50 Bog-Trotting for OrcKids 



As the spikes of the Tall Green Orchis {Habenaria 

 hyperbo7'ea) are frequent in the Pownal swamps, in 

 company with the Showy Lady's Slipper, I became 

 interested in this plant, so independent of Master Bee 

 or Moth. 



Professor Asa Gray, in various papers on fertilization 

 of our native orchids, has said that they w^ere all 

 arranged for fertilization by the aid of insects, and 

 that very few were capable of unaided self-fertilization. 

 He tested several species, and proved that it might 

 occur by accident, but in general his two self- fertilized 

 species of Habe^iaria were still an unsolved problem, 

 as later developments have proven in the case of his 

 supposed self-fertilized species, Habenaria hyperborea^ 

 which he asserted "habitually fertilized itself." At 

 least this species, although it may be fully equipped for 

 self-fertilization, has been reported quite recently to be 

 visited and fertilized by mosquitoes, proving that not in 

 all instances is it found " habitually fertilizing " itself.* 



In August, 1899, Professor C. A. Crandall, of the 

 Agricultural College of Colorado, with a party of 

 tourists camped on Medicine Bow Range, in that State, 

 at an altitude of 10,200 feet, and obser\'ed abnormally 

 developed mosquitoes bearing pollen-grains, which re- 

 sembled those of Habenarea hyperborea ; and so they 

 proved to be, b}^ subsequent experiments with speci- 

 mens of this orchis gathered from a bog near by their 

 camp.'' 



' Gray, Fertilization of Orchids, in Sill.Journ. 1862-1863. 

 -C. A. Crandall, Plant World, p. 6. Jan., 19CX). 



