THE LA RUE HOLMES NATURE LOVERS LEAGUE. 



39 



tains a height of live feet and the stem 

 measures an inch in diameter. E. pra- 

 tense, E. hyemale and E. variegatum are 

 the least common species. They are 

 widely distributed, and choose very dif- 

 ferent habitats, some clustering on 

 river-bank or brook-si le. while others 

 choose to locate in the dryest sand. 



The common name of horsetails, from 

 equus, a horse, and seta, a bristle .was 

 probably given these growths because of 



species, that plows and harrows are re- 

 quired in ridding the soil of their intru- 

 sive presence, and so seem to have been 

 especially fitted to combat circumstance 

 in the battle for survival. 



Medical qualities have been attributed 

 to an acid obtained from the Equise- 

 tacea>. and at one time, it was consider- 

 ably used in this connection; it is now, 

 however, considered of little remedial 

 value. 



THE FIELD HORSETAIL— EOUISETUM ARVENSE. 

 "The most abundant species of Equisetum in the world. 



the somewhat bristly appearance of the 

 projecting teeth of the leaf-sheath, en- 

 closing the sections of the fertile stem. 



The name scouring rush applies to the 

 silecious character of some of these 

 plants, through which they became 

 known as important aids in polishing 

 wood and metals, for this purpose the 

 E. hyemale has been extensively im- 

 ported into Great Britain from the 

 Netherlands, and is consequently 

 known, in some localities as the Dutch 

 rush. The roots of the Equisetaceae 

 perennial, and so strong, in some 



To the nature lover the ranks of the 

 Equisetaceae are intensely interesting as 

 remnants of a past age ; relics of a con- 

 test with the forces of upheaval, and 

 change through the march of the cen- 

 turies. To these the phalanx of the E. 

 arvense is but a procession of little heroes 

 who are here because they have accepted 

 circumstance as they found it and sur- 

 mounted difficulties which have swept 

 others of their kind to oblivion, and their 

 march onward is because they have per- 

 sisted without faltering and so have 

 triumphed. 



