AMONG THE WILD-FLOWERS 25 



cleave the tough fihrous sod to a depth of eight 

 inches. The smaller ones were barely two 

 inches below the surface. Of course they all 

 started from the seed at the surface of the soil. 

 The young botanist, or nature lover, Avill find 

 here a field for original research. If, in late 

 May or early elune, after the leaves of the 

 plant have disappeared, he finds the ground 

 where they stood showing curious, looping, 

 twisting growths or roots, of a greenish white 

 color, let him examine them. They are as 

 smooth and as large as an angle- worm and very 

 brittle. Both ends will be found in the 

 ground, one attached to the old bulb, the other 

 boring or drilling downward and enlarged till 

 it suggests the new bulb. I do not know that 

 this mother root in all cases comes to the sur- 

 face. Why it should come at all is a mystery, 

 unless it be in some way to get more power for 

 the downward thrust. My own observations 

 upon the subject are not complete, but I think 

 in the foregoing I have given the clue as to 

 how the bulb each year sinks deeper and deeper 

 into the ground. 



It is a pity that this graceful and abundant 

 flower has no good and appropriate common 

 name. It is the earliest of the true lilies, and 

 it has all the grace and charm that belong to 

 this order of flowers. Erythronium, its bo- 

 tanical name, is not good, as it is derived from 

 a Greek word that means red, while one species 

 of our flower is yellow and the other is white. 

 How it came to be called adder 's-tongue I do 



