"THE LEAFY MONTH OF JUNE" 



two species the long, curved pistil which protrudes 

 from the flowers easily distinguishes them from 

 their cousin the pipsissewa. This latter plant 

 we can recognize by means ot the violet-colored 

 anthers of its fragrant flowers, and by its glossy, 

 evergreen leaves. 



No other heaths do so much for the general 

 reputation of the family as the laurels and rhodo- Momdam- 

 dendrons. The mountain-laurel reaches perfec- 

 tion during the latter half of June. Where it 

 grows, the wood-openings look like great drifts of 

 snow, the snow of an Alpine dawn, for often in 

 sunny places the flowers of the mountain laurel 

 are pure rose-color, though in the deeper woods 

 they are white. 



The thick, glossy leaves form an effective back- 

 ground to the dense clusters of wholesome-looking 

 flowers. Perhaps the firm, fluted, pink-tinged 

 buds are even prettier than the blossoms. Pick a Itsfertili- 

 freshly opened cluster and observe that each of * ' 

 the ten little bags of pollen is caught in a separate 

 depression of the wheel-shaped corolla. Brush 

 the flower, lightly but quickly, with your finger 

 or a twig, and you see that the bags are dislodged 

 by the jar with such force that your finger is 

 thickly dusted with pollen, and you understand 

 how the visiting bee unconsciously transmits the 

 precious grains from flower to flower. 



87 



