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the ground is dry almost at once after rain. It is restricted to 

 an area of a few square rods, at an elevation of about looo feet. 

 There are more than two hundred plants. They grow chiefly 

 in groups of from three to six, and multiply apparently by 

 seed, which falls straight or is scattered a few feet by wind. 

 This year scores of plants blossomed and nearly every blossom 

 was fertilized, promptly; the anthesis is not longer than ten 

 days. Evidently this orchid can get along with very little 

 water. If we knew more about some species we should hesitate 

 to indicate for them any restricted environment; and we shouM 

 know more about them and less often call them "rare," if we 

 could go oftener to the secluded spots in which they delight to 

 live. 



The most frequent orchid in Fairlee is Habenaria Hookeri. 

 It is found on every wooded hill, sometimes even on roadside 

 banks. In one morning's ramble of three hours up and down on 

 a small mountain, two hundred and seventeen plants of this 

 species were counted, of which about one seventh were blossom- 

 ing. H. orhiculata grows in the same woods. It is less frequent 

 and is now being exterminated by the logging that is stripping 

 the hillside. Of these two related species, H. orhiculata seems 

 to prefer to grow on a slope, H. Hookeri, in more level or sunken 

 spots. The size of the leaves at anthesis, is no indication of the 

 species; even H. macrophylla sometimes has leaves smaller than 

 are found on some plants of H. Hookeri. Where H. orhiculata is 

 fairly abundant, as it was on that now denuded hillside, it is a 

 fine sight to look up the slope and see the many tall scapes with 

 their striking flowers. This species is more readily discerned at 

 a distance than H. Hookeri, not only because it is taller, but 

 because it generally grows in more open spots. H. macrophylla 

 is much rarer; though, in the summer of the year 1918, near 

 St. Johnsbury, Vermont, it was found oftener than H. obiculata. 

 Perhaps these are not specifically distinct. 



The latest species to be discovered, of the thirty-three now 

 known in Fairlee, are the two northen Listeras, L. convallarioides 

 and L. cordata, the former flourishing in a high, open swamp, the 

 other, dying out, quite in contrast to its appearance on Mt. 



