II FERTILE FRONDS PARTIALLY LEAF-LIKE, 

 FERTILE PORTION UNLIKE REST OF FROND 



while raking in a similar locality, I found several, 

 within a stone's throw of the house, demonstrating 

 again the well-known fact that a thing once seen is 

 easily discovered again. On the 23d of last August, 

 while riding on my bicycle, I noticed a field that 

 appeared to be the right locality, and an investiga- 

 tion showed an abundance of them. I subsequently 

 found it in another place. This year, on May 28th, 

 I found it in another locality just as it was coming 

 up, and I have since found three others. I con- 

 sider it abundant here, only appearing rare because 

 growing hidden in fine grass in old mowing fields, 

 after the red top and timothy have died out, and the 

 finer species of Carex are coming in. A good in- 

 dex plant is the Habenaria quoted. I have never 

 found it except when associated with this plant, 

 on a cold, heavy soil. The leaf is usually hidden, 

 or, if not, is easily passed by for Maianthemum or 

 Pogonia." 



In the " Grete Herbal " of Gerarde we read that 

 " the leaves of Adder's Tongue stamped in a stone 

 mortar, and boiled in oyle olive unto the consump- 

 tion of the juice, and until the herbs be dried and 

 parched and then strained, will yeelde mostexcellent 

 greene oyle or rather a balsame for greene wounds 

 comparable to oyle of St. John's-wort if it do not 

 farre surpasse it." 



It is said that " Adder's Spear Ointment," made 

 from the fresh fronds of this plant is still used for 

 wounds in English villages. 



The Adder's Tongue was believed formerly to 



78 



