50 Do^-Trottin^ for OrcKids 



As the spikes of the Tall Green Orchis {Habenaria 

 hyperbored) are frequent in the Pownal swamps, in 

 company with the Showy Lady's Slipper, I became 

 interested in this plant, so independent of Master Bee 

 or Moth. 



Professor Asa Gray, in various papers on fertilization 

 of our native orchids, has said that they were all 

 arranged for fertilization by the aid of insects, and 

 that very few were capable of unaided self-fertilization. 

 He tested several species, and proved that it might 

 occur by accident, but in general his two self- fertilized 

 species of Habcjiaria were still an unsolved problem, 

 as later developments have proven in the case of his 

 supposed self-fertilized species, Habenaria hypcrborea, 

 which he asserted "habitually fertilized itself." At 

 least this species, although it may be fully equipped for 

 self-fertilization, has been reported quite recently to be 

 visited and fertilized by mosquitoes, proving that not in 

 all instances is it found " habitually fertilizing " itself.' 



In August, 1899, Professor C. A. Crandall, of the 

 Agricultural College of Colorado, with a party of 

 tourists camped on Medicine Bow Range, in that State, 

 at an altitude of 10,200 feet, and observed abnormally 

 developed mosquitoes bearing pollen-grains, which re- 

 sembled those of Habenarea hyperborea ; and so they 

 proved to be, by subsequent experiments with speci- 

 mens of this orchis gathered from a bog near by their 

 camp.* 



' Gray, Fertilization 0/ Orchids, in Sill.Journ. 1862-1863. 

 2 C. A. Crandall, Plant World, p. 6. Jan., 1900. 



