Music of the Wild 



lobed to the base, so that they appear to be sepa- 

 rated. The flower opens at the branching, a waxy, 

 A\hite Clip that resembles a lily in texture and has 

 six petals. Pollen-laden stamens surround the 

 pistil, that is straight and heavy, and on the drop- 

 ping of the leaves it develops the fruit. The flow- 

 ers are opjjressively fragrant, Init many 2)eople 

 admire them and are fond of tlie ripe apples. 

 Country children gather them just at the turning 

 to gold, and bury them in the l)ran barrel for a 

 treat long after the \\oods are ])are. They are 

 called "]May-ap])les," and are entitled to be classed 

 as the typical flower and fruit of the woods. Like 

 many other species, extinction threatens them. 



Last season from early spring I had been 

 watching a large lied of mandrake that I hoped 

 would bloom profusely and give me a good study 

 for tliis book. Passing the location one Sabbath 

 afternoon, I ])lanned to stop and learn if it would 

 be ready for use on the morrow. From afar my 

 holies sank, for I could see a carriage standing at 

 the 2)lace. ANHien I arrived one man was holding 

 the horse, and anotlier with two A\'omen wevc com- 

 ing from the woods. Kach one of them carried as 

 many mandrake stems as they jiossibly could 

 grasp; every stem had an exquisite waxy flower at 

 the top, shorn of all vestige of leaf. The bed 

 was ruined, and the groimd co\'ered with roots 

 and leaves. If those ])eople had not torn uj), they 



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