230 FLOWERS OF THE SUN 



away from the fence and invaded the richer meadow, 

 rose higher in spray and here proved itself to be 

 the tall, feathery Meadow Rue, with much -com- 

 pounded leaves. 



With the Rue a stately plant appeared. The 

 straight stalk, five feet in height, was capped by a 

 pyramid of nodding flowers and buds, fifteen in all. 

 The open flowers, with recurved petals of deep 

 yellow, and tiger -spotted, tawny -capped stamens, 

 vibrated at a touch, until it seemed as if they 

 would tinkle forth music as sultry as the day 

 itself. A giant Meadow Lily this, grown doubt- 

 less from a veteran bulb, for the others that nod- 

 ded drowsily over the field grasses grew in twos 

 and threes on stalks at most a foot or two in 

 height and varied in color from yellow through tawny 

 to Indian red. 



A springy spot was marked by the faded pink 

 spikes of Steeple Bush, a cousin of Meadow Sweet, 

 and another species that promises so much and 

 yields so little. Glints of red among the meadow 

 grass gathered in an erratic trail toward the shade 

 at the farther edge. Another Lily, but this time 

 the purple -spotted flower is held erect, chalice-like, 

 and when two or three branch from the straight 

 stalk, circled at intervals by its wheeled leaves, the 



