A DAY IN AN OLD ORCHARD. 131 



plore far-off countries to see the most interesting objects 

 in nature. I can find more of interest in Limestone 

 groves, in Wende's woods and meadows and in the vicin- 

 ity of Portage than I can in the Adirondacks, the wilds of 

 E'orthern Michigan or the primitive forests of the Caro- 

 hnas. Even this old orchard of less than a dozen acres 

 has so many charming things growing and living, 

 flowerless and flowering, winged and four-footed in it, 

 that a Gray or a Nuttall would find it a field of delight 

 and study. There are mosses on the north side of the 

 tree trunks and lichens pendant from leafless branches. 

 Tall ferns are growing in a shaded corner of the lot near 

 a rivulet of pure water, and their broad fronds are as 

 green and thrifty as in the shady woods. The jewel 

 weed, with almost transparent stem, and leaves that 

 look like silver, when immersed in water, are abundant 

 and luxuriant. 



Dicentras, cardamines, trilliums, anemones, podophyl- 

 lums, Claytonias, and the beautiful little Geranium 

 dissectum grow here. The s]3ikenard {Auralia race- 

 7nosa) is so jolentif ul that neighbors come to dig the root 

 for medicine ; and, later, a troop of boys will be gather- 

 ing the sweet, juicy and aromatic berries. "What a 

 field for the herbal women! such hosts of simples! 

 spearmint, peppermint, catnip, horsemint, hoarhound, 

 pennyroyal, thoroughwort, yarrow, mayweed, smart- 

 weed, heartsease, wormwood, tansy, comfrey and bur- 

 . dock. My friend smiles when I ask him to spare a few 

 of the finer burdocks, and replies that "they are the 

 pest of the premises, good for nothing but to keep boys 



