LENDING A HELPING HAND.
"THERE comes Red, now," said Mark, about ten minutes later, and
presently the party mentioned came hurrying up to the door of the log
cabin, on which he beat a loud tattoo.
"Open up here, fellows!" he called. "Danger's passed. Both those tramps
are just legging it out of this section to beat the band. Reckon they're
more'n a mile off right now. My! but they're scared. Won't stop runnin'
for the next hour. It was as good as a circus to see 'em talkin', when
they just couldn't find me out. Must 'a' begun to think it was one of
Chatz's ghosts right out of the graveyard."
"Now, just you drop that subject, Red," remarked the Southern lad,
aggressively. "It's nobody's business what I believe in, suh, and I'd
thank you to keep your opinions to yourself. I reckon now that everyone
has his failings, and if mine happen to be a belief in spirits that's my
affair, suh. That's all foh you, Red."
"What're we going to do next, Elmer?" demanded Toby.
"Head for home," replied the leader, promptly.
"Yes," added Matt Tubbs, "Ruth's ma will be countin' the minutes till we
get there, I reckon. If she's tuckered out, the little gal I mean,
fellers, just let me carry her."
"Oh! we all can take a turn at that," remarked Lil Artha. "She's only a
featherweight, and there ain't one of us but what would want to have a
hand in toting her back. Let's be starting, boys!"
"Say, what d'ye mean to do with me?" called Dolph, who, lying there on
the hard earthen floor of the bunk-house, had been listening to all the
talk, and wondering what he had better do to further his own interests.
Elmer, followed by several of the scouts, sauntered over to him.
"I was just trying to make up my mind," he said, "whether we had better
take you along with us and hand you over to the police, or leave you
here, and send them after you."
"What's the use doin' either?" remarked the man, eagerly. "Turn me loose
and see me skip out of this section like a scared rabbit."
But Elmer was not in the least inclined to take that view of the matter.
Dolph had a hard face. He had proven himself a cruel rascal. Elmer
remembered the way he had shaken little Ruth, and all sense of pity for
the man's condition was banished from his heart.
"That would suit you, I suppose, from the ground up," he remarked; "but
it would be a bad job for other people. Besides, I promised the police
that if we were lucky enough to get our hands on you we'd hold you.
Here, that'll do now, Dolph Gruber; if you keep up that kind of talk
we'll muzzle you. I've seen men gagged before now, and know how it's
done. And I give you my word it doesn't feel the finest thing in the
world, either. Not another word or you get it!"
The prisoner had formed an opinion of the young scout master. He
believed that it would be silly in the extreme to anger him, and so,
grumbling, and gritting his teeth, he allowed them to do what they
wished.
His ankles having been unfastened, Dolph was told to get up, one of the
scouts assisting him at the same time.
"Here, Lil Artha," said the commander, "pick out three other fellows who
have clubs as good as that one you carry. Form around the prisoner, and
act as his escort. If he tries to escape you know what to do without my
telling."
"Say, just let him give us the least excuse for treating him to a dose,
that's all. I saw him cuff that little girl, and it showed what a big
brute he is. Don't I just hope he'll try to break away!"
Dolph gave the speaker, no other than Ty Collins, a dark scowl, but he
did not dare express what was passing in his mind.
So they left the logging camp. Lil Artha, who was recognized as the
official photographer of the troop, managed to snap off several views
that at future times would recall the picture of that memorable
occasion, and doubtless give them the greatest of pleasure.
And Mark, who was really the grandson of a famous artist, and himself a
genius with a brush and crayons, would, when the humor seized him, dash
off some faithful sketches showing the passage of the eight boys through
that woodchuck tunnel, and the surprise of Dolph at discovering them
trailing across the floor of the shanty.
At first little Ruth walked bravely along, holding the hand of her
cousin. But presently she disclosed signs of being weary, and Matt
hastened to pick her up in his stout arms.
When half a mile had been passed over he showed that the burden was
telling on him, for the way was rough. Thereupon one of the others
insisted on having a chance to do the carrying.
By this time Ruth had become firmly convinced that all these boys were
her best of friends, and she did not hesitate to clasp her chubby arms
around the neck of Ty Collins, Matty Eggleston, Red Huggins, and even
Lil Artha, as in succession they took charge of her.
The march was along the old dirt road that in the end must bring them to
one where the walking would be better. Elmer conducted the campaign. He
knew just how the land lay, for he had made it a part of his business to
draw a map of the entire country around Hickory Ridge, from such sources
as he could get hold of; and hence there was not the slightest danger of
their getting lost in the timber.
He also sent out several of the boys to act in the capacity of
skirmishers. They were to keep a bright lookout for any signs of the
enemy, meaning the two tramps, and should they discover them, certain
signals--the scream of the eagle, or the odd little bark of the beaver
perhaps--would convey the intelligence to the main company, placing them
on their guard.
But there was no such alarm. Evidently, just as the sagacious and
observing Red had declared, Pete and his tall ally had hastened to get
away with all speed, and for aught the boys knew might be running yet.
So in good time the expedition finally came to where the old logging
road joined another, that seemed to lead toward the home town.
"How much further do we have to go now?" asked Toby, seeing Elmer
examining his home-made map.
"A good five miles before us, but all over decent roads," smiled the
leader.
"Oh, well, that ain't so much for scouts as seasoned as we are,"
remarked Toby, who had been limping for a little while, though he
declared it was simply on account of having struck his toe against a
root, and not because he was tired a single bit. "But if I had them
wings of mine here now, p'raps I could take a little flap or two that'd
help along. Reckon they're goin' to work, fellers. Anyhow, my parachute,
she's just a hummer. I'm goin' to try her out right soon; might climb up
on top the church steeple and jump, if they'll let me."
"Say, boys," remarked Red, just then, "it sure was a great shame the
people that owned the old balloon we picked up when we were camping up
on Lake Solitary claimed the gas bag, and insisted on paying us
twenty-five dollars for saving their property. I'd like to wager that by
now our inventive comrade here, Toby Ellsworth Jones, would have coaxed
his ma to pay for having it filled with gas, and gone sailing off to the
land of the moon, or somewhere."
