Late August and Early September 



clusters and broad, pointed leaves of the 

 white snakeroot, a near relative of the 

 boneset, are noticeable. This is a bright- 

 er-looking, more ornamental plant than its 

 celebrated kinsman. Along the streams 

 and in the thickets the sunflowers lift their 

 yellow heads far above our own, while the 

 wet ditches are gilded with the bright rays 

 of the bur-marigold. 



Somewhat southward the large heads of 

 the so-called golden aster (which is not an 

 aster at all) star the dry fields and road- 

 sides. In moist, shaded spots we find the 

 ephemeral day-flower, or Commelina, with 

 its two sky-blue petals quaintly commemo- 

 rating the two Commelyns, distinguished 

 Dutch botanists, while the odd petal, 

 which can boast little in the way of either 

 size or color, immortalizes the comparative 

 insignificance of a less renowned brother ! 

 At least so runs the tradition. 



From barren sandy banks in much the 

 same latitudes, spring the branching stems, 



121 



