BLUE RIDGE BLOSSOMS. ■ iji 



— if one has enough of them. The bright emerald color of the 

 deeply-veined leaves makes a most effective setting for their golden 

 cups. During the whole of May and June I revel in an ever-increasing 

 flood of color and fragrance. The height of the floral tide is reached 

 early in July. Then begins the ebb, and though there are still flowers 

 and flowers, they lessen both in scope of variety and of interest. 



My list of the members of the Orchid family, found in the section 

 now numbers twenty-three, though it includes one or two which I have 

 been unable to identify. I have Liparis liliifolia, Aphxtruin hieinale, 

 SpirantJies prcecox and S. gracilis, Goodyear a pubescens, and a little one 

 which I believe to be an Arethusa, though not given in my manual. 

 I have Calopogon pulchelbis, Pogonia ophioglossoidcs, P. pcndjila, 

 P. divaricata, P. verticillata^ Orchis spcctabilis, Habenaria tridentata, 

 H. cristata, H. ciliaris, which I find in endless profusion, and a quaint 

 white-hooded affair with a very long spur, evidently Habenaria, 

 though I cannot make it fit anything in my book. I have H. perajuania, 

 Cypripedium parvijior^ini, C. piibescens, C. spectabile, and C. acaule. 

 This by no means exhausts the possibilities of the section regarding this 

 family, but, as a botanical greenhouse, I am quite disposed to feel rather 

 proud of my success in finding so many of my particular favorites. 



The region is a very good one for Liliaceae. My list includes, 

 among others, the Yucca filanientosa, Polygonatum bifloriim, P. gigan- 

 teuni, Smilacina raccjuosa, Maiantheimim, Disporuni, Clintonia umbel- 

 lata, Uviilaria perfoliata, U. grandijiora, Oakesia sessilifolia, Liliuin 

 superbum, L. Grayi, Medeola, Trilliiim of five varieties, Cha7)icelirium, 

 Tofieldia pubeiis, Melanthium Virginictun, Sind Ajiiianthimn. 



I have made rather a specialty of both of these groups because 

 they interest me. I like the rich coloring of Calopogon, and am in- 

 terested by its curious structure. I know few odors which can com- 

 pare with the delicate fragrance of Pogonia ophioglossoidcs. I like to 

 bunch the Clintonia with sprays of Maiden-hair fern. I enjoy the 

 strikingly artistic effect of a cluster of Liliiivi Grayi. The rival 

 queens of the lily family are easily the Yucca and the L. superbum. 

 I have seen the superbum eight feet in height and crowned with thirty 

 or more of the golden-red bells. I found Habenaria ciliaris growing 

 so abundantly in one or two of my wild gardens that I could, and did, 

 gather it by the armful. Gray gives it as growing in "wet, sandy 

 places." I found few varieties of what I call "bouquet flowers " grow- 

 ing under such a wide range of conditions as this yellow-fringed 

 Orchis. I found it in abundance in damp bottom-land, and I found it 

 scattered profusely over the hillsides among thick undergrowth, and 

 in the open woods. I picked it on the top of Whitesides mountain at 

 an elevation of five thousand feet above sea level. 



[ To be concluded. '\ 



