palmer] the skunk CABBAGE 133 



woods is a little house of some sort. The overhanging roof, the 

 open door, all of these things remind one of the entrance to some 

 of our hotels. The comparison is not far wrong for here, in fact, is 

 the retreat or temporary home of some of the inhabitants of the 

 region round about. 



Most of us would not cherish a visit to a hotel possessing the 

 aroma which fills the air about these plants but then, we are not 

 the welcome guests. As in Postuni, "There's a reason" so here 

 there's a reason for all of these "airs." Very probably, the odor 

 serves the purpose of advertising to certain passing insects the 

 fact that here is a place where board and room may be had for the 

 asking. In these days of the reign of the H. C. of L. such an hotel 

 would undoubtedly prove very popular to most of us. 



If we look under the portico of this wet-woodland hostelry, we 

 will see within a large room with a structure which looks not unlike 

 a ball in the center. Possibly the visiting insects interpret the ball 

 differently then we for at any rate they proceed to enjoy them- 

 selves in this "ball-room." If we look into two or three different 

 hoods we will find that the balls are not all alike. Some, we will 

 find covered with groups of stamens, four in each group. Others 

 show only the tip ends of the pistils. If we visit these same 

 plants later on, we may find the order reversed or we may find still 

 other plants in which the stamens and pistils appear at the same 

 time. In this latter case, the stamens will probably be foimd at the 

 top and the pistils showing below. There seems to be no fixed 

 program for the appearance of these different parts as either the 

 stamens or pistils may appear first. 



It has been suggested that the insects which attend the parties 

 given in this "ball-room" may be carrion flies. Their visit results 

 in "carryin' " pollen, however, and it is probably because of this 

 trait that so much attention is paid them by the plant to make them 

 welcom.e. At any rate, the insects which enter the door, find a 

 large, airy (?) room where wind and rain cannot bother. To be 

 sure, the roof serves the double function of protecting the pollen 

 and protecting the insect guests. For that matter, all hotels not 

 only serve to give a temporary home for travelers but also serve 

 the purpose of caring for the owner of the building. What is more 

 the woodland hotel is a decided improvement upon the man-made 

 imitation for here we find not only food and shelter for the guests 

 but the wherewithal to pay for that food and shelter. In the 



