14° FLOWERS OF FIELD, HILL, AND SWAMP 



Our earliest and prettiest bitter cress, with quite large flowers 

 in terminal clusters. They are much like the candytuft of garden- 

 beds. 



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Another white cress is C. hirsutn, hairy, small, with leaves 

 clustered at the root and growing on the stem, either cut or 

 entire. It may be a delicate plant, with leaves almost like 

 ferns, and fine, soft clusters of flowers, or it may grow 2 feet 

 tall, with coarser, larger foliage. It must have wet soil. I 

 have seen it most beautiful in the hills, on wet rocks, where 

 perpetual springs trickling down prepare an environment 

 which the little cress loves. 



8. Cuckoo-flower 



C. prathisis will scarcely be found away from the wet 

 meadows, and even there it is rare. It is a handsome plant, 

 with white or pink blossoms on stems from a short rootstock 

 Leaves divided into 7 to 13 leaflets, the lower leaflets stalked, 

 upper sessile. 8 to 20 inches high. 



9. Sweet White Violet 



Viola bidnda. — Family, Violet. Color, white, with purple 

 lines. Leaves, round or kidney-shaped, with petioles. Time, 

 early spring. 



Sepals and petals, 5 ; the latter differing in size, and the 

 lowest one spurred at base. 



This is one of our smallest violets, and, on account of its faint, 

 sweet scent, one of our dearest. We all know the mossy, damp 

 place in which it can be found, and one of our earliest spring 

 walks is directed thither. 



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Near by, perhaps, grows the Lance-leaved Violet ( V. lanceo- 

 latd), also white, with larger flowers and lance-shaped, petioled 

 leaves. 



