THE AMERICAN BOTANIST. 5 



has again reached a certain height in our heavens ; but a ramble 

 along the country side at this time of year, is likely to impress 

 one with the idea that the season has retired underground, 

 instead. In the depths of the pools life is apparently as 

 abundant and as lively as in summer, and on land, down among 

 the dead and yellow grasses, the perennial plants have been 

 showing star-like bits of green all winter. Other storms may 

 come, but these things show us how close in the milder season. 

 Just beneath the surface of the earth, spring bides her time. 



The first flower of the year, is supposed to bloom in 

 suburban gardens and to come from the ranks of the snow- 

 drops, hyacinths and crocuses. The truth of the matter is, 

 however, that these imported beauties are all outdistanced 

 and put in the shade, as it were, by a sturdy native American. 

 This species is common in every bit of boggy or marshy 

 ground in the Eastern States and is so impatient to put forth 

 its flowers that it often tries to bloom shortly after Christmas. 

 Although March is its chosen month, specimens in full flower 

 are often found by the middle of January. No care is ever 

 taken to cultivate the plant. By common consent it is given 

 a homely name and left half-buried in the mud of its boggy 

 realms. Yet, if one can but disassociate the flower from its 

 common surroundings and forget its infernal odor, our 

 humble skunk's cabbage appears as handsome a flower as any. 

 Indeed, report has it, that these same blossoms find their way 

 to the larger cities and in the hands of shrewd venders become 

 "black lilies" or "Japanese callas" and readily sell to those who 

 have forgotten their boyhood days or have never seen the 

 country in spring. Aside from its disagreeable odor, the one 

 fault of the plant is its commonness. If it were some rare 

 thing, it would doubtless be sought for our gardens and con- 

 servatories as, in fact, it is now, outside the region in which 

 it grows. 



While of obscure origin, the skunk's cabbage it not with- 



