Evening star., 1914-07-12

tree, spreads its boughs anectionatelv
over them until they are old enough and
strong enough to seek their fortune and
go II alone. There is no race suicide no
declining birth-rate among silver poplars
il they can help IT.
In this irregularly shaped clearing the
Rambler saw within few yards clumps
of horse nettles. beds of the blue spring
daisy or robins plantain: little groves
of sweet cicely. tangles of wild geraneum
or cranes bill. patches of yarrow or
Achillea millefolium one of the most
common of the wayside weeds speci-
mems of the Joe Pye weed that with the
coarse. roushly-toothed leaves in whorls
and that with the alternate nearly or
postte leaves: throughout or honeset
with Its white blossoms and opposite per-
foliate leaves and tall, blazing star dia-
iris scariosai and iron weed not vet ar
rayed in its purple blossoms
All around deep blue and fragrant was
riet OF ground ivy or Gill-over-the-
ground, that persistent little member of
the mint family which grows around old
houses just as dolls cheeses will insist
on growing under the trees and along the
walks of old-time homes. One might
think thai. an ancient and wrecked water
mill would be no appropriate habitation
for this member of the mint family. but
as the Rambler comes to think OF it
there is a. reason. for Eads' mill long
after its disuse as a mill. was fitted up
as a dwelling house. and soon thereafter
burned-that is. the roof. floors. and all
else of wood was burned
And. speaking of mint around the old
water mill, the Rambler caught the IA
rliliar odor of another mint. nepeta ca
taria. or catnip and soon found it's
lilac-white flowers. While following this
scent, which led toward the nearly ef-
faced mill race, there came another fra
GRANGE. alluring. suggestive and remi-
MI Ncnt u-ac ha INF u-ht trl, ar
many poems have been written and SO
many toasts have been spoken. II was
toddy mint. 1t was fresh. green and
tender.
weed, both the stellaria common. adored
by canaries. and the giant chickweed. one
of the pretty. members of the pink family.
There were golden dashes splashed by
buttercups. both the creeping buttercup
and the crowfoot buttercup. Among the
grasses were bluegrass and redtop. Of
course, in full flower. old mans beard
grass or anthropogonia and varieties OF
the pancums. Brush away the tangle of
vegetation and growing low down in II
YOU would find some of the speedwells.
especially the common speedwell with its
PROSTATE woody stem and its erect ra-
ceme Of pale lavender flowers.
One might write a long list of the Wild
plants and flowers growing in this place,
but the Rambler has not the time to
mention other than the commoner forms
If you like to botanize. the rocky. shrub
by flats on which the ruin of Eads mill
stands present excellent opportunities
To reach this mill you will find boys at
the old stone house on the Chain bridge
road close to the point of intersection of
the New Cut road who will scull you
across the canal in a batteau for ; cents.
Or there is a cuivert under the canal.
but in which you are apt, nay you are
sure, to get your shoes muddy and per-
haps your feet wet. After passing the
canal you cross the cinter-topped way Of
the branch railroad which leads down TO
Georgetown. Then you pass down a steep
decline and cross ravine through which
water flows with a gurgling roar. II is
a deep and shady ravine and there used
gone excepting OF its heavy and de-
caying timbers This has been laid across
the chasm. and you walk the plank. Over
the creek the narrow path leads through
bushes and weeds and with a few steps
you are in the open space about the mill.
To the west the river shines. The water
is green where 1t reflects the light from
the timbered sides Of the Virginia BLUFFS
and gray and yellow where it reflects
the light from the quarries which scar
those bluffs On Sunday you will see
scores of little boats that part of the
river. most of them motionless because
their occupants are fishing. but here and
there is one in motion and now and then
canoe glides. almost flashes, by.