The Bo^s of Ertchow^o^ 25 



shire as early as February and March. My observation 

 is that prime blossoms are found in the Hoosac Valley 

 region from March 15th until May 15th. I have also 

 gathered beautiful clusters as late as June 23d, in cold 

 nooks beneath the shades of spruce and pines. Their 

 spicy perfume is ever the delight of New Englanders. 



Scrambling with difficulty over a fence which sagged 

 toward me, I entered a neighboring pasture, finding 

 here more alder trees. Small tamaracks, Christmas 

 spires of spruce, and pine seedlings filled the pasture 

 with fresh evergreens, making me fancy myself in a 

 cultivated park, so regular and trim they stood. East- 

 ward crept Ball Brook, wandering through deep, reedy 

 grasses, where here and there stood tall spikes of last 

 year's Cat-tail Flag {Typha). Here also grows the 

 Sweet Flag or Calamus (Acorus), which is not only 

 good to eat, but a panacea for sore eyes. The cat-tails 

 stood stiffly erect, as if guarding the blossoming bog, 

 and serving, notwithstanding their dignity, as perches 

 for the saucy finches which still chattered after me. 



Now I passed through a barway to the right, ever in 

 hearing of the gurgling stream, which had reached a 

 hard, dry, gravelly soil, abruptly following the down- 

 ward slope around a hillside. A well-worn sheep path 

 led me down into a bog similar to the Glen of Comus 

 in District Fourteen, only if anything more wild and 

 weird. Through the openings between the trees and 

 knob-like glacial hills, I caught glimpses of the bold, 

 rugged form of the Dome, standing coldly against the 

 eastern horizon. 



