{ THE PROCESSION OF THE FLOWERS 45 
along, while you look up through glimmering 
arcades of bloom. But for the last half of June 
laurel monopolizes everything in the Worcester 
woods, — no one picks anything else; and it 
fades so slowly that I have found a perfect 
blossom on the last day of July. 
At the same time with this royalty of the 
woods, the queen of the water ascends her 
throne, for a reign as undisputed and far more 
prolonged. .The extremes of the Water-Lily 
in this vicinity, so far as I have known, are the 
18th of June and the 13th of October, —a 
longer range than belongs to any other con- 
spicuous wild-flower, unless we except the 
Dandelion and Houstonia. It is not only the 
most fascinating of all flowers to gather, but 
more available for decorative purposes than 
almost any other, if it can only be kept fresh. 
The best method for this purpose, I believe, is 
to cut the stalk very short before placing in the 
vase; then, at night, the lily will close and the 
stalk curl upward; refresh both by changing 
the water, and in the morning the stalk will be 
straight and the flower open. 
From this time forth Summer has it all her 
own way. After the 1st of July the yellow 
flowers begin, matching the yellow fireflies: 
Hawkweeds, Loosestrifes, Primroses bloom, 
and the bushy Wild Indigo. The variety of 
