SUMMER MEETlNc; AT OREGON. 107 



Its equally parasitic but more earthly colored cousin, the brown 

 Sc/nvcinitaia, (Heaven preserve us from any more such botanical 

 names !) perfumes the air in the same damp and shadowy nooks. 



All the beauties and intricacies of orchid structure, which furnished 

 Darwin wath his most interesting problems in the fertilization of plants 

 by insects, are illustrated in the twenty or more species that may be 

 found in various localities in our state. 



While on this subject I wish to add a few words on the preserva- 

 tion of our native flowering plants and to indicate some of the species 

 that will best repay our care. 



Where the country is thickly settled and the w^oodlands and the river 

 bottoms opened for the pasturage of cattle, the choicest species speedily 

 disappear and the most careful flower seeker finds nothing to reward 

 his effort. These delicate wildlings will not brook rude treatment and in- 

 vasion of their homes. Yet, strange to say, most of them wall bear re- 

 moval bravely, if taken up tenderly and planted in congenial situations 

 and will abundantly reward their preserver. A large proportion of our 

 most beautiful flowers are herbaceous perennials and will appear in the 

 .same spot for many succeeding years, even though they may not propo- 

 gate themselves to any great extent. Why some fail to do so, I have 

 not discovered. It may be because they miss some agency which na- 

 ture provided for their need in their native habitation. 



The secret of the cultivation of wild flowers is not to cultivate 

 them. The only attention of the kind that they will tolerate is a little 

 skilful hand weeding to prevent the encroachments of grass and clover 

 anJ a little jadicioas thinniag to preserve tha more delicate species 

 from being crowded by the more vigorous. 



They cannot, therefore be set out in flower borders with geraniums, 

 heliotropes and verbenas, and even if they would grow there, the jux- 

 taposition would not be favorable to the beauty of either. The all im- 

 portant thing is to choose the situation. It is best if partially shaded 

 and enriched only by leaf mold. I cannot exactly say with Emerson : 



" My garden is a forest ledge, " 



but it is on the north side of a rather high osage orange hedge, where the 

 natural clay soil has been deepened and mellowed for twenty years with 

 mold of the rapidly decaying leaves. To this spot we have been for 

 years in the habit of transferring at any season in which we chanced to 

 find them, all the beautiful and interesting native flowering plants and 

 ferns indigenous to the region. And verily we have our reward. The 



