SHORT VACATIONS AFOOT 185 



he passes among the flowers in their This will provide your walk with sys- 



native haunts, or ' sits among them tern, which will save you perhaps 



while he rests or eats his luncheon. much aimless wandering. It is advis- 



Indeed, it is a frequent fault with able to plan the route in such a way 



novices in plant study to ignore the that each night finds you at a village 



commoner plants and continually hunt or town where you can lodge at a 



after rarities, but the veteran comes public house. Putting up at farm 



increasingly to respect even the weeds houses wherever night may overtake 



of his yard, for he realizes as did the you, sounds well in theory, but is open 



poet of the familiar "flower in the to the disadvantage that not every 



crannied wall/' that they may hold farmer wants to care for travelers and 



secrets never yet guessed by science, some that entertain you are disin- 



Then, too, the knowledge of the popu- clined to take payment for the accom- 



lar names applied to plants in our modation. Either of these cases is un- 



country is still very meagre. The col- comfortable. Of course, one. may not 



lection of these names with their rea- be able to reach a hotel every night in 



sons for being is a fascinating branch sparsely settled regions, as in the 



of folk-lore, and can be most conve- Southern Alleghanies, where one may 



niently done by the man afoot, as he travel a hundred miles and never see 



chats across the fence with some rus- a tavern. In such districts, however, 



tic herbalist, or is given a lift by some there are always people who make a 



old-fashioned country doctor on his practice of entertaining travelers for a 



leisurely round in his gig. small charge. 



The best season for these trips in A prime factor in your enjoyment 

 the Eastern States is, perhaps, early will be a minimum of baggage. There- 

 summer. Then the weather is apt to fore, it is well to carry with you noth- 

 be settled, the verdure is still unaf- ing heavier than a light gripsack. In 

 fected by the heat and drought that this may be packed necessary toilet 

 come with midsummer, and the days articles, slippers, a pair of socks (in 

 are the longest of the year. As for case of wet feet) and a gossamer wa- 

 the region to walk in, one can scarcely terproof for rain. Your manual of 

 do better than the mountains. There botany may be put in there, too, if it 

 the air has a certain bracing quality does not fit your coat pocket. A lar- 

 that enables one to walk much fuither ger satchel containing such other arti- 

 without fatigue than in the lowlands ; cles as you may desire, can be sent a 

 and the flora, including as it generally day or two ahead of you by express, 

 does denizens of woodlands, bogs and and re-expressed from point to point, 

 glades, is varied and likely to be rich unless your walk is entirely remote 

 not only in everyday plants, but in un- from railroads, in which case the coun- 

 usual forms also. In selecting your try stage will perform the service. As 

 mountains, however, you will do well these hints are not for the professional 

 to avoid as much as possible mining collector of plants, your plant press 

 regions and those which the lumber- may be left at home; but a small tin 

 men have stripped. Such places are box that may be carried in the pocket 

 usually bare of interesting vegetation will be useful for the temporary stor- 

 and their desolation cannot but affect ing of specimens that have baffled 

 your spirits, though a glimpse of them your first efforts to identify, and which 

 may be of value in the lessons which you wish to work out later, 

 are so conveyed. The expense of foot travel in the 



Having decided upon the scene of mountains is never high, unless you 



your outing, you will find it an advan- follow fashionable routes in the sum- 



tage to buy a pocket map covering the mer hotel districts of such regions as 



region chosen, and from it plan the the White Mountains or the Catskills. 



route for each day of your vacation. Even there, however, modest stopping 



