A vivid portrait of post-Civil War South. This slim book is the diary of 28-year-old Muir. It is the record of a botanical expedition along the eastern seaboard south to Florida -- and a good introduction to this popular writer. It includes a long chapter on the swamps and forests of Florida. Although he scatters botanical information throughout the book, it is really the story of a wonderful adventure.  (FLA09, $11.95)

Plants