"Oh! I had that all laid out," grinned Toby, "and I wasn't goin' to beg
a single cent from my ma, either. Could 'a' caught all the hot air I
needed by just grabbin' what was goin' to waste in this bunch when they
got to disputin'. But I ain't cast down a bit, fellers. Plenty more
chances for a really bright genius to make his mark in the world of
science. If I live, the name of Jones will go thundering down the ages.
Since the days of John Paul in Revolutionary times, not a single Jones
has done anything worth mentionin'. But the time's near at hand when
you'll hear somethin' drop!"
"Huh! that'll be you, then, Toby," chuckled Red, "if you try to jump off
a church steeple with your old wings on. And I reckon there'll be
something of a splash, too! Better go slow, that's what."
Talking in this vein, and joking with one another, the scouts managed to
put the long miles behind them. Nearly every fellow had had a chance to
carry little Ruth more or less, and seemed only too proud of the
opportunity.
"I c'n see the church spire!" shouted Phil Dale, finally.
"He's right, boys," remarked Elmer, who had seen the same thing, off and
on, for the last five minutes, though waiting to discover whether any of
the others would pick it up. "We're going to be home soon now. Here
comes a car after us, and as sure as anything, it's got the Hickory
Ridge police force in it! Line up along the road, boys, and watch how
they stare."
When those in the car saw little Ruth among the scouts, and also noted
that they had the kidnaper, Dolph, in custody, they gave the boys a
hearty cheer. Some of them wanted to take the child in the car, but
Elmer declined to allow it.
"We've done all the work, and we ought to be on hand when the girl is
given over to her mother," he said. "That's all the reward we want for
our day's labor, and say, we've had just a dandy time, haven't we,
fellows?"
A roar answered him, every scout taking off his hat, and waving it as he
gave vent to three lusty cheers. Seeing the justice of this claim, those
in the car declared they would fall in behind. It was known that Mrs.
Gruber had remained in her little cottage home, so toward that quarter
the procession started.
And when they saw the great joy that filled that poor mother's heart as
she clasped her darling girl in her arms, every scout felt amply repaid
for what fatigue he had endured that day. It was well worth the labor.
And besides, had they not learned many things in the way of woodcraft
that were apt to be useful, and make them better scouts?
Elmer was a proud boy when the mother of little Ruth took his hand and
squeezed it between both of her own, while she poured out thanks for
what he had done. He quickly assured her that every one of those with
him deserved just as much praise, and then laughed to see how confused
some of the fellows looked when the happy and grateful mother went the
rounds, actually kissing every fellow, just as if they might be her own
boys!
Matt Tubbs came over to him just as the scouts were drawing together,
with the idea of returning to town, having had all the hike they desired
for that one particular day.
"Oh! by the way, Matt," said Elmer with a twinkle in his eye, "the first
time you're in Hickory Ridge, just stop off at my house, won't you? I
think I've got a cap of yours, a gray one, with a little red button in
the front."
Matt turned slightly red himself, and then laughed.
"Say, I acknowledge the corn, Elmer," he remarked. "I was in that old
shop, all right, listenin' to what you fellers said. Just wanted to know
how you ran things so's I could foller suit. Picked up a heap, too, you
bet. But the blamed old loft was so rotten she just went through, and
let me down with a whoop. Some of your scouts nigh got a grip on me when
I run away. But they ain't goin' to ketch Matt Tubbs asleep any more'n
they will a weasel. No harm done, Elmer, was there?"
"Not a bit, Matt," replied the young scout master, heartily. "Glad you
heard all you did, and if we can help you organize a troop over in
Fairfield, just you call on the Hickory Ridge scouts. Hear that, Matt?"
The bully of Fairfield looked steadily at the leader of the Wolf Patrol;
then he laughed a little as he replied:
"Mebbe I will, Elmer, for you've sure got me guessing some; mebbe I
will!"
That Matt Tubbs was as good as his word about getting up a troop of
scouts in Fairfield, and what interesting events were bound to occur in
the natural rivalry between the two organizations, will be recorded in
the future volumes of this series, the next one of which will be called
"The Hickory Ridge Boy Scouts Pathfinder."
THE END.
ADDENDA
BOY SCOUT NATURE LORE
BOY SCOUT NATURE LORE TO BE FOUND IN THE HICKORY RIDGE BOY SCOUT SERIES.
Wild Animals of the United States }
} in Number I.
Tracking }
THE CAMPFIRES OF THE WOLF PATROL.
Trees and Wild Flowers of the United States in Number II.
WOODCRAFT, OR HOW A PATROL LEADER MADE GOOD.
Reptiles of the United States in Number III.
PATHFINDER, OR THE MISSING TENDERFOOT.
Fishes of the United States in Number IV.
FAST NINE, OR A CHALLENGE FROM FAIRFIELD.
Insects of the United States in Number V.
GREAT HIKE, OR THE PRIDE OF THE KHAKI TROOP.
Birds of the United States in Number VI.
ENDURANCE TEST, OR HOW CLEAR GRIT WON THE DAY.
THE TREES OF THE UNITED STATES.
THE WITCH HAZEL FAMILY.
The Witch Hazel is a little tree or shrub of striking growth that, when
all its neighbors are getting ready for their long winter nap, bursts
out in full bloom with clusters of stringy yellow flowers, at the same
time bearing the ripened seed pods of last year's blossoms. The seeds
have a peculiar way of popping from the pods. Take some home with you in
the late fall and see what happens. As soon as the pods feel the warmth
of the room they burst and shoot out the seeds. It is said that the
Indians used the bark of the witch hazel in treating inflammation, and
it is still popularly believed to contain healing virtue.
The Sweetgum or Liquidambar is a tree that grows widely over the United
States. Its leaves are star-shaped and not unlike the leaves of the
maple. The coloring of the Liquidambar in the fall is very beautiful.
Its fruit is a peculiar little spiny ball. The gum was used by the
Indians to sweeten their smoking mixtures. In some sections it is called
the Alligator Tree because of the peculiarity of the bark.
