THE AMERICAN BOTANIST." 
Southward from the brow of Aurora's Lake the Vallej- 
of Ashuilticook, the south branch of the Hoosac stretches 
far beyond the tall spired village of Adams to the giant 
hills about Cheshire Harbor and beyond. Numerous 
round glacial hills fill the intervening valley around which 
the sluggish stream meanders. On the right hand the 
battlements of Old Greylock's brotherhood rise heaven- 
ward. In the nearer woods and pastures a network of 
swamps lead down the hillsides to the river, where a few- 
spikes of the purple-fringed orchises (Habenaria psycodes) 
bloom in July, and later in the autumn the ladies' tresses, 
stars-oi ' amassus, and blue-fringed gentains make a sea 
waving with gorgeous colors. 
Northward along the Mayunsook, the north branch 
of the Hoosac, one meets chasms where the waters from 
the Dome have made deep scars in the marble hills. The 
Natural Bridge along Hudson Brook attracts many tour- 
ists each year. This place known to Hawi:horne as "The 
Cave" was a favorite resort for the prose-master during 
his visit to the Valley in 1838. Many walking ferns cling 
to the moss-grown ledges about the bridge and following 
northward along a pretty path leading through a pine 
forest, one ascends high hills beyond w^hich a beautiful 
view spreads out on either hand. In the distance toward 
Stamford a tamarack swamp marks the haunts of the 
pitcher-plant and many species of Cypripedium. A superb 
view of theGreylock group spreads out towards the south 
and a sprinkling of boulders is apparent in the pastures 
One should not leave the head waters of the Hoosac 
betore climbing about the Ragged Mountain and Notch 
Valley and thence to that lofty brotherhood of Grej-lock— 
constituting the State Park Reservation of Massachusetts. 
On the brow of Ragged Mountain near the citj- reservoir, 
a path turns to the left winding over the ridges through 
swamps which are rich in many early blooms. 
The showy orchis especially loves to dwell along these 
rocky ravines. Above a spring on the right of the path a 
