Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-06-20
ROADSIDE BEAUTY
Pleasures Of Picking Wild
Flowers Just Now.
DELIGHTFUL EXERCISE
WONDERS TO BE FOUND Stroll
LING THE WOODS.
Color Symphonies in Natures Bouquet
Making-Haunts and Hid
ing Places.

Teachers of physical culture whose pupils
are going to the country may well tell
them that picking wild flowers is an excel
lent exercise for the back; indeed, it is
very like some of the prescribed bendings
given in regular lessons, and is strength
ening for both back and knees. The occu-
patton itself, whether undertaken with the
object of exercise or not, is fascinating,
and one is led on and on until perhaps too
much ground has been Travelled over and
the point beyond benefit is reached and
WEAKNESS prevails. OF course, one cannot
fully enjoy this exercise IL the weather is
too warm, but these cloudy, fitfully sunny,
cool and breezy days of this June have been
ideal for wandering in woods and fields,
and hours may be passed before fatigue
sets in.
Watching the Growth.
The interest created by seeing them grow
ing and studying their ways from life leads
one also to desire more book knowledge
concerning wild flowers, and the demand
has undoubtedly called forth the many
nature books now and recently published.
Certainly information as to names, habits
and environment of the plants one finds in
daily walks and at ones door is most de-
sirable, and quite a library may be amassed
in short time If the reading of alluring
titles in book notices is followed up by
orders for the volumes themselves, so that
this thirst for flower knowledge may be
assuaged.
Town dwellers, whose only knowledge of
the beautiful country surrounding WASH
ington is derived from carriage views, or
the flying glimpses from automobiles and
electric cars, have no idea of the wealth Of
wild flowers and growths which every field
and piece of woods offers. Almost every
day something new blossoms out, SO that
W
makes them seem new every time they are
traversed.
Everything is quite different from a month
ago, and the constant expectation Of find
ing novelties gives a never-ending charm to
every stroll one undertakes.
Golden Finds.
During the past four weeks have found
fifteen varieties of yellow blossoms in the
immediate neighborhood of my home. Two
only were of the early spring flowers. which
have passed away. the others being all in
bloom now in different places.
One Of the interesting things about these
wild growths is the way their different
tastes are shown in their upspringing. so
that their haunts may come to be known
and the favorite places of different flowers
learned. There is large tract Of land
near here entirely uncultivated. but with
few trees or shrubs growing, SO that shade
is scarce. Here in one small area Is a pro-
fusion of wild cowslip. its yellow blossoms
waving in the wind veritable glory in its
bloom. and nowhere else in all the acres Is
a stalk of this same plant In another place
I found a single root of another yellow
flower. the only one found until today, a
quarter of mile at least distant from the
first. Several more Of the same kind were
seen together. and no more anywhere about.
One single stalk of butter and eggs seems
to be the output of the neighborhood SO far
at least this season.
Black-Eyed Susans.
The black-eyed Susans only appear in one
place, by the roadside; in another spot
near the road also one stalk Of blue lark
spur Is in bloom. and close by a single root
of scarlet poppy. Both of these are evil
IDENTIFY wind-sown. and will not be picked,
SO that they may scatter their seeds and in
crease another year.
A certain walk in the woods seems en-
tirely changed in character since month
ago, that the predominating bloom was a
lavender bell-like flower, which grew in
greatest profusion in large patches; that
has gone and feathery white flower has
taken its place, and there is tall spike
like blossom, also white and beautiful, and
wild roses showing their fragile loneliness
in both pale and deep shades of pink.
Four different yellow flowers give their
lovely color to this scene while a pale
pinkish lavender blossom. growing nearer
the ground than the others. has to be
hunted. or It IL easily overlooked.
Hunting Wild Pinks.
The lovely wild pink is more democratic
in its tastes than anything except the
woods or open field. but 1t has Its favorite
Nnlsst whsrs some mounds show ths