THE DOGWOOD FAMILY.
The Flowering Dogwood is the most beautiful sight of our May woodlands.
The wood of this tree is very hard. Nobody seems to know how it received
its common name. It is covered with clusters of red berries in the fall
and at that time its leaves turn a bright red.
THE OLIVE FAMILY.
To this family belong the Ash trees, so called on account of the
appearance of the under-surface of their leaves. There is a superstition
that the ash tree is peculiarly likely to be struck by lightning. Its
wood is largely used because of its lightness and elasticity; such
articles as the handles of tools, oars, and carriage shafts are made of
ash wood. White ash sometimes grows very tall; the black ash favors
rivers and swamp-land and is not of such a sturdy growth as the white.
The fruit of both form in clusters.
THE BIGNONIA FAMILY.
The Catalpa in June or July is covered with white blossoms mottled with
yellow and purple. It is often called "The Bean Tree" because its fruit
is like a long bean in form. These beans hang on a tree nearly all
winter.
THE OAK FAMILY.
This is one of the handsomest of our tree families. The common white oak
grows to a height of eighty to one hundred feet, the trunk often
reaching a diameter of four feet. The leaves of the chestnut oak and
those of the yellow oak resemble the leaves of the chestnut tree. The
acorns of the red oak are very large, but the kernels are so bitter that
the squirrels leave them untouched upon the ground. The leaves of the
scarlet oak are very finely cut and assume brilliant colors in the late
fall. There are many other varieties of oaks: straggling little scrub
oaks, laurel oaks with laurel-like leaves, and the willow oaks of the
Southwestern states.
[Illustration: WHITE OAK.]
THE BEECH FAMILY.
The Indians believed that the beech tree was lightning-proof, and many
farmers seem to favor this belief. The Chestnut, which belongs in this
group, does not flower until the middle of the summer. Unfortunately for
the latter tree, a disease is spreading through certain districts that,
if not checked, bids fair to exterminate these trees. Already in certain
parts of the country where chestnuts formerly abounded hardly a living
specimen is to be found, or if alive, is in a dying condition.
[Illustration: ELM.]
THE ELM FAMILY.
This is a family of beautiful trees, widely distributed. The white elm
is one of the first trees to respond to spring's first warm days. Its
tiny flower buds burst their scales and shed them to the ground. It is
without question one of the most beautifully shaped trees, and many
reach vast proportions. The Slippery Elm is similar in appearance to the
white elm. The bark of the latter tree is soaked in water and drunk for
throat affections. The leaves of the elms turn yellow in the fall. Their
wood is largely used for carriage shafts or wherever wood that does not
readily split is needed. It is durable under water, and is, therefore,
used for docks and piles.
THE LINDEN FAMILY.
These are known in this country as basswood or white-wood; in Europe
they are called Lime Trees. Their leaves are heart-shaped and the lower
surface is downy. The bees are attracted to these trees when they are in
bloom. They can easily be recognized in winter by their red buds. The
first leaves of spring are a bright green which contrast beautifully
with these buds. The wood is used for cabinet work, woodenware and paper
pulp. It does not easily warp.
THE MAGNOLIA FAMILY.
This is a group of trees whose flowers are usually large and white,
green, or pink in color. Some of this family are cultivated as
ornamental trees on lawns. The Swamp Magnolia, or Sweet Bay, grows in
swampy and damp places. Although specially a southern tree, it is found
as far north as Massachusetts. It blooms in June, having a cream-color
fragrant flower, and these blossoms are sold by florists and street
pedlars.
[Illustration: LEAVES AND KEYS OF A MAPLE TREE.]
Tulip Tree or Yellow Poplar is a large tree of this family that blooms
especially abundantly upon the southern shores of Lake Erie. It has
greenish-yellow, tulip-shaped flowers. The Indians made their dugout
canoes from these trees.
THE MAPLE FAMILY.
There are more than one hundred species of this family. Maples are
especially abundant in North America. The Sugar Maple grows in eastern
North America. From its sap is manufactured maple sugar. The method of
making this sugar was learned by the American colonists from the
Indians. In the early spring, when this sap begins to flow, and while it
is flowing, the trees are tapped, the sap gathered and boiled down.
Certain varieties of maple-wood have beautifully spotted grain known as
Bird's-eye Maple. This grain, it is claimed, is produced by wounds made
by woodpeckers. This wood is prized for the manufacture of furniture.
The Red Maple is found growing along the edges of streams. It is covered
in the spring with tufts of crimson flowers and its foliage is a
brilliant red in the autumn. The leaves of the Silver Maple show no reds
in the fall, but are a uniform yellow. The Canadians have adopted the
maple leaf as their national emblem.
THE HORSE CHESTNUT FAMILY.
The Horse Chestnut is a native of Asia. In May or June it is covered
with upright spikes of white blossoms. The Buck-eye is the native Horse
Chestnut. The leaves of the Buck-eye are five-fingered, while those of
the tree commonly called the Horse Chestnut are seven-fingered. Ohio is
called the "Buck-eye" state and is named after this tree.
THE MULBERRY FAMILY.
The leaves of the mulberry are broad, the flowers small. The leaves of
the white mulberry are the food of silkworms. The Indian women used the
fiber of the mulberry to make garments, baskets, and matting; the
Japanese and Chinese manufactured paper from its bark. The red mulberry
is quite common and grows in over two-thirds of the United States. The
fruit is similar in appearance to the blackberry; the white mulberry is
less widely distributed. The osage orange, or bow-wood, which is a
member of this family, grows in Arkansas, Texas, and Indian Territory.
Its fruit resembles the orange in shape and size; its leaves are shiny
and it is close and spiny in growth.
THE PLANE TREE FAMILY.
The common Plane is another tree from the Orient; the flowers are green,
the fruit are yellow balls which hang on the tree over winter. It grows
in rich, moist lands; the wood, which is ruddy in color, is used
extensively in the manufacture of cigar boxes. It is also called the
sycamore or buttonwood, and is easily distinguished by its bark, which
it sheds as it does the leaves; the bark drops off in large irregular
pieces, giving the tree a mottled appearance.
