THE HAMILTON ASSOCIATION. 35 
blue violet that were exceedingly attractive to the eye from the pro- 
fusion of their flowers, and the density and extent of their masses of 
color. No gardening skill, perhaps, could exceed the brilliancy and 
charm afforded to every passer by these natural adornments of the 
boggy wastes and damp roadside borders. In the course of a sum- 
* mer season, many other common wild flowers evince the same socal 
habit, and gratify the zesthetic craving that perpetually exists in the 
human mind. To give instances we need only mention the Blue 
Iris groups, so exuberant about the zoth of June; then, next, the 
Tall Vervain, verbena hastata, seen during the latter part of July ; 
then the Cardinal Flower of mid-August ; and lastly, the immense 
multitude of Asterworts (including the yellow golden so/zdagos) of 
the autumnal months. At the present date the clustered masses of 
the White Aster never appeared in greater glory and profusion on our 
roadside ditch banks; and in the ardent noon sunshine hosts of 
gaudily colored butterflies hover aud disport themselves around these 
vegetable denizens of the wilderness. The species we have just 
alluded to seem to be (Aster) corymbosus and (Aster) dumosus. 
There is also another very noticeable species whose multitude 
of congregated blossoms afford a massive expanse of pleasing 
lilac tints. These are most common in marshy situations. 
Then the more robust and tall growths of the strikingly 
beauteous purple New England Aer BIS tO lie Een Cin 
dry banks near fences, and, occasionally, near ditches. This in 
altitude and luxuriance of growth, nearly rivals its relatives of the 
golden-rod genus. As if imbued with a love of contrast, groups of 
white butterflies fluttered and rested on the purple blooms, whilst 
the large red and florid tinted lepidoptera mostly haunted the paler 
hued cymes of (Aster) corymbosus and one variety that resembled 
(Aster) memoralis or (Aster) ptarmuicoides. 
On the margin of the woods, if not also in the interior, the sere 
autumnal tints have now begun to manifest themselves on the 
foliage of the maples, and a number of the walnut trees are already 
shedding their leaves. ‘‘ The touch of autumn” seems capricious— 
a single branch, perhaps, aglow with yellow, orange and crimson, 
while on the remainder of the tree, a dull green lingers. The tints 
of decay show first on the margin of the leaf, then extend to the 
midrib, and the rich hue proves transient, soon changing to a dull 
brown ; then the leaf shrivels and falls. Some of the ferns, also, in 
{ 
