i6o Bog-Trotting for OrcKids 



Jack-in-the-Pulpit preaches from many rocky hills 

 and hollows in Mosholu and I^owerre, where grow the 

 largest plants I ever saw. They spring from bulbous 

 turnip or onion-like roots, and are sometimes called 

 Indian Turnips. These plants were known by Pliny 

 in Christ's day as "Dragons," on account of the stalks, 

 which are speckled like an adder's skin. The ancients 

 believed that the leaves of Dragonw^orts, carried in the 

 clothing, would prevent stings of vipers. Others be- 

 lieved that the leaves, wrapped around cheese, would 

 keep it from mouldering. 



Matthiolus thus described the Skunk-Cabbage of 

 this group, to which was attributed mythical properties, 

 since it grew sparingly in northern Asia : ' ' Great large 

 leaves, folded and lapped one within another, with an 

 upright stalke, at the top a floure like to a spikie-eare. " 



The Green Dragonwort and Jack-in-the-Pulpit were 

 known, until recently, generically as Arum. AriscEtna 

 antedates Arum, referring to the red-blotched stalks of 

 some species. Jack-in-the-Pulpit to-day is known in 

 the science as Ariscsma triphyllum. The origin of the 

 name Jack-in-the-Pulpit is recent, and, like Indian 

 Turnip, is purely of American origin. Clara Smith 

 of Medford, Massachusetts, so christened these Dragon- 

 worts, in a poem which was sent to Whittier for re- 

 vision. He published it in Child Life, about 1884, after 

 amending and adding several lines. The poem became 

 popular, and the flower was thereafter known as ' 'Jack- 

 in-the-Pulpit." 



Columbine was especially plentiful along the hill- 