THE WALNUT FAMILY.
The Black Walnut is abundant in the Mississippi Valley states,
especially the Middle states. The White Walnut is the Butternut; the
covering of the nut is sticky and gummy.
[Illustration: SHELL-BARK HICKORY.]
The Hickory, which belongs to this family, is an American tree; none of
the hickories are found abroad. The Bitternut, or Swamp Hickory, has a
kernel which is very bitter. The bark of the Shell-bark Hickory
separates and gives the trunk of the tree a very shaggy, unkempt
appearance. The Pignut is a Hickory, but is worthless as food. The wood
of the walnut was formerly much used for the manufacture of furniture.
THE BIRCH FAMILY.
This is an interesting family of graceful trees. The white birch, which
is the least common, is short-lived. It grows from the St. Lawrence
southward to Delaware. The leaves have a peculiar trembling
characteristic. The Paper Birch is also called the white birch or canoe
birch. It is fond of moist places. Its bark is white outside and
composed of thin layers easily separated; these layers vary in color
from a cream to a bright orange-yellow. The Indians used the bark of
this tree for their canoes and to write their messages on. The red
birches are great lovers of water, particularly delighting to hang their
boughs over running streams. The alders and ironwoods belong here.
THE WILLOW FAMILY.
This is a large tree family; the black willow may be found growing upon
the banks of streams and lakes. In the early spring days we gather pussy
willows. They are really the flower buds. Put them in water and watch
the catkins, as the flowers are called, develop. The Weeping Willow is a
native of Asia; it grew near ancient Babylon. You will remember that the
Bible tells us that the people of Israel hung their harps upon the
willow tree by the waters of Babylon. They are trees of rapid growth,
as are also the aspens and cottonwoods. The last-named trees derive
their name from the peculiarity of the seed, which is surrounded by
cotton-like fiber. The leaves of the aspen tremble even on calm days and
have given rise to the saying, "trembling like an aspen leaf." An old
tradition says that the leaves of this tree are never at rest because
aspen wood was used in making the cross.
THE SUMACH FAMILY.
One of this family is poisonous and is known as poison sumach. It grows
throughout the Northern states and can be distinguished from the
harmless sumach by its white fruit, the color of the fruit of other
sumachs being red, and the fact that it likes wet ground, while its
harmless cousins like dry places. To some persons the action of the
sumach poison is virulent, causing painful itching eruptions similar to
those caused by poison ivy.
THE PEA FAMILY.
The Locust is a tall tree, native to this country, flowering profusely
in May and June, being at that time nearly covered with long, hanging
clusters of fragrant white blossoms. A small tree, called the Red Bud,
or Judas Tree, belongs to this family. It is often used as ornamental
trees in parks and on lawns. In Arkansas it grows in native abundance.
The flowers, which are a deep rose color, appear in April or May, about
the time that the young leaves are putting in an appearance. They are
borne all over the tree, even on the trunk itself. The Honey Locust has
large, finer foliage than the common locust and it is armored and
protected by a multitude of sharp thorns. The locust wood is much used
in ship-building and fence posts because it resists decay in contact
with moisture. It is very strong, hard, and takes a high polish. These
trees are now preyed upon by boring insects and are not as popular as
they were formerly.
THE ROSE FAMILY.
What boy of the New England or the Middle states does not know the Choke
Cherry or Wild Cherry and its fruit that he gathers and eats, although
it puckers his mouth? Did you know that these, as well as our cultivated
cherries, apples, pears, quinces, and plums, all belong to the same
flower family that gives us our roses? The Mountain Ash also belongs to
this family. Red Ash Berries help to brighten up the autumn and winter;
in fact, these trees are so attractive when in fruit that they are being
largely used for decorative purposes. In Europe they are called the
Rowan Trees, and many peculiar tales and superstitions have gathered
around them.
THE PINE FAMILY.
The pines of the United States include many species, most of which are
valuable for their timber. The White Pine, which attains a great height
and favors sandy soil, heads the list. Its bark is smoother than any
other pine and its cones are long and slender. Its wood is soft,
compact, and valuable. The wood of the Yellow Pine is hard and heavy,
darker in tone, and much favored for flooring. It does not grow to such
a height as the white pine; it is found throughout the Southern states.
The Red Pine, or Norway Pine, favors Canada more than our country. The
Pitch Pine grows in sandy and rocky soil or in the cold, swampy lands.
The Jersey, or Scrub Pine, grows on sandy soil.
The Spruces have brighter leaves than the pines and the leaves are not
grouped like the pine leaves. The leaves are borne on drooping branches;
the cones are pendent; the white spruce grows higher than any other
spruce. The cones of the red spruce are large; the resin of both the red
and black spruces are used as chewing gum.
The Hemlock is one of the most graceful of cone-bearing trees. The
hemlocks grow rapidly and become very rugged and picturesque. Hemlock
wood warps when exposed; its bark is used in tanning. The leaves of the
balsam are a bright green color above and a silver green color below.
They are dried and made into pillows because of their fragrance.
Arborvitae, or White Hemlock, is cultivated as an ornamental tree. It is
much used for hedges.
THE WILD FLOWERS OF THE UNITED STATES
THE WILD FLOWERS OF THE UNITED STATES.
THE SPRING FLOWERS--_White._
[Illustration: BLOODROOT.]
Go into the woods some day early in April and you will find, pushing up
through the last summer's litter, a curled-up leaf. Open this leaf and
nestling within will be a white flower bud. Even when in bloom the leaf
surrounds the flower stem as though to protect it. As you pick the
flower a red juice oozes out of the stem and stains your hands. This is
the blood root and the Indians used its juice to stain their faces. Just
beyond it, bending and nodding in the wind, is the dainty little
anemone; there is sometimes a hint of pink or lavender in its white
flowers.
[Illustration: TRILLIUM.]
