THE TRAILING ARBUTUS. 



(Epigaea 



Many years ago, before the May- that it follows closely in the footsteps 



flower had cast anchor in Plymouth of spring, often pushing up its dainty 



Bay or Columbus had landed at San blossoms through the leaves and snow. 



Salvador, an aged indian sat shivering It is always known as the Mayflower 



in his wigwam. Vainly had he sought throughout New England and the old 



for fuel and in his extremity he called story of its being Flora's first offering 



upon the Great Spirit, that he might to the ocean-tossed pilgrims as they 



not perish with the cold. Crouch- landed at Plymouth, in appreciation of 



ing over the dying embers of his fire which they named it the Mayflower in 



he stoically awaited the end, when memory of their vessel, has endeared 



suddenly there appeared before him a the beautiful plant to every New Eng- 



beautiful maiden wreathed with wild land heart and has caused it to be 



flowers and carrying in her hands, placed in Cupid's keeping, along with 



buds of the willow. Ferns and grasses the Scotch blue bell, the German corn 



draped her form and her moccasins flower and the Swiss edelweiss, 



were fashioned from pure white lilies. The Trailing Arbutus (Epigaea 



When she breathed the landscape sud- repens) belongs to the Heath family or 



denly blossomed with the thousand Ericaceae and constitutes the only spe- 



hues of nature and the warm rains fell cies of the genus. Like the partridge 



in obedience to her will. berry which is often associated with it 



Under the influence of this spirit of in pine woods and sandy soils, it is still 



the springtime the aged red man in a state of transition, although it has 



slumbered and, as his head sank upon been developing for centuries. As a 



his breast, the sunshine came out in all rule, plants have the stamens and 



its splendor and a blue bird alighted pistils in the same blossom or part in 



upon the top of the wigwam. Slowly one and part in another. The May- 



the maiden passed her hand above the flower, however, does not carry out this 



old indian and gradually he shrank arrangement. Either the anthers or 



away until nothing remained but a the stigmas are abortive or partially 



cluster of green leaves. Then taking so, or in other words, the perfect stig- 



from her bosom a cluster of rosy bios- mas are usually associated with abor- 



soms, she concealed them among the tive anthers and vice versa. In this 



leaves, bestowing upon them her own manner, nature has wisely provided for 



sweetness and fragrance and telling cross fertilization which is accomplished 



them that as the harbingers of spring, largely by insects, as the structure of 



all who would inhale their fragrance, the plant is not adapted to wind fer- 



must bow the knee in honor of the tilization. The chosen agents for this 



vernal goddess. The maiden then process are honey bees, and a few early 



passed away through the woods and moths and butterflies, to which the 



over the prairies and wherever her foot- nectar is served by this beautiful Hebe 



steps lingered, there grows today the of the spring and who carry the pollen 



sweet-breathed mayflower. from one flower to another. 



Whether or not this fanciful story A wise provision of nature has been 



relates the real origin of the Trailing pointed out whereby ants are kept away 



Arbutus, Ground Laurel or Mayflower, from the nectar which they would de- 



as it is variously called in different sec- vour without accomplishing the pur- 



tions of the country, the fact remains poses for which it was created. Every 



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