24 Bog-Trotting for OrcKids 



Partridge-berry and Boxberry. The last two names 

 are more frequently applied to the fruit of Mitchella 

 repens^ found growing in company with Gauliheria, 

 and producing edible scarlet berries on a trailing vine, 

 resembling myrtle. The flowers of this vine were now 

 in bloom, giving forth a delicate perfume. Their 

 white and pinkish-purple blossoms dotted the moss 

 with a brilliancy like that of the Trailing Arbutus 

 {^Epigaa repens), so lately faded. 



The buds of Moneses unifiora were putting forth 

 their "single-delight," the name coming from their 

 solitary flower. Here also were quantities of the glossy, 

 waxen leaves of Pipsissewa or Prince's Pine {Chima- 

 piiild), and low creeping evergreens. Common Club- 

 Moss and Ground-Pine were interlaced in their dark 

 green beds, where had recently nestled the clusters of 

 arbutus, now brown and faded, although the mossy 

 hummocks still held the fragrance of their luxuriant 

 green leaves. Whittier, writing of these spicy flowers, 

 associated them as the first flowers which the Pilgrims 

 looked upon after their landing on the bleak shores of 

 New England, at Plymouth, in the spring of 1621, and 



says: 



Yet, " God be praise ! " the Pilgrim said. 



Who saw the blossoms peer 

 Above the browu leaves, dry and dead, 

 " Behold our Mayflower here ! " ' 



In New England the Arbutus is commonly called 

 " Mayflower," — not that it blooms especially in the 

 month of May, for it has been found in northern Berk- 

 ' Whittier, The Mayflowers. 



