ACCORDING TO SEASON 



in and out among the woods are delicate clusters 

 Hog-pea- of pale lilac blossoms nodding from a stem which 

 ■wild-bean clambers over the thicket and twines about the 

 iron-weeds and asters. I believe this graceful 

 plant owes its unattractive name of hog-peanut 

 to its underground fruit, which is said to be up- 

 rooted and devoured by hogs. In low places, 

 climbing about whatever shrub or plant it chances 

 to find, grows the wild-bean, with thick clusters 

 of brown and pinkish flowers which yield a deli- 

 cate fragrance somewhat suggestive of violets. 

 My experience has been that these four members 

 of the pulse family are especially abundant along 

 the coast. 



The salt-meadows are bright with the purplish- 

 pink shells of the sea-side gerardia. These flowers, 

 although smaller, are almost identical in shape 

 Sea-side with those of their relative, the yellow false fox- 

 gerar ta gi ove) w hich we found in the woods some time 

 ago. The slender gerardia is a similar-looking 

 plant which abounds farther inland. This genus 

 is named after the early botanist, Gerarde, author 

 of the famous " Herball." Its members are sup- 

 posed to be more or less parasitic in their habits, 

 drawing their nourishment from the roots of other 

 plants. For some time the pale foliage of the salt- 

 marsh fleabane has been conspicuous by contrast 

 among the daily deepening flower-heads of the 



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