156 IN SPRING. 



fragrant, it would be extolled as it deserves, as, 

 were the rose fetid, it would be despised. Thus 

 one writer remarks, "From its filthy habits it 

 has been called, with some justice, the frog-lily." 

 But wherein lies its filthiness it is hard to de- 

 termine. It has no decided preference for 

 waters too stagnant for its fairer cousin the 

 white nymphaea ; and then smirched lilies are no 

 novelties. A pond may be too muddy for even 

 them to preserve their purity, yet they will grow 

 as luxuriantly as their unstained sisters. That 

 the nuphar may remain longer in the polluted 

 waters than will the nymphaea does not argue 

 that it prefers such conditions, and never a frog 

 but loved clean water better than foul. Bota- 

 nists should not speak slightingly of the animal 

 world ; it too has its beauties. And the refer- 

 ence to the frog shows a woful ignorance of 

 that creature. 



How many have held the flower-stalk of the 

 arrow-head a sea-green staff studded with 

 ivory? They, at least, will admit its beauty. 

 Nor will the spike of violet-blue flowers of the 

 pickerel-weed fail to be admired even if gath- 

 ered ; and what flower when torn from its stem 

 but loses grace? No shrub so sprawling but 

 fills its niche fittingly. 



Where these native aquatic plants grow they 

 complete the little landscape. Each would be 



