the case of the fallen leaves, a scar is left wherever a bud-scale 
was attached. Look carefully and these scale-scars will be seen 
to occur on many trees and shrubs in little groups at intervals 
around the stem. At the base of each year’s growth, these scars 
are often quite conspicuous, forming a sort of ring. So definite are 
their rings, in fact, that the succession of them on a branch serves 
to mark very clearly the amount of annual growth. During some 
years the branch grows vigorously, and the rings are then quite 
far apart; during other years, for some reason, as from drought, 
or from too much shade, or from injury, growth is retarded, and 
the rings are then closed together. Often these annual additions 
to the growth of the main stem (of a young pine, for example) 
are so clearly marked that the succession of bud-scars may even 
serve for calculating the approximate age of the tree. 
E. W. O. 
SOME NATIVE WILD FLOWERS 
NOW IN BLOOM 
Among the plants to be seen flowering in the local flora 
section this week are the goldthread (Coplis trifolia ). There is a 
good-sized patch of this interesting herb along the shaded walk 
on the Flatbush Avenue border mound. The name is well taken, 
as the mass of rootstalks suggest a network of golden threads 
spreading through the soil. Another interesting plant, the wild 
ginger ( Asarum canadense) is just putting forth its peculiar, 
brownish-purple flowers. Near it is a group of the only common 
broad-leaved sedge of our region {Carex Fraseri), which is now 
covered by clusters of its golden-green flowers. One of the wake- 
robins ( Trillium erection), with its dark, purple-brown flowers, 
is also blooming. Though an inhabitant of rich woods from 
Maine to North Carolina, this plant is very rare on Long Island, 
being for the most part confined to the north shore. It increases 
in frequency and profusion of bloom as one goes northward in 
the Hudson Valley. 
The shrubs in this section of the Garden that may be seen in 
flower now include the low, prostrate currant (Ribes prostration) , 
sometimes called the skunk currant. It is the only one of the 
native group of gooseberries and currants that creeps over the 
ground instead of having the conventional upright habit. It 
may be used with good effect fn covering north-facing slopes 
