
          521

*Close to our old camp we marked a spot where several orchid like
plants were seen, by tying a white rag on a branch immediately above
them.

wanted beside the flower, a portion of the flower, a portion of the rootstock and
at least one sterile branch.  Notwithstanding my care and the
time I spent, I did not succeed particularly well.  But in <s>the</s>
<s>course</s> a short while I learned this exact mode of branching
and I succeeded in getting most excellent specimens.  The fertile
branch is found to be a continuation of last year's sterile branch
<s>now</s> and, almost invariably one on each side of the fertile branch <s>were</s> are
produced sterile branches attached close to the fertile by short runners
thus [sketch of labelled plant stalk] L. last yr's old decaying sterile branch; F. flowering branch
S, S' sterile branches.  As soon as I learned this, all that I found
necessary to get a good specimen was to plunge the trowel into
the ground immediately in front of the flower and between the
two sterile branches when all would come up nicely together.

To-day was Iris Day for we found the pretty flowers everywhere.
Vaccinium corymbosum is now coming into bloom, also the small
oaks Quercus prinoides.*  Near the pond we found Viola primulaefolia [primulifolia] and V. lanceolata; also Linaria Canadensis and Euphorbia Ipecacuanhae.  
When near Mr. H's ice-house, we saw a large water snake <s>was</s> sunning
itself on the bank of the branch but on our approach glided off
into the water and hid.  Mr. W. who had some business to transact
        