A LONG ISLAND MEADOW 



colic-root. At the first glance, one unfamiliar 

 with this plant might confuse its long clusters 

 with the twisted spikes of the ladies' tresses. A 

 closer examination would reveal no likeness be- Colic-root 

 tween the flower of the orchid and the six- 

 lobed blossom of the colic-root, with its six 

 stamens, its three-cleft pistil, and its look of beings 

 dusted with white meal. Then, too, the flat ro- 

 sette of lance-shaped leaves from which springs 

 the white wand of flowers, is peculiar to this plant. 



Over the moss which carpets this ferny upland 

 the running swamp-blackberry trails its reddish Running 

 stems, with their smooth, thick leaves and its ber- ^Serfy 

 ries still green. Here and there we find its white 

 blossom. It is a decorative plant and one is 

 tempted to carry home certain long, lithe strands 

 which bear at the same time flowers and fruit. 



Now the land slopes downward. The grasses 

 and sedges wear that rich green which warns us 

 to look out for a swamp. It is not easy to be 

 cautious, for suddenly we get a glimpse of some 

 vivid purplish-pink flowers which grow in singu- 

 larly airy clusters on a slender stem. An orchid 

 is always a " find," and we recognize with delight 

 one of our most radiant orchids, the grass-pink or Grass- 

 calopogon, which is fairly illuminating this part ^ m 

 of the meadow with its countless blossoms. 



The grass-pink differs from other members of 

 103 



