128 JSotanv? 



only 2)istillate blossoms. He told the maids that it 

 was enchanted, but that he could release the spell. 

 He said some mummery over the bush, and told the 

 admiring listeners to come in the proper season and 

 they would find haws. Then, at night, he brought 

 secretl}^ to the pistillate bush a large branch of stami- 

 nate flowers and Ijrushed it thoroughly over it. His 

 trick — or experiment — succeeded, the flowers were 

 fertilized, and, to the amazement of the girls, the 

 tree bore fruit. 



Of all plants the orchids are the most remark- 

 able in expedients for fertilization. Since Darwin 

 opened the eyes of the world to their wonderful 

 structure, there is a romance about the very name 

 orchid, and we feel that it must be synonymous with 

 beauty, remembering those marvels of the florist's 

 windows, where all splendors of flower form and 

 color seem to meet. Truth is, there are some very 

 inconspicuous orchids, as the " green orchis " of our 

 bogs, with small, unattractive spikes of dull green 

 flowers. In general, when we say " orchid," our 

 imaginations hie away to the exotic parasites for 

 which fabulous sums have been paid. Our own 

 woods and swamps still show numerous beautiful 

 orchidean varieties, which are in a fair way to be 

 destroyed b}" ruthless tearers-up of entire j^lants. 

 Nearly every one has seen the great jjurple lady's- 



