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FIELD BOTANY ^' 



'X^ 



Edited by Dr. H. A. Gleason, Urbana, 111. 



3- 



May-apples are ripe in x\ugtist. Just why the plant should 

 bear tlie name of May-apple, is not quite clear. W. H. Gib- 

 son, in his admirable "Sharp Eyes" hints that it is only a 

 mock May-apple, an imitation of another May-apple in New 

 England. Mr. Gibson and Dr. Gray neither express a very 

 good opinion of our well-known Podophyllum peltatum. 



"The May-apple of New Jersey and southward," says 

 Mr. Gibson, is a true fruit which follows a large white flower, 

 and Dr. Gray, the botanist, says 'it is eaten by pigs and boys!' 

 Think of it, boys ! And think of what else he says of it : 

 'Ovary ovoid, stigma sessile, undulate, seeds covering the la- 

 teral placenta each enclosed in an aril.' Now it may be safe 

 for pigs and billy-goats to tackle such a compound as that, but 

 we boys all like to know what we are eating, and I cannot but 

 feel that the nublic health officials of every township should 

 require this formula of Dr. Gray's to be printed on every one 

 of these big loaded pills, if that is what they are reallv made 

 of." 



Gibson evidently doesn't appreciate the flavor of the May- 

 apple, if we may believe his half-humorous, half-sarcastic re- 

 marks. But James Whitcomb Riley, who is a true Westerner, 

 was evidently of a different mind, when he wrote : 



"And will any poet sing 



Of a richer, lusher thing 



Than a ripe May-apple rolled 



Like a pulpy lump of gold 



Twixt the thumb and finger tips, 



And poured molten through the lips." 

 And what is more, Riley knew how to eat the May-apple, 

 for his little verse tells exactly how it is done. 



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