over the State, its character, with the fact that it

that cover our hills.

is a native of the countries of the Mediterranean (with which we have so many plants in common, especially of the lower orders), favor the presumption of its being an indigenous plant. Indefinite opinion regarding its value.

On the Oakland hills, and in San Francisco, on north hill-sides, and in swamps, a species of coarse salt grass is found, Calamagrostis alentica, (Trin.), forming large tufts; leaves very long and wide; generally breaking off a little above the sheaths. During winter, when feed is scarce, it is eaten by cattle. June; perennial.

The Aira danthonioides (Trin,), is found in moist meadows, forming often a large bulk of the grass. Oakland. In some localities it occurs sparingly; common in the Russian River valley; yields but little hay. April; annual.

Arrhenatherum avenaceum, (Beauv.), Oat Grass.-Observed in a cultivated field at Mendocino City, where it had been sown with Holcus lanatus, both grasses looking remarkably well. In Germany it is known under the name of "French rag grass." The roots are stoloniferous; perennial, and spread rapidly; the culms attain a height of from three to five feet; leaves plentiful and large. It yields a good deal of hay in dry, fertile soils.

Poa pratensis, (Linn.), Green Meadow Grass.---Meadows at Oakland, sparingly; roots stoloniferous; perennial; April. Thrives best on rather dry meadows.

On drifting sand-hills west of San Francisco, and near Bolinas Bay, grows a low, beautiful, dioecious perennial grass, Brizopyrum Douglasii, (Hook.), with extremely long runners, adapted to confining the loose sand and preventing it drifting further inland. April. As a fodder grass, useless.

Another species of Brizopyrum spicatum, (Hook.), Spike Grass, grows in the salt marshes near the bay of San Francisco, and upon saline soils in the interior. Useless for agricultural purposes. April.

In the wet and swampy places near San Francisco, in April, we find the Glyceria pauciflora, (Presl.), also seemingly useless.

At Oakland, Santa Rosa valley, Ukiah, and in wet meadows, grows a handsome and tender species of grass, of which horses and cattle are fond, Lophochlœna Californica, (Nees.) Is not capable of resisting heavy winds when grown alone. Mixed with other grasses, however, it would do most excellent. This is probably the only uncontested indigenous grass of California, deserving especial attention. Gregarious in manner of growth; annual—April.

The Kæleria Cristata, (Pers.)—Readily eaten by cattle, though not

the best of fodder grasses. Perennial-April. Found on dry hillsOakland, San Francisco, Cloverdale.

Festuca Scabrella, (Torr.), Bunch-grass.-North hillsides and lightly shaded woods-the less shaded, the larger the tufts grow. Blades long, and break off just above the sheaths. During the winter cattle are fond of it, eating off the tufts as closely as possible. Very abundant along the shady hill sides of the Coast Range. April-perennial.

Festuca ovina, (Linn.), Sheep's Fescue Grass.-Dispersed sparingly. Found on Oakland hills. Gives but a small bulk, but forms a nutritious food. April-perennial.

Festuca pratensis, (Hends.), Meadow Fescue Grass.-This grass yields a large bulk of hay of superior quality; thrives well in dry and wet meadows, if the soil is fertile. Found at Tomales Bay. Aprilperennial.

Lolium perenne, (Linn.), Ray, or Rye Grass.-Found always near dwellings, quite sparingly. April, May-perennial.

Lolium tremulentum, (Linn.), Bearded Darnel.-Very common among grain; found at Oakland, and in other parts of the State. Grains of this grass are considered to be noxious, and poisonous to men and beasts. Haller affirms that this species of lolium not only produces intoxication, as its specific name implies, but that if baked into bread or fermented in ale, its administration produces headache, vertigo, vomiting, lethargy, drunkenness, and difficulty of speech-causing a trembling of the tongue, and even fatal effects. By the Chinese laws, for this plant is found both in China and Japan, it is forbidden to be used in fermented liquors. According to Withering, horses are killed by it, and dogs are particularly subject to its influences, when mixed in small quantities with their food. It is, however, said to fatten chickens and hogs.

Hordeum pratensee, (Huds.), Wild Barley.-Quite common in many meadows; in some it makes up a considerable portion of the bulk of grass growing. April, May.

Hordeum murinum, (Linn.), Wall Barley. For roads and lots; found at Spring valley; Mission Dolores. If allowed to insinuate itself into meadows it injures the hay and lessens the value of the crops. Its strong beards (arms) hurt the mouths of horses.

Among the second species of nutritious herbs indigenous to California, and valuable to our herdsmen, is the Alfilerilla, Erodium cicutarium, (L'Herit). It is succulent, sweet, hardy, bearing clusters of spikes or pins an inch and a half long. These spikes have given it the name of Pin Grass; and the resemblance of its leaves to the geranium has suggested the name of "Wild Geranium." It has a large root,