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40. The Live Oak grows here too. This singular wood - so peculiar in its properties is well adapted to ship building. Unlike other oaks it does not grow very high - so that it is difficult to get long sticks of it. I was much surprised to see how small and stunted it was. The longest sticks seldom exceed 39 or 40 feet. I noticed a great deal of dry moss hanging from the branches of the live oak. This was the Spanish Beard or Moss used for mattresses &c -. On the dead trees - green and flourishing hung the misseltoe - famous in song - and ancient Christmas times. There is much poetry in the misseltoe I know not why. Evergreens were plenty. In the wet and low places grows the palmetto - from which is made our palm leaf fans. It looks like a fan when growing - back leaf diverging from the root as from a center. It is a small shrub - like the Calamus or the Cat-o-ninitails. About 50 miles from the mouth of the river we began to reach the plantations. And the scenery began to assume a more interesting aspect. We watched then plantations with curiosity for this was the first time many of us were ever in a slave country. The plantations many of them were very fine - house - and buildings very fine and comfortable. The Sugar House and Negro huts are mostly together the dwelling of the owner - by itself. We could see the long shells of cane as we passed - it was the howing time. The cane is planted only on a in three or four years - the rest of the time it springs from the old roots. The Negro house - looked comfortable. They are one story - with stoop along the front and generally stand oppossite - a little street running down between them to the water. Regard is paid by planters in building their habitations - to the circulation of air and protection from the sun. Also to high winds and hurricanes which sometimes visit them. The buildings therefore are low and spaced out. Surrounded - with orange trees - the Pride of China - with shrubs and with green shade