:fBringln0 3fortb jfruit 183 



fact is, this j^lant seems to be well suited with almost 

 any place or month for blooming. From July to No- 

 vember it may be found in dry woods and pastures, 

 b}' dust}^ roadsides, along the hills, and down in the 

 swamp edges. The stem is very remarkable ; it 

 looks as if two stems had been closely twisted to- 

 gether, like a little green rope of two strands. The 

 leaves are long, linear lance-shape ; the lowest are 

 the longest, and all are sheathing ; the flowers are 

 small, silvery white, closely crowded in the slender 

 spike, and have the delicate fragrance of new-mown 

 hay. In New England this little orchid is some- 

 times called the '' wild hyacinth," but though it is 

 wild enough, refusing to abide in gardens, there is 

 nothing of the hyacinth about it. This is the last 

 orchid of the year, and also the smallest of our native 

 orchids. The procession of the flowers almost began 

 with our largest native orchid, the purple lady's- 

 slipper. 



The bees seem to know that their time for honey- 

 gathering is now very short, and they throng about 

 these silvery ringent corollas. When the noonday 

 sun shines warm, the soft, lazy air is full of the per- 

 fume of the ladies-tresses, and everywhere echoes 

 the hum of bees, we might be beguiled into the fancy 

 that the year had, like the dial of Ahaz, turned again 

 backward, and that instead of bearing down on snow 



