THOMAS THE YELLOW LADY'S SLIPPER 267 



the country where at one time they were qujte abundant; this 

 coupled, alas! with the careless method employed by old and 

 young alike in plucking the flowers in such a manner as to ser- 

 iously injure the plants. I refer in particular to the method too 

 often practised where whole armfulls of the flowers are torn up 

 from the ground without regard to the future welfare of the 

 plants. Often this is done thru sheer ignorance of the precepts 

 governing the gathering of flowers. It is to be regretted, how- 

 ever, that more is not said and done toward giving advice and at 

 the same time stimulating an interest among the school children 

 towards conserving these beautiful and choice gifts of nature 

 which we, her custodians, should hand down to those who follow 

 in our footsteps. 



C. puhescens has what Burroughs calls "a heavy oily odor" 

 and is not so attractive in this respect as its smaller flowered 

 sister C. parviflorum. This species tho rarer is more widely 

 distributed thru North America according to Sir Joseph Hooker, 

 who mentions without giving his authority, that "its rhizome or 

 root-stock replaces the valerian as an anti-spasmodic in the es- 

 timation of Anglo-Americans." The musty smell possessed by 

 many orchids, and used, it is supposed, to attract night-flying 

 insects, is very noticeable in our Lady's Slippers, particularly in 

 their roots .^ It is an earthy scent which one grows to like and to 

 associate with nature, as he does the smell of a wood fire. 



The Lady's Slipper 



Where Cinderilla dropped her shoe, 

 'Tis said in fairy tales of yore, 



'Twas first the the lady's slipper grew 

 And there its rosy blossom bore. 



And ever since, in woodlands gray. 



It marks where spring retreating flew% 

 Where speeding on her eager way. 

 She left behind her dainty shoe. 



— Elaine Goodale 



