A LONG ISLAND MEADOW 



same time; when they are so small as to be almost 

 invisible, and when the pygmy-like proportions of 

 "palets" render them absolutely intangible, then 

 the seeker after superficial knowledge, by means 

 of which he hopes to satisfy himself and to astonish 

 his neighbors, is reduced to despair. 



At last, however, I did grasp the fact that 

 grasses are "usually" hollow-stemmed save at Grasses 

 the joints, and that their sheathing leaves are an se ges 

 "split or open on the side opposite the blade" 

 (what the " hypogynous " flowers " usually " were 

 about, I refused even to attempt to discover), 

 and that sedges had " mostly " (but, oh, the ex- 

 ceptions in science) " solid stems and closed 

 sheaths " (the habits of their " spiked, chiefly 

 three-androus flowers" I also left religiously 

 alone) ; and armed with this double piece of in- 

 formation, back I went to the meadow. 



That sunny, breezy morning almost the first 

 objects to catch my eye were certain long- 

 stemmed creatures tip-toeing on a hummock near 

 the plantation of cinnamon-ferns, with ribbon- 

 like leaves apparently knotted about their necks 

 and floating on the wind. " A sedge, without Which ? 

 doubt, " I thought, cutting reluctantly one of 

 the vigorous stems. But an eager look showed 

 that this was hollow, and another glance seemed 

 to prove that it was not an exception. It could 



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