EARLY AUGUST 



brilliant immigrant which is blossom in- at presenl 

 is the purple loosestrife. The botany extends its 

 range from Nova Scotia to Delaware, but I find 

 its myriad deep-hued wands only on the swampy 

 shores of the Hudson, and in the marshes which 

 have for their background the level outline oi 

 the Shawangunk Mountains. 



Along shaded streams the jewel-weeds hang Strum 

 their spurred, delicate pockets; these are some- ;"';( 

 times pale yellow, again deep orange, spotted 

 with reddish-brown. In certain swampy woods 

 and open marshes we discover the feathery pink- 

 purple spikes of the smaller fringed orchis. 



Summer seems well advanced when the curved 

 leafy stems of the Solomon's seal and twisted- 

 stalk are hung, the first with blackish, the second 

 with bright red berries. Except in the open / 

 fields, fruits now are more conspicuous than 

 flowers. Of the latter, in the woods, we note 

 chiefly the pink blossoms strung upon the long 

 leafless stalks of the tick-trefoil, also a somewhat 

 similar-looking plant, the lop-seed, whose small Lais 

 pink flowers are not pealike, however, and whose 

 leaves are not divided, as are those of the trefoils. 

 The inconspicuous, two-petalled blossoms and 

 thin opposite leaves of the uninteresting enchant- 

 er's nightshade are abundant everywhere. 



On the hill-side the velvety crimson plumes of 

 149 



