June and Early July 



visiting bee unconsciously transmits the 

 precious grains from flower to flower. 



Strictly speaking, the waxy flowers of 

 the rhododendron are more beautiful than 

 those of the laurel, but in our latitude 

 the rhododendron is not only far less 

 abundant, but also far less luxuriant in 

 growth and foliage. Thoreau is tireless in 

 his admiration of the " small, ten-sided, 

 rosy - crimson basins ' ' of the sheep - lau- 

 rel, or lamb-kill, a low shrub with pale 

 green, narrowly oblong leaves, and flowers 

 which resemble, except in size and color, 

 those of the mountain laurel, in whose 

 immediate neighborhood they are found. 



Not far from the laurels we find the In- 

 dian cucumber-root, with small, yellow- 

 ish flowers drooping from slender, wool- 

 clad stems, above a circle of oblong 

 pointed leaves. This delicate little plant 

 is less effective now than in September, 

 when its clustered purple berries and brill- 

 iantly painted leaves are sure to detain 



63 



