Music of the Wild 



monkey flower, butterfly weed, ]Qv;e\weed, toad- 



flax, and carrion, vine. Of aU the decorations that 



Incon- entwine these old fences none is more beautiful 



gruous ^jja^j^ i\^Q carrion vine. But what a name ! Enough 



FIo\ver • t i i n 



Names to prejudice any one. All because the ball of 

 greenish-yellow bloom has a faint pvmgent odor 

 that impressed Linna?us, or some other early Avriter, 

 as slightly disagreeable. It can not be so very 

 noxious, either, for the bees should know their busi- 

 ness, and they gather its pollen eagerh'. God put 

 that pungent, almost sour odor in some flowers to 

 cut the cloying sweetness of others, and make 

 honey edible. 



So this beautiful A'ine is disgraced, and there 

 are so many more appropriate names it might have 

 borne quite as well. It is difficult to understand 

 Avhy a slightly unusual odor of the flower should 

 have been emphasized, while the exquisite cutting 

 and texture of the leaves is overlooked. They are 

 heart-shaped at the base, curving off" to a long 

 lance-point, of delicate texture, and of lovely 

 shades of green that vary as the light falls on them. 

 So why not name it "lance leaf" or "golden globe," 

 either of which is quite as appro2:)riate as carrion 

 vine and not suggestive of anj^thing objectionable. 

 Another common, but peculiar vine of my ter- 

 ritory is wild yam, the dried seed pods of which 

 form nature's best rattlebox. Dioscorea vUlosa is 

 a great beauty. Its leaves are a perfect heart- 



22G 



