Show 11 A G CALENDAR LINDAR R Or OJ WILD FLOWERS FLOWERS- I ALREADY the season for wild flowe flowers s is at hand From now on the lover of botany may roam the hillsides and valleys valleys valleys val val- val val- leys in eager anticipation II The stars that in earths earth's firmament do shine will not brin bring to him as the days advance The first to appear are the and the which is also called II sweet cicely These belong to toa toa toa a common family the or parsley family The is a biennial herb having a remarkably long fleshy tap tap- root This root has been known to extend extend extend ex ex- tend to a depth of ten feet having been traced to that that length along the face of a perpendicular bank of earth To this plentiful store of nourishment is due the wonderful amount of vitality noticeable after accidents incurred by the untimely frosts of early spring The portion of the plant which is above ground is insignificant cant in size as compared with that below the surface The plant is briefly caules caules- cent having several whorls of leaves crowded upon one another at the top of the short stem The several peduncles bearing the umbel of yellow blossoms arise from the axils of the leaves leaves The leaves are and finely pound In col color r they resemble the new leaves of the sage The plant is not fastidious as to what it drinks or as asto asto asto to whether hether it drinks at all judging from the locality it chooses But the long root betrays its nature by leading us to infer that it drinks deep if at t all The blossoms have a most unpleasant odor The sweet cicely bears i an umbel of white blossoms They are J tiny and remain so near the earth we J scarcely perceive their beauty yet they appeal to us as heralds of the spring j The plant grows from a bulb and pos possesses possesses possesses pos pos- some fragrance so differs iri in a marked manner from the other member of the parsley family which we find to tobe tobe tobe be its companion The sego lily is in the habit of apin appearing appearing ap ap- in full dress about the last of Mayor the first of June Its twin leaves are now several i inches ches above ground t Some of the bulbs were secured from their deep pebbly caverns brought home and planted indoors By unearthing the bulbs at this early date one may see lee where the infant bulbs are developed The young bulbs must labor during the spring summer and autumn storing food which shall enable them to put forth blossoms next year The bulbs which produce lilies this year made their growth last season by simply assimilating I ing quantities of food By means of this accumulated energy the bulb is t P rendered capable of sending forth its itsE f E blo blossoms comparatively early in the following following following fol fol- lowing year In two of the t ten n or twelve bulbs obtained was seen a small young young bulb in each situated just beneath beneath beneath be be- neath the thin outer skin The pressure exerted by the growing bulb bursts open the skin of the parent bulb at the base while the twin leaves push their way out at the extremity of last years year's stem stern only a vestige of which now remains But a step further and it is ig seen the little bulb must become independent ready to assume the duties of sup self port The sego lily is found in high dry places The horse tail or scouring rush attracts our attention by numerous long green stems growing along the margin of the creek This particular rush is the and it is ever ever- green It grows often to a height of three feet and over I It t is a typical so affords opportunity to the student to observe the characteristics of of this great botanical division of which the ferns are the most con conspicuous pic- pic example Louise Strong I |