230 



AMERICAN FORESTRY 



closely resembling some kind of potato even to the "eyes" (Fig. 12). 

 It is situated close up to the stalk, while about it are arranged the 

 great bunch of long, stout roots. These grow to be as thick as an 

 ordinary slate pencil; they are very long, dark brown, and near 

 their distal ends support an abundant growth of fine fibers. Little 

 or absolutely no branching is seen on the part of any single one of 

 these roots, the whole assemblage being arranged on ellipsoidal 

 lines. It is an enormous root for the size of the plant ; and, unless 

 the ground happens to be very soft and soaked with plenty of water, 

 it is impossible to pull the growth up. To be successful, either a 

 trowel or a small spade must be used for the purpose. 



As the season advances, a great many other kinds of plants come 

 up in the bogs and meadows where the skunk cabbages grow. Sev- 

 eral species of ferns are found among these, as well as the early 

 grasses and sedges. Wild strawberries, too, are found where the 

 place is a little drier, and the brambles and briars are in full leaf. 

 Mandrakes are blooming ; and in favorable localities, on rocky ledges 

 above the water, we may possibly find a mass of giant chickweed. 

 Scattered groups of Jacks-in-the-pulpit are also seen. All of these 

 are so green and fresh and charming that one is very apt to overlook 

 the skunk cabbages, or to even ignore their presence altogether. Few- 

 trees have as yet leafed out, while the elegant blossoms of the dog- 

 wood may be out in all its glory. As a matter of fact, our study of 

 Symplocarpus has unwittingly carried us from the last few days of 

 February, through blustering March, well into the lovely month of 

 April, when not only this highly odoriferous representative of the 

 Arum family has come 

 to its full growth, but 

 the flora of the sea- 

 son is putting in an 

 appearance on every 

 hand. 



The vernal migra- 

 tion of birds is now 



well on all the early migrants are here. Indeed, more than ten days 



ago our favorite pair of phoebes built their nest in the usual place on 



one of the beams under the old rustic bridge down at the creek cross- 

 ing, and the pretty clutch of white eggs are already to be seen in it. 

 Not a few birds build their nests and rear their young right in the 



marsh or bog where the skunk cabbages flourish luxuriantly through- 

 out the season. Our Maryland Yellow-throat, for instance, will 



some times select a place for its nest as close to a skunk cabbage 



plant as it possibly can, right in the midst of rank grass and bramble 



so frequently found in such situations. The spotted sandpiper also 



occasionally selects some such locality; and, as a rare event, a pair 



of bobwhites have been known to build in such a place. 



Not only do some birds make their homes in the marshes where 



the skunk cabbages grow; we also find some mammals habitually 



doing the same, likewise various species of snake* and other reptiles, 



with not a few kinds of batrachians, fishes, and no end of insects and 



spiders, as has already been pointed out. Crayfish are also often 



abundant there indeed, were we to select an average bog of some 



twenty acres in extent, where the skunk cabbages are growing iu 



abundance, anywhere in the central part of its range, we could 



doubtless find living in such a place representatives of every 



animal group of. the same region, all the way from the low- 

 est invertebrate forms up to include certain mammals. Not only 



is this true of the warm months of spring and summer but like- 



r"""S <""J ouiiiinti, uui line Fig. 12 Here we have the root of a very old skunk cab- 



wise of the bitterly cold ones of winter. Durine'this latter oeriod SfV 'P th .'j. case 'l!? '" roo , tstock '' menti " ed by G r a y. '" 



j """ v " """"8 <a itiiici pcuuu, the last edition of his work, is present. Its form is well 



however, the presence of any number of skunk cabbages would in IwaTfrom "t^L^ng* cTrT"" in which the roots c mc 



THE ENORMOUS ROOT OF THE SKUNK CABBAGE 



Fig. 11 Few people have collected or even seen specimens 

 of the root of the skunk cabbage; the reason is that they 



are by no means easy to collect. Their gre 



very numerous parts give them a tremendous hold on the 



Their great length and 

 parts give tl 

 tough soil in which the plant usually grows. 



ANOTHER SPECIMEN OF THE ROOT WITH THE 

 ROOT-STOCK DEVELOPED 



