
          [insert note]
859.

*Close to the switch near Stemmer's Run R'd, Mr. D. says. Aralia spinosa grows.

to see if the hygodium was still holding its own.  I found that a
great many of the plants had turned black, their stalks were very
brittle, at least 1/10 of the plants were in that condition.  The others were
more or less of a yellowish green and were showing the effects of
winter plainly.  A pretty sight, here, was seeing in so many places
the capsules of the hairy-capped moss, Polytrichum commune, sticking
out of the snow, the moss, itself, being invisible.  The old pistilate
catkins of the alder, having now disseminated their seed, fall
off readily.  Going home, I went by way of B's, the old mill
and the stream.  I learned, to-day, that a path [the second] beyond the schoolhouse leads directly to Wingert's.  I reached home about 7 P.M.

388
February 23, 1903.  A trip with E.D. [Eldred Davis] and M. to Back River and Holly Necks.
We met at the Highlandtown terminus at 8 A.M.  Here we took the car
for Middle River.  We were obliged to change cars at Back River.*  We
got out at Back River Neck R'd and walked south.  The morning was
cool & crisp and the ground frozen; snow was still covering the road.  Our
trip down the road was enjoyed very much.  In the woods we frequently passed
trees on which grew Mistletoe.  After going a distance of about 5 miles
we come to a swampy region called Hickory Ridge.  To-day the surface
of this swamp was frozen, and Mr. D. thought we might walk across it
        