NATURE S VACATION 



By Dr. W. W. Bailey. 



'VTATURE, like her votaries, enjo3^s now and then a vaca- 

 ^ tion. She has a long one, of course, in the winter, but 

 it is not generally appreciated that she also takes one in sum- 

 mer. After the first onrush of spring and the high-tide ver- 

 dancy of June, when every plant carries a flower, there comes 

 a partial rest. There is never, even in winter, a total suspen- 

 sion of activit}', but there are these periods of ease. 



In the earh^ days of August, one unused to the woods 

 and misled by popular talk, is surprised to find few flowers in 

 the forest. At this season, indeed, one may walk long dis- 

 tances through the deeper woods without detecting a blossom. 

 Then, perhaps, he will begin to see the little cow- wheat 

 (Melampynnii) , a very inconspicuous white and pale yellow 

 flower of the Figwort family (Scrophulariaceae). Small as it 

 is, the microscope reveals in it unsuspected beauties ; indeed, 

 one of the marvels of nature is her regard for small things — 

 her finish. The minute is as carefully adorned as the immense; 

 an ice-crystal or a diatom as perfect as an iceberg or an Alp. 



Cow-wheat, like many of its family, as Gerardia. Pedicu- 

 laris, Euphrasia and Castilleja, is suspected of cladestine para- 

 sitism; that is, it feeds by its roots on other plants and at the 

 same time puts forth its leaves with a tricky semblance of 

 legitimate support. It is but a step from this to the saprophyte, 

 a plant depending upon partially deca^^ed organic matter. Such 

 plants, it Avill be seen, feed upon matter already prepared by 



