272 IOWA ACADEMY OF SCIENCE Vol. XXVI, 1919 



season. If you search carefully in a shaded portion on top of the 

 bluff you may find the lady slipper, Cypripedium pubescens, while 

 clinging close to the water are the so-called lady slippers, more 

 properly known as jewel weed, both /. pallida and /. biflora. 



The Winona Track, leading out of Osage to the southwest, once 

 a proposed railroad, is now only a trail, where hundreds of feet 

 hurry away in the spring time, when we hear that the pussy willows 

 are out or the mayflowers are in blossom. 



The old mill, too, is a misnomer now, for all that is left of it are 

 the old mill stones and the weed-grown race. This lies about half 

 way between Pierce's bridge and the Middle bridge. It is so dense 

 and damp down in there that one is sure to find some new treasure 

 of bird, bug or botany. 



The Ryan farm lies on the prairie road that runs between Osage 

 and Mitchell and just oflF from the River road. It is one of my 



Fig. 94. — The spring at Spring Park, Osage. 



favorite haunts, not only because of the natural beauties I find 

 there, but because of the hospitality of its owners. 



The Indian Head bluff is on the east bank of Cedar river about a 

 quarter of a mile down from the bridge west on Main street. Here 

 we find again the combination of bluff, river bank and field or pas- 

 ture that brings such a varied flora. The base of the cliflf is an 

 example of one of the most puzzling nonconformities in Iowa, 