Among the rocks you will find, swinging, the little Dutchman's Breeches,
with their peculiar little flowers that look like pairs of trousers hung
on a line. Growing with it will be the saxifrage, whose name means that
it breaks rocks. This name was probably given to it because it is
usually found growing in the clefts of rocks. As spring advances, the
woods are dotted with bright little star flowers and the unpleasantly
odorous May apple and the white Trillium with its three long petals. The
feathery baneberry is in flower when the columbine blooms and when the
green-and-brown Jacks-in-the-Pulpit are preaching in the woods. The
Jack-in-the-Pulpit in shape is not unlike a calla lily.
Other white flowers of spring are the shad bush that blooms "when the
shad run." Its red berries ripen in June.
Pyxie or Flowering Moss--sandy woods.
Crinkle Root--May woods.
THE SPRING FLOWERS--_Yellow._
[Illustration: YELLOW ADDER'S TONGUE.]
If you will go down into the swampy meadowland you will find the bright,
sturdy marsh marigolds, and in the wet woods adjoining the spice bushes
glowing with their fussy little yellow blossoms, and alongside the brook
the dog-toothed violet or yellow adder's tongue, rearing their mottled
leaves and nodding their yellow blossoms. These are not violets at all,
by the way, but lilies. In the May woods are the red and yellow flowers
of the Wood Betony and the bell-shaped flowers of Solomon's Seal. Pull
up the Solomon's Seal root and see the marks on it that look like the
impression of a seal. That is how it received its name, although why
"Solomon's Seal" we are unable to answer. Bellwort is a little yellowish
lily common in the May woods.
Other yellow spring flowers:
Coltsfoot--Stream banks in May.
Celandine Poppy--Woods and hills.
Corydalis--Dry stony woodland.
Moosewood--Wet woods.
THE SPRING FLOWERS--_Pink._
In company with the blood root and dog-toothed violets and the dainty
anemones are the pretty little pink-veined Spring Beauties, with their
slender leaves and graceful stems. Lucky are you if you chance to live
where the trailing arbutus grows, with its deliciously perfumed waxy
flowers under last summer's dead leaves. The New Englanders call it the
May Flower. The attractive blossoms of the Rhodora brighten the woods
with their splendor. This is a wild Rhododendron and belongs to the same
family as the wild honeysuckle that blossoms in the moist places in May.
Other pink spring flowers:
Showy Orchis--May woods.
Wild Pink--Rocky edges of woods.
THE SPRING FLOWERS--_Red._
Heading this list comes the Columbine, and if you will gather this
flower you must be prepared to climb, for it is fond of nooks and
crannies difficult to reach. Starting up from three broad leaves the
little flower of the Wake Robin thrusts itself upon our attention; it is
not shy or retiring like the arbutus or the timid little blushing
Spring Beauty.
[Illustration: COLUMBINE.]
THE SPRING FLOWERS--_Blue and Purple._
First of the blues comes the fuzzy-stemmed and fuzzy-budded hepatica,
which is known also by the ugly name of "liverwort." Sometimes the
flowers fade to a white, sometimes to a pinkish lavender. The one symbol
of springtime is the violet. When the violet comes we know that winter
has gone for good. The wild geranium or cranebill grows and blossoms
sturdily when the anemones and Spring Beauties are getting scarce.
Other blue and purple spring flowers:
Bluets or Quaker Ladies--Meadows and roadsides.
Larkspur--Not found east of Pennsylvania.
Cancer Root--Wet woods.
EARLY SUMMER FLOWERS--_White._
Early in June you will see in the woods and fields a shrub that looks
like a young maple tree blooming abundantly with clusters of white
flowers. It is the Dockmackie, or the Maple-leaved Viburnum. If you live
on the hills of the Hudson or Pennsylvania you will have the opportunity
yearly of seeing the Mountain Laurel in flower, a shrub that is
cultivated and highly esteemed in England. The stamens of the flowers
are caught in little pockets, and as the insect alights on these they
are loosened and fly upward, shaking the pollen on to the body of the
insect.
Blooming in the same location may be found the Wild Rhododendron, which
belongs to the same family as the Mountain Laurel.
Another member of this family is the Swamp Honeysuckle or the Clammy
Azalea; both of these are shrubs. The latter is usually found among the
swampy coast lands.
Still another member of this heath family, to which the Mountain Laurel
and Rhododendron belong, is the Little Shin Leaf, with its
Lily-of-the-Valley-like flowers. Growing alongside of it you are very
likely to find the Pipsissewa, with its beautiful perfume and ever-green
leaves. June is the month when the meadows are whitened by the daisies.
Other early summer white flowers:
Wood Sorrel--June woods.
Sweet Cicely--Sweet-tasting root.
Marsh Andromeda--Swampy places.
Staggerbush--Low dry places.
EARLY SUMMER FLOWERS--_Yellow._
In May or June hunt for the Yellow Lady Slipper or Whip-poor-Will's
Shoe, a pretty little yellow Orchid. Mr. Baldwin, writing of orchids of
New England, says: "Its preference is for maples, beeches, and
particularly butternuts, and for sloping or hilly ground, and I always
look with glad suspicion at a knoll covered with ferns, cohoshes, and
trilliums, expecting to see a clump of this plant among them. Its
sentinel-like habit of choosing 'sightly places' leads it to venture
well up on mountain-sides."
The straggly flower heads of the Hawk Weed, or Rattlesnake Weed, that
looks like little Dandelions, will be found in the dry pine woods at
this time of the year. Its leaves are veined with purple and thought to
resemble the markings of the rattlesnake. This has given it its name.
We need no introduction to the common dandelion that carpets our lawns
with a cloth of gold, much to the disgust of the gardener, who roots
them out as weeds.
Another flower of the waste places is a pretty little toad flax, or
butter-and-eggs. It is probably called "butter-and-eggs" because of the
two shades of yellow. Its juice, mixed with milk, makes a good fly
poison.
In the same localities may be found the St. John's Wort, with its
numerous little flowers, and both the moth mullein and common mullein.
