THE CORNEL AND MAY-STAR. 
85 
porcupine is said to have been veiy partial to the leaves and 
bark of the hemlock for food. 
Fridmj, 2bth, — Beautiful day. The flowers are blooming in 
throngs. Our spring garland becomes fidler and richer every day. 
The white cool-wort^' is mingled in light and airy tufts with the 
blue and yellow violets. The low-cornel is opening ; its cups are 
greenish now, but they will soon bleach to a pure white. The 
elegant silveiy May- star is seen here and there ; by its side the 
tall, slender mitella, while warm, rose-colored gay-wings are lying 
among the mosses, and each of these flowers has an interest for 
those who choose to make their acquaintance. 
"Who at first glance would think that the low-cornel, growing 
scarce half a span high, is cousin-german to the dogwood, which 
boasts the dignity of a tree ? A most thrifty little plant it is, 
making a pretty white flower of its outer cup — which in most 
plants is green — and after this has fallen, turning its whole heart 
to fruit ; for wherever we now see one of the simple white blos- 
soms in its whorl of large green leaves, there we shall find, in 
August, a cluster of good-sized scarlet berries. I have counted 
sixteen of these in one bunch, looking like so many coral beads. 
Although each plant stands singly, they are very freely scattered 
about the wood, a hardy plant, grooving far to the northward 
wherever pine-trees are found. 
The May-starf is remarkable for its elegance, a delicate star-like 
blossom of the purest white standing like a gem in a setting of 
leaves, fine in texture and neatly cut. Some persons call this 
chick wintergreen, a name which is an insult to the plant, and 
* Tiardla Cordifolia. 
t Trimtalis Americana. 
