Ball Brooh 21 



Bear Berry {Cornus Canadensis) was about to set its 

 fruit. These berries are of a deep vermilion color, and 

 eatable if one has the patience to sever the seeds. 

 From the bark of this species of the Dogwood Family- 

 is extracted a tonic which is very bitter. 



I found the beautiful Star-Flowered Solomon's Seal 

 ( Vagnera siellata), and the deeper bogs revealed speci- 

 mens of the rarer bog species, Vagnera trifolia, which, 

 in spite of its name, produced plants with more than 

 three leaves, and many beautiful fragrant flowers of 

 a waxy white color. Indian Turnip (^Ariscema triphyl- 

 lum), more commonly known to-day as Jack-in-the- 

 Pulpit, was numberless ; the little priests in the pulpits 

 were dressed in cardinal's robes trimmed with stripes 

 of green, white, and purple. 



This sylvan retreat which yielded so many specimens 

 of beautiful flowers I called the *' Glen of Comus," for 

 I could not rid my thoughts of the deep, dark wood- 

 lands where Sabrina was lost among the enchanters.* 

 I fancied that the Purple Trilliums stood with nodding 

 petals bowed down to earth as though they were guilty 

 of some crimson sin and dared not lift their faces to the 

 sun. 



I gathered from every species some perfect treasure, 

 and then returned, wandering once more beside the cool 

 brook. I wondered if it carried all the memories of the 

 forest fastness, gleaned among the roots of our frail, 

 beautiful hillside flowers, through the mighty rivers 

 to the deep seaweeds and strange aquatic blossoms 

 ' Milton, Comus, 