The old Romans used to dip the dry stalk of the common mullein in fat
and use it as a torch. The moth mullein is tenderer than the common
mullein. The flowers are tipped with red and purple.
Other early summer yellow flowers:
Cinquefoil--Fields and roadsides.
Bush Honeysuckle--Hillsides.
Four-leaved Loosestrife--Roadsides.
Yellow Loosestrife--Wet places.
EARLY SUMMER FLOWERS--_Pink._
The Pink Lady Slipper, like the Yellow, is another orchid. Baldwin, to
whom we have referred before, tells us where he usually found them; he
says: "The finest specimens I ever saw sprang out of a cushion of crisp
reindeer moss high up among the rocks of the exposed hillside, and again
I have found it growing vigorously in hills upon swamps, but nearly
colorless from excessive moisture." He further says that "A lady who has
found it in the Adirondacks says she found it to have a great fondness
for decaying wood and often saw a whole row perched like birds along a
crumbling log."
A smaller laurel with dark pink flowers blooms in June. It is called
"Lamb-killer," because of the belief that it is poisonous to sheep.
Corydalis--Rocky woods.
Adder's Mouth--Swamps.
EARLY SUMMER FLOWERS--_Red._
Thoreau writes: "The Painted Cup is in its prime. It reddens the meadow,
painted cup meadow. It is a splendid show of brilliant scarlet, the
color of the cardinal flower and surpasses it in mass and profusion. I
do not like the name; it does not remind me of a cup, rather of a flame
when it first appears. It might be called 'flame flower' or 'scarlet
tip.' Here is a large meadow full of it, and very few in the town have
ever seen it. It is startling to see a leaf thus brilliantly painted, as
if its tip were dipped into some scarlet mixture, surpassing most
flowers in intensity of color."
EARLY SUMMER FLOWERS--_Blue and Purple._
The Blue-eye Grass, which belongs to the same family as the Blue Flag,
carpets the moist meadows at this season of the year. The Blue Flag and
Fleur-de-lis is the flower of France; the name "Fleur-de-lis," the
flower of Louis, King Louis VII having chosen it as his particular
badge. Look for it in damp meadow grounds in June.
Early in June the wild lupine blooms, painting the hillside blue.
SUMMER--_White._
If you go into the woods where the evergreens grow in July you will find
the Little Wintergreen in bloom. Later in the year you will find the
little red Wintergreen berries. Along the roadside you will find the
daisy-like flowers of the Chamomile or May Weed. From the leaves of this
plant our grandmothers used to make Chamomile tea.
A shrub that you will find in bloom in the July woods is the New Jersey
Tea, with its clusters of feathery flowers. At the time of the American
Revolution our forefathers used its leaves to make a substitute for the
imported tea on which Great Britain imposed a tax.
Another flower of the summer woods and hillsides is the Cohosh, with a
stem from three to eight feet high. Its odor is supposed to be
distasteful to insects. The Elders are a mass of white blossoms at this
time of the year, and later crowned with purplish berries from which
elderberry wine is made.
A common plant of the July roadsides is the Pokeweed. Its flowers are
less conspicuous than its fruit. It has long clusters of dark berries.
Country boys make "ink" from the juice of these berries.
The Boneset is another wayside flower. Our grandmothers made boneset tea
from its leaves when we were in danger of colds or malaria. Its flowers
are dull white; it belongs to the same family as the Golden-rod.
Other summer white flowers:
Thimbleweed--Woods and meadows.
White Avens--Edges of woods.
Wild Cucumber--Along river banks.
Yarrow--Roadsides.
No article on wild flowers of the United States would be complete
without mention of "Queen Anne's Lace," while some call it "Bird's
Nest," from the habit of the curling up of the old flowers into a
nest-like shape.
SUMMER--_Yellow._
One of the most conspicuous yellow flowers is the Meadow Lily, or the
Wild Yellow Lily.
The St. John's Wort is a common flower of this season of the year. It
seems to flourish in the waste places, while both the moth mullein and
the common mullein are close companions.
When the white daisies are beginning to wane, the yellow daisies or
Black-eyed Susans begin to bloom. The Jewel Weed is also called by some
"Touch-me-Not," on account of the few seed pods, which burst when
touched, showing the seeds.
At twilight and in the early morning the Evening Primrose opens its dull
yellow blossoms. During the middle of the day the flowers are closed.
Other summer yellow flowers:
Yellow Clover--Fields and roadsides.
Bladderwort--Ponds and streams.
Partridge Pea--Sandy Soil.
SUMMER--_Pink._
Probably the foremost among these is the Common Milkweed, with its dull
pink clustered flowers that later turn into a pod filled with silky
fibers, which the children love to break open and set afloat in the
wind. It is called "Milkweed" on account of the white sticky fluid which
it exhumes from the broken stems.
Along the roadside and meadows purplish-pink flowers of the Fireweed are
in bloom.
[Illustration: MEADOW LILY.]
One of the most beautiful of the pink midsummer flowers is the Mallow
that makes lively our swamps with its large pale pink flowers.
Other summer pink flowers:
Steeplebush--Low places.
Purple Loosestrife--Marshes.
Meadow Beauty--Sandy soil.
Tick Trefoil--Midsummer woods.
SUMMER--_Red._
Two lilies of midsummer are the Wild Lily and the Turk's Cap Lily; the
Turk's Cap Lily, with its drooping flowers, and the Wild Lily, with its
upright flowers, that grow in our meadows, the Wild Lily in the shady
woods.
Here and there in the midsummer fields is a patch of the bright
flame-color orange-red Butterfly Weed. This belongs to the Milkweed
family. They present to the eye some of the most vivid patches of color
of the summer fields.
SUMMER--_Blue and Purple._
Growing in the waste places from June until September are the closed
heads of the "Self Heal," with its bluish-purple flowers and the spikes
of the dainty little vervain.
Blooming in midsummer is the aromatic little Pennyroyal, one of the mint
family.
LATE SUMMER AND AUTUMN--_Yellow._
Without doubt the one flower that holds the foremost rank of the late
summer and autumn flowers is the Golden-rod.
