The Music of the Marsh 



that, the entire surface of the bloom is of texture 

 velvet-fine. A short distance away the blooms 

 smell like the sweetest of English violets; closer, 

 a touch of pungency that is pure wildness can be 

 discerned. 



Held to light the flower presents lilac shades 

 on the outer surfaces, maroon in the middle dis- 

 tances, and rich, velvety brown in the depths. All 

 the plant requires is fertile, damp soil to make a 

 vigorous growth ; so it is easily domesticated. For 

 downright grace and richness of coloring it sur- 

 passes any cultivated vine of which I can think at 

 this time, and being edible, there would be no 

 danger in transplanting it. 



Another delicious plant of the marshes is water 

 cress. Wherever there are streams fed by springs 

 and cold enough to harbor trout, there pungent The 

 water cress STOWS. The leaves and stems of this Nose 



5 . . Twister 



plant at its prime make one of the most appetiz- 

 ing and healthful salads known. It grows from 

 six to ten inches in height, with brownish, dark- 

 green leaves in early spring, gradually becoming 

 lighter as summer advances. The leaves are round 

 and form compound clusters of from three to nine. 

 The tiny white flower is insignificant. 



Its scientific term is Nasturtium officinale, de- 

 rived from the Latin nasus, meaning nose, and 

 tortus, twisted; the name originating from the 

 fact that pungent odors of the plant sting and 

 339 



