94 AUTUMN NOTES IN IOWA 



the thorns are in their way ahnost as beantiful as 

 the fruit. The ^'climbing bittersweet," also known, 

 according to Gray's Manual, as ''waxwork," has 

 this interest, rather unusual for our more familiar 

 plants — there are only four species of its family 

 in the United States. The Manual does not often 

 abandon scientific description to indulge in literary 

 comment, but it has this to say of Celastrus scan- 

 dens: ''The opening orange-colored pods, dis- 

 playing the scarlet covering of the seeds, are very 

 ornamental in autumn." More ornamental, some 

 may think, when seen in crisp October air dec- 

 orating some roadside shrub or forest tree, than 

 on the parlor mantel or over the living-room pic- 

 ture. While many delight in the fruit of this 

 species, probably few know its June blossoms; 

 just as many rejoice in the blossoms of asters and 

 goldenrods who give little attention to their fruit. 

 The Manual gives no habitat for the species, but it 

 must have a wide range east and west. It is found 

 in New England, and may be gathered late in Oc- 

 tober along the banks of the Solomon, in western 

 Kansas. Along with wild roses, some of the 

 thorns,^^ mountain ash, and "buckbush," it is 

 among the plants best known for their red or yel- 

 lowish autumn fruit. 



On these October rambles if one does not admire 

 such treasures, one may watch the cottontails 



18 See Appendix, Note 14. 



