The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1915-09-02
Notes on a Trip to Teddy Pond

NOTES ON d Tip 10 1Ouuy Ollu
Late in August about thirteen years
ago, a party of four of US, two ladies
and two gentlemen, drove to To-day Pond
from Searsport and spent the day there.
On the way up and back and while at the
pond we endeavored to find as many wild
flowers as possible, and the number we
were able to collect surprised us.
On July oath, this year, three of the
original party, with another amateur
botanist, determined to repeat the trip
and to see if we could equal or surpass
our former record. We were not quite.
certain what our record was, as the list
had been misplaced, but from our best
recollection, we had to find either one
hundred and fifteen or one hundred and
thirty-fve varieties.
This time we made the trip up by auto
mobile and the return trip by walking
and it was unanimously decided that
horse and carriage is much more desir-
able vehicle for botanizing than an auto
mobile.
After arriving at Mr.. Whites and get
ting the key to the boat, we began max
ing the list of the flowers we had noticed
on the way up and Of those we were able
to see about US. This Melted US about
forty and several more were found on
the way to the pond.
Then we unlocked the boat and rowed
over to the big island, where the lunch and
extra wraps were unloaded and a short
exploration made which resulted in the
addition to the list of button-bush, sun
dew, pipewort, and few others.
While rowing to the west shore and
coasting along to the south end we picked
about hundred pond lilies, after which
we landed and found few more varieties
for the list. Then, re-embarking, we
rowed around the point to the south
eastern cove, which opens out into quite
stable pond, surrounded by swamp.
There was some doubt about our ability
W lutte CuC UOdC IuIOdSa liIto IAlS oiA4ol-
er pond, but after some experimenting
we found we could sink the formidable
looking floating islands and pole the boat
over them.
On the edge of the swamp in the small
er pond we found some prizes, such as
white fringed orchis, bladderwort, snake
mouth and yellow-eyed grass. We picked
some of the orchids to bring home and
came near missing a bunch of beauties
because one of the ladies insisted that
they were only cluster of white leaves.
Some pitcher plants were also gathered,
and altogether, SO much time was spent
in the swamp that by the time we had
reached the island and started the bacon
frying the hour set for our departure had
arrived, This, however, was not per-
mitted to detract from the enjoyment of
very appetizing lunch, after which we
loaded the boat with our treasures and
started for home.
On arriving at Mr.. Whites we obtain
ed grain sack which we converted into
a shoulder pack for the transportation of
our numerous acquisitions.
The list now comprised about eighty
names and it began to look as though we
were going to fall far below the record.
Consequently we combed the road sides
pretty thoroughly. What looked like
patch of golden rod from a distance
proved to be something we had never
seen before and after consulting the book
we decided it was yellow bedstraw. An
other new one by the roadside was found
to be green adder's mouth.
At the turn of the road by the Grange
Hall, we had hoped to find bouncing bet,
but it had disappeared from the place
where we had found it twice before.
Some distance below here we took wood
road which was supposed 10 bring us out
near the Swanville church, but it PLAYED
out and we had to work our way to the
oad,through the underbrush but found a
few flowers to pay US for our trouble.
After leaving Swanville, where we
stopped for refreshment, with the list
still below one hundred, we walked some
distance without finding anything new
and were feeling trife discouraged.
We had seen eecampane, Labrador tea,
and pennyroyal almost in blossom and
felt like straining our conscience and
claiming them, but refrained. Soon we
discovered vine of bitter sweet grow
ing among the alders at the side of the
road and after this we seemed to have
run of luck. We found single bluet and
one bunchberry blossom, but in spite of
careful search failed to find either blue
berry or raspberry blossoms.
When we reached the place where we
had noted purple fringed orchis on theway
up, we began picking them for bouquet,
getting about twenty Of the purple and
ragged fringed, leaving one occasionally
for seed. We found one orchid which
was almost identical with the purple
frlnged, but pure white in color. This
was not given as separate species in
the book. We also found both pink and