THE PLANT WORLD 191 



M'ere twenty-five species to determine between. I persevered, however, 

 and finally landed on Paniciiin xanfho2)hysum, marked "rare" in the 

 Mannul. I declared that of course I was wrong, for my first grass, 

 picked at random, conld never be rare. But no, I found out later that 

 I was right. I rejoiced, and began to feel that my Knubble was cap- 

 able of producing anything. This grass was named by Professor Asa 

 Gray in 1835, when he was but twenty-five years of age. The name 

 xanthopJiysum refers to the yellowish-green color of tlie plant. Though 

 I found this grass so abundant on that i^articular spot, yet in all my 

 botanical wanderings since then in apparently precisely similar situa- 

 tions, I have never met with it again. This shows how very local or 

 restricted a plant may be in its range. 



This is a very simi^le story, but my object in telling it is to advise 

 and urge every beginner to seek out for himself some spot as I did, and 

 to make his pilgrimages there many and many a time, till he feels that 

 it is his second home. Analyze every plant that grows there. Become 

 familiar with the species, the genus, and the family of each one. You 

 will be surprised to find how many interesting plants can grow in a 

 small compass, and a thorough knowledge of them will give you a 

 splendid start. Puzzle out the names by yourself, no matter how long 

 it takes you. The longer time you spend, the more familiar will 3-ou 

 become wdth the plant and the fonder of it will you grow. Wliy do I 

 love so dearly the common agrimony {Agrimonia Eirpatoria), that 

 homely plant with small yellow flowers, that grows b}^ our roadsides? 

 Shall I ever forget that it has two akenes or small hard fruits inclosed 

 in a top-shaped calyx which is almost closed at the top? Why does 

 that picture always come up before my mind whenever I see the plant? 

 It is because when I first analyzed the agrimony in Shelburne years 

 ago, I spent two whole days in trying to find out its name. I am glad 

 that I did spend that time. I thought that the nearly closed calyx was 

 the ovary, and that the two akenes were seeds. No wonder I was 

 thrown off the track. I shall never forget my joy when I reached the 

 truth. Nature does not reveal her secrets too easily. Such delights 

 can all be yours if you will begin your study in this way, and as the 

 years roll by these fond recollections will grow deeper and deeper 

 and whenever you see a species of herb, shrub or tree that grew on 

 your Knubble, you will experience, as I always do, the keenest pleas- 

 ure and the fondest remembrance of early botanical days. 



Cambridge, Massachusetts. 



