INTRODUCTION 



Summer flowers of the roadside in the meaning 

 of this volume are the herbaceous plants ordinarily 

 found in bloom on the roadsides of our Northern States 

 during the months of July and August. It is true 

 that summer officially begins with the 21st of June, 

 but it is not until July that the full flood of the 

 season's flora is upon us; and, although summer 

 officially continues until the 2 2d of September, the 

 prevailing flowers of September, the Goldenrods and 

 the Asters, are the flowers of autumn. The plants 

 described in this volume are those that the wayfarer, 

 starting out upon his summer vacation, will most likely 

 meet if he goes on foot, or pass if he takes an auto, 

 or see from the windows of his moving train; they are 

 the ones that are part and parcel of summer life, that 

 are ever in sight, that surround him at every turn. 

 In round numbers they vary from one hundred and 

 twenty-five to one hundred and fifty. 



This is about the number of conspicuous plants that 

 habitually leap the fences and stand by the roadside. 

 There is no thought of making this volume a catalogue 

 — plants that are not conspicuous are omitted, also 

 those like the Orchids that are rare. The book stands 

 for an effort to make the common wayside flowers 

 famiHar to the general public by sight and by name. 



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