Ox THE Maxacjemknt (»k Elemkntakv Classes in Botany. 



comfort at most seasons of the 3'ear, but, in this warm nn.l k-afy month of June, solid enough under foot 

 to dispel uncomfortal.le fears of false stvj.s. If. instead of d.-sci-nding, you skirt along the brow of tho hill, 

 to the westward you come ujMin open meadows, with here and there a low cx^pse or thicket ; while to tho 

 eastward are noble woods of maple and beech, succeeded farther on by pines, as the character of tho soil 

 changes. To the southward are cultivated fields and market gardens, and in the distance the glinting of 

 the sun on a couple of church spires marks the direction 01 the neighboring town. 



Ten o'clock is the hour of meeting, and on this occasion an exemplary punctuality Ls observed by everv - 

 body. As it is intended to make a day of it, lunch baskets have not been forgotten. These are left for safi- 

 kecping at a cottage close by, and then, after a brief rest in the shade of a friendly beech, tho party is 

 divided, for the day's work, into small groups, and an area roughly marked out for each. Tho lower 

 grounds and the lake region, as being somewhat difficult of access, are assigned to the sturdier Imv- u)iil,t. 

 the hillside and the exploration of the woods and fields above are divided among the remainder. 



It is agreed that the work of collection shall be limited to two hours, and accordingly, as tho distant 

 Ixiom of the noon boll comes over the fields, our botanists begin to straggle in again. It is nearly one 

 o'clock, however, before the last detachment arrives. This consists of the boys who have made their way 

 to the eastern end of the lake and the beaver-meadow. Their appearance is hailed with a shout of admi- 

 ration, for of all the collections of flowers, theirs is certainly the most imposing. They must, indeed, havi- 

 hit upon a veritable botanic garden, for each of them carries a huge bouquet, made up of a profusion of 

 Lady's 8lippei-s and other Orchids, together with Lilies, Pitclier Plants, and beautiful pink Pyrolas. These 

 boys are flushed with the excitement of their walk and their success ; and though the condition of their 

 lower extremities would seem to indicate that they are not altogether unacquainted with bogs, they make 

 no reference thereto, but dwell with enthusiasm, and some degree of extravagance jierhaps. on the beauties 

 of the scene they have just left. But the others, tliough their collection will not vie in brilliancy with tho 

 products of the beaver-meadow, have, nevertheless, in nearly every case, something of more than ordinary 

 interest to show. The exjilorers of the lake margin were fortunate enough to find a punt, by means of 

 Avhich a number of aquatic plants, Yellow Pond Lilies, Utricularias, the pretty white Water-Crowfoot, and 

 the "Water-Shield, were brought within their reach ; and on the cool northern hill-side, trailing over the 

 base of moss-covered stumps, specimens of the Twin-Flower — a special favorite of the great Linnaeus, and 

 named Linncea boreal is in his honor — were obtained, as well as Violets of various species. Woodbines. 

 Mitchellas, etc. The open fields and fence-rows yielded St. John"s-worts, Elder, rJnajjhaHums of several 

 specie.s, a handsome Rudbeckia— the purple Cone-flower — and of course the ubiquitous Dandelion, and ilav- 

 weed, and Alullein. 



But just now there are cravings which are not intellectual, cravings too urgent to be disregarded. The 

 interest in botany is. at this moment, decidedly of a secondary nature, and when the lunch baskets are sent 

 for, and their contents exposed to view, the gravest doubts of their sutJicieuc^' are entertained and freely 

 expressed. The fullest kind of justice is done them, and in the course of a few minutes no vestige whatso- 

 ever remains — nothing even suggestive of them, save the shrunken wrappers, upon which some eyes are 

 now turned with an expression almost approaching to gloom. It is suggested, and the suggestion meets 

 with no opposition, that whatever may be tho merits of botanical pursuits from an intellectual point of 

 view, they have recommendations of a physical nature, not wholly unworthy of consideration ; and it begins 

 to dawn upon these youthful scientists, though as yet they have no clear conception of the ideal mens sana 

 in rorpore sano^ that Botany- has thi^ decided advantage over all other school studies, that, to pursue it with 

 elHciencj', exercise of body must accom])an3' exercise of mind. TheN' can also comprehend that the botanical 

 laboratory is as free as air to everyone who wishes to make use of it ; that everywhere around them the 

 Livish productions of nature are only waiting to be asked, to unfold their beauties; and that anvone who 

 liolds converse with the silent yet elo<iuent creations of the floi-al world, must become imbued with more or 

 less of the feeling which inspired the tenderest of American poets, when he sang of the flowers as 



"Te.ichinp us by most persuasive refisoiis 

 How akin they are to human thing-s." 



But the afternoon is advancing, and im]x)rtant work still remains to be done. It is not enough to 

 admire color and form ; we must look a little deeper, and analyze the structure of our flowers with as much 