The Wild Sunflower and the Bur Marigold, or "Stick-tight," belong to the
same family as the Golden-rod, the Composite Family.
Witch-hazel Shrubs are now coming into bloom, blooming when everything
else is getting ready for the winter nap.
Other late summer yellow flowers:
False Foxgloves--Dry woodland.
Yellow Thistle--Sandy coast soil.
LATE SUMMER AND AUTUMN--_White._
The Rattlesnake Plantain has peculiar leaves veined with white. The
Indians believed that application of the leaves of this plant would cure
a snake bite.
One of the shrubs that blooms at this season of the year is the Sweet
Pepperbush, which is becoming popular as a cultivated shrub in our
gardens and lawns. It seems to bloom best in those localities where
there is considerable moisture in the atmosphere.
The dry fields are now thickly covered with the white asters.
Other late summer white flowers:
Ladies' Tresses--Wet places in autumn.
Pearly Everlasting--Woods and fields.
LATE SUMMER AND AUTUMN--_Pink._
A common roadside flower is the Pink Knotweed, with its branching stems
and groups of bright pink flowers.
[Illustration: PINK KNOTWEED.]
The Bouncing Bet is now growing sturdily, with its pinkish-white
flowers, and close to the Butterfly Weed blooms the "Joe Pye Weed," with
its dusky purplish-pink clusters, while the Golden-rod and Asters are in
flower.
Other late summer pink flowers:
Purple Gerardia--Low dry ground.
False Dragon Head--Wet fields.
LATE SUMMER AND AUTUMN--_Red._
In the late summer, along the edges of ponds and streams and in the
midst of swamps, gleam the bright, ragged flowers of the Cardinal
flower, the brightest red flower of early autumn.
LATE SUMMER AND AUTUMN--_Blue and Purple._
The Blue Chicory or Succory brightens up our roadsides in late summer
when the fields are full of blue and purple Asters. There are over one
hundred different species of wild Asters, all belonging to the Composite
Family, the same family that the Golden-rod, Daisies, and Sunflowers are
members of. The Composite Family, in fact, is in majority at this season
of the year.
Both the closed and fringed Gentian come to us in late September, with
their beautiful blue flowers--blue of a beautiful shade.
Other late summer flowers--blue and purple:
Blazing Star--Marsh land.
Iron Weed--Roadsides and fields.
INDEX
PAGE
Adder's Mouth, 174
Alder, 158
Alligator Tree, 149
Anemones, 166, 169, 171
Apples, 160
Arborvitae, 161
Arbutus, 169, 171
Ash, 150
Mountain Black, 160
White, 150
Aspen, 159
Asters, 179, 180, 181
Avens, White, 175
Azaleas, Clammy, 172
Balsam, 161
Baneberry, 166
Basswood, 153
Bay, Sweet, 153
Beech, 152
Betony, Wood, 168
Bellwort, 169
Bignonia Family, 150
Birch, 158
Paper, 158
Red, 158
White, 158
Bird's Nest, 175
Bitternut, 158
Black-eyed Susans, 176
Black Ash, 150
Black Spruce, 161
Black Walnut, 156
Black Willow, 158
Bladderwort, 176
Blazing Star, 181
Bloodroot, 165
Blue-eyed Grass, 174
Blue Flag, 174
Bluets, 171
Boneset, 175
Bouncing Bet, 180
Bow-wood, 156
Buck-eye, 155
Bur Marigold, 179
Bush Honeysuckle, 173
Butter-and-Eggs, 173
Butterfly Weed, 178, 180
Butternut, 157
Buttonwood, 156
Cancer Root, 171
Cardinal Flower, 174, 181
Catalpa, 150
Celandine Poppy, 169
Chamomile, 175
Cherry, Choke, 160
Wild, 160
Chestnut, 152
Horse, 155
Chestnut Oak, 150
Chicory, 181
Chokecherry, 160
Cinquefoil, 173
Clammy Azaleas, 172
Closed Gentian, 181
Clover, Yellow, 176
Cohosh, 175
Coltsfoot, 169
Columbine, 166, 169, 170
Corydalis, 169, 174
Cottonwood, 159
Cranebill, 171
Crinkle Root, 166
Daisies, 176
Yellow, 176
Dandelion, 172, 173
Dockmackie, 171
Dog-Tooth Violets, 168, 169
Dogwood, 149
Dutchman's Breeches, 166
Elderberries, 175
Elm, 152, 153
Slippery, 153
White, 153
Evening Primrose, 176
False Dragon Head, 181
False Foxgloves, 179
Fireweed, 176
Flag, Blue, 174
Fleur-de-lis, 174
Flowering Moss, 166
Four-Leaved Loosestrife, 173
Foxgloves, False, 179
Fringed Gentian, 181
Gentian, 181
Closed, 181
Fringed, 181
Geranium, Wild, 171
Gerardia, 181
Golden-rod, 175, 178, 180
Hawk Weed, 172
Hemlock, 161
White, 161
Hepatica, 171
Hickory, 157
Shell-bark, 157, 158
Swamp, 158
Honey Locust, 159
Honeysuckle, Bush, 173
Swamp, 172
Wild, 169
Horse Chestnuts, 155
Iron Weed, 181
Ironwood, 158
Jack-in-the-Pulpit, 166
Jewel Weed, 176
Joe-Pye Weed, 180
Judas Tree, 159
Knotweed, 179, 180
Ladies' Tresses, 179
Lady's Slipper, Pink, 173
Yellow, 172, 173
Lamb-killer, 174
Larkspur, 171
Laurel Oaks, 151
Laurel, Mountain, 171, 172
Lily, Meadow, 176, 177
Lily, Turk's Cap, 178
