White and Greenish 



less made from many such hollow reed-like sticks properly at- 

 tuned. 



A more woody species than the common elder, whose stems 

 are so green it is scarcely like a true shrub, is the very beautiful 

 Red-berried or Mountain Elder (S. piibens), found in rocky places, 

 especially in uplands and high altitudes, from the British Posses- 

 sions north of us to Georgia on the Atlantic Coast, and to California 

 on the Pacific. Coming into bloom in April or May, it produces 

 numerous flower clusters which are longer than broad, pyramidal 

 rather than flat-topped. They turn brown when drying. In 

 young twigs the pith is reddish-brown, not white as in the 

 common elder. Birds with increased families to feed in June 

 are naturally attracted by the bright red fruit ; and while they 

 may not distribute the stones over so vast an area as autumn 

 migrants do those of the fall berries, they nevertheless have en- 

 abled the shrub to travel across our continent. 



Hobble-bush; American Wayfaring Tree 



{J/iburniim alnifolium) Honeysuckle family 

 (K. lantanoidcs of Gray) 



Flowers — In loose, compound, flat, terminal clusters, 3 to 5 in. 

 across ; the outer, showy, white flowers each about i in. 

 across, neutral ; inner ones very much smaller, perfect. 

 Calyx 5-parted; corolla 5-lobed; 5 stamens; 3 stigmas. 

 Stem: A widely and irregularly branching shrub, sometimes 

 10 ft. high; the young twigs rusty scurfy. Leaves: 

 Opposite, rounded or broadly ovate, pointed at the tip, 

 finely saw-edged, unevenly divided by midrib, scurfy on 

 veins beneath. Fridt : Not edible, berry-like, at first coral- 

 red, afterward darker. 



Preferred Habitat — Cool, low, moist woods. 



Flowering Season — May — June. 



Distribution— '^Q,x\\\ Carolina and Michigan, far northward. 



Widespread, irregular clusters of white bloom, that suggest 

 heads of hydrangea whose plan has somehow miscarried, form 

 a very decorative feature of the woods in May, when the shrubbery 

 in Nature's garden, as in men's, is in its glory. For what reason 

 are there two sizes and kinds of flowers in each cluster } Around 

 the outer margin are large showy shams : they lack the essential 

 organs, the stamens and pistil ; therefore what use are they ? Un- 

 doubtedly they are mere advertisements to catch the eye of 

 passing insects — no small service, however, it is the inconspicu- 



256 



