FiNK 



mistaken for an anemone, but its rose-veined corolla and linear 

 leaves easily identify it. Parts of the carriage-drive in the Cen- 

 tral Park are bordered with great patches of the dainty blossoms. 

 One is always glad to discover these children of the country 

 within our city limits, where they can be known and loved by 

 those other children who are so unfortunate as to be denied the 

 knowledge of them in their usual haunts. If the day chances to 

 be cloudy these flowers close and are only induced to open again 

 by an abundance of sunlight. This habit of closing in the shade 

 is common to many flowers, and should be remembered by those 

 who bring home their treasures from the woods and fields, only 

 to discard the majority as hopelessly wilted. If any such ex- 

 hausted blossoms are placed in the sunlight, with their stems in 

 fresh water, they will probably regain their vigor. Should this 

 treatment fail, an application of very hot almost boiling water 

 should be tried. This heroic measure often meets with success. 



SHOWY ORCHIS. 



Orchis spectabilis. Orchis Family. 



Stem. Four-angled ; with leaf-like bracts ; rising from fleshy, fibrous 

 roots. Leaves. Two; oblong; shining; three to six inches long. Flow- 

 ers. In a loose spike ; purple-pink, the lower lip white. 



This flower not only charms us with its beauty when its 

 clusters begin to dot the rich May woods, but interests us as 

 being usually the first member of the Orchis family to appear 

 upon the scene; although it is claimed in certain localities that 

 the beautiful Calypso always, and the Indian moccasin occasion- 

 ally, precedes it. 



A certain fascination attends the very name of orchid. Bot- 

 anist and unscientific flower-lover alike pause with unwonted in- 

 terest when the discovery of one is announced. With the former 

 there is always the possibility of finding some rare species, while 

 the excitement of the latter is apt to be whetted with the hope 

 of beholding a marvellous imitation of bee or butterfly fluttering 



200 