Lily, Wild, 178
Wild Yellow, 176
Lime Tree, 153
Linden, 153
Liquidambar, 149
Liverwort, 171
Locust, 159
Honey, 159
Loosestrife, Four-Leaved, 173
Purple, 178
Yellow, 173
Lupine, 174
Wild, 174
Magnolia, 153
Swamp, 153
Mallow, 178
Maple, 154, 155
Red, 155
Silver, 155
Sugar, 155
Maple-Leaved Viburnum, 171
Marigold, Bur, 179
Marigolds, Marsh, 166
Marsh Andromeda, 172
Marsh Marigolds, 166
May Apple, 166
May Flower, 169
May Weed, 175
Meadow Beauty, 178
Meadow Lily, 176, 177
Milkweed, 176, 178
Moosewood, 169
Moth Mullein, 173, 176
Mountain Ash, 160
Mountain Laurel, 171, 172
Mulberry, Red, 156
White, 156
Mullein, Common, 173, 176
Moth, 173, 176
New Jersey Tea, 175
Norway Pine, 160
Oak, 150
Chestnut, 150
Laurel, 151
Red, 150
Scarlet, 151
Scrub, 151
White, 150, 151
Willow, 151
Yellow, 150
Olive, 150
Orchis, Showy, 169
Osage Orange, 156
Painted Cup, 174
Paper Birch, 158
Partridge Pea, 176
Pea Family, 159
Pearly Everlasting, 179
Pears, 160
Pennyroyal, 178
Pignut, 158
Pine, 160
Norway, 160
Pitch, 160
Red, 160
Scrub, 161
White, 160
Yellow, 160
Pink Knotweed, 179, 180
Wild, 169
Pink Lady's Slipper, 173
Pipsissewa, 172
Pitch Pine, 160
Plane Tree Family, 156
Plantain, Rattlesnake, 179
Plums, 160
Poison Sumach, 159
Pokeweed, 175
Poplar, Yellow, 155
Poplar Tree, 155
Poppy, Celandine, 169
Primrose, Evening, 176
Purple Loosestrife, 178
Pussy Willow, 158
Pyxie, 166
Quaker Ladies, 171
Queen Anne's Lace, 175
Rattlesnake Plantain, 179
Rattlesnake Weed, 172
Red Birch, 158
Red Bud, 159
Red Maple, 155
Red Mulberry, 156
Red Oak, 150
Red Pine, 160
Red Spruce, 161
Rhododendron, 169, 172
Wild, 169, 171
Rhodora, 169
Rose Family, 160
Rowan Trees, 160
St John's Wort, 173, 176
Saxifrage, 166
Scarlet Oak, 151
Scrub Oak, 151
Scrub Pine, 161
Self Heal, 178
Shad Bush, 166
Shell-bark Hickory, 157, 158
Shin Leaf, 172
Showy Orchis, 169
Silver Maple, 155
Slippery Elm, 153
Solomon's Seal, 168
Sorrel, Wood, 172
Spice Bush, 166
Spring Beauty, 169, 171
Spruce, 161
Black, 161
Red, 161
White, 161
Staggerbush, 172
Star Flowers, 166
Steeplebush, 178
Stick-tight, 179
Succory, 181
Sugar Maple, 155
Sumach, 159
Poison, 159
Sunflower, Wild, 179
Swamp Hickory, 158
Honeysuckle, 172
Magnolia, 153
Sweet Bay, 153
Sweet Cicely, 172
Sweetgum, 149
Sweet Pepperbush, 179
Sycamore, 156
Thimble Weed, 175
Thistle, Yellow, 179
Tick Trefoil, 178
Toad Flax, 173
Touch-me-Not, 176
Trees of the United States, 149
Trilliums, 166, 167
Tulip Tree, 155
Turk's Cap Lily, 178
Viburnum, Maple-Leaved, 171
Violet, 168, 169, 171
Dog-tooth, 168, 169
Wake Robin, 169
Walnut, 156, 158
Black, 156
White, 156
Weeping Willow, 158
Whip-poor-Will's Shoe, 172
White Ash, 150
White Avens, 175
White Birch, 158
White Elm, 153
White Hemlock, 161
White Mulberry, 156
White Oak, 150, 151
White Pine, 160
White Spruce, 161
White Walnut, 156
White-wood, 153
Wild Cherry, 160
Wild Cucumber, 175
Wild Flowers of the United States, 165
Wild Geranium, 171
Wild Honeysuckle, 169
Wild Lily, 178
Wild Lupine, 174
Wild Pink, 169
Wild Rhododendron, 169, 171
Wild Sunflower, 179
Wild Yellow Lily, 176
Willow, 158
Black, 158
Pussy, 158
Weeping, 158
Willow Oak, 151
Witch-hazel Family, 149, 179
Wintergreen, 174
Wood Betony, 168
Wood Sorrel, 172
Yarrow, 175
Yellow Adder's Tongue, 168
Yellow Clover, 176
Yellow Daisies, 176
Yellow Lady's Slipper, 172, 173
Yellow Loosestrife, 173
Yellow Oak, 150
Yellow Pine, 160
Yellow Poplar, 155
Yellow Thistle, 179
THE Campfire and Trail Series
1. In Camp on the Big Sunflower.
2. The Rivals of the Trail.
3. The Strange Cabin on Catamount Island.
4. Lost in the Great Dismal Swamp.
5. With Trapper Jim in the North Woods.
6. Caught in a Forest Fire.
By LAWRENCE J. LESLIE
A series of wholesome stories for boys told in an interesting way and
appealing to their love of the open.
_Each, 12mo. Cloth. 40 cents per volume_
THE NEW YORK BOOK COMPANY
147 FOURTH AVENUE
NEW YORK
* * * * *
Transcriber's Notes:
Obvious punctuation errors repaired.
Text uses both scout master and scout-master.
Advertising page listing Hickory Ridge books, "Chenoweth" changed to
"Chenowith" to match actual usage in books.
Page 57, "vamose" changed to "vamoose" (wanted to vamoose in a)
Page 92, "samee" changed to "same" (All the same)
Page 99, "more's" changed to "more'n" (a feller more'n a skinned)
Page 153, "drank" changed to "drunk" (drunk for throat)
Page 184, "Hawkweed" changed to "Hawk Weed" to match usage in text.
Page 187, "Whip-poor-will's" changed to "Whip-poor-Will's" to match
usage in text.