Boggy solitudes of Nantucket . pur-ple stems and long, luscious clusters of darkberries hanging heavily amid the autumnalfoliage of the poke weed, whose inconspicuouslittle white blossom of July was scarcely seen. The crushed raspberry of the Joe-Pye-weed, named for a New England doctor, andits near relative, the boneset, with its soft whiteflowers, were adding to the color effects, whilesweet odors arose from the grapes as we passedtheir haunts, and in the grassy bogs the short- BOGGY SOLITUDES OF NANTUCKET 91 eared owl was marketing for the little fieldmice, which he regards as the great del
Boggy solitudes of Nantucket . pur-ple stems and long, luscious clusters of darkberries hanging heavily amid the autumnalfoliage of the poke weed, whose inconspicuouslittle white blossom of July was scarcely seen. The crushed raspberry of the Joe-Pye-weed, named for a New England doctor, andits near relative, the boneset, with its soft whiteflowers, were adding to the color effects, whilesweet odors arose from the grapes as we passedtheir haunts, and in the grassy bogs the short- BOGGY SOLITUDES OF NANTUCKET 91 eared owl was marketing for the little fieldmice, which he regards as the great delicacyof his dinner table. Notwithstanding the wealth of plant lifewhich the island holds for those who wouldseek it, it is believed that many rare plants aredestroyed by the burning over of the groundwhich occasionally occurs. The Cardinal and the blood-red spots,Its double In the stream,As if some wounded eagles breast,Slow throbbing oer the left its airy path impressedIn drops of scarlet rain. —Holmes. CHAPTER X. OW is the season whenalong the west edgeof Sachacha Pondcan be seen a fainttinge of rosy pinkamong the reedsand sedges. It isgiven by the hibiscus,o r marshmallow, marking the fulfil-ment of late flower, whichstands from four to seven feet above theground, has five large petals, and measuresperhaps six inches, while the leaves area soft green, long and tapering, sometimesdescribed as egg-shaped, the under side beingsoft with down. It is not easy to get them,for the hibiscus loves a slippery, oozy soil. Appearing about the same time, but instriking contrast, is a dainty little orchid, 95 96 BOGGY SOLITUDES OF NANTUCKET the last of the season—ladys tresses. Theslender, fragrant spikes of white flowers, inspiral growth, have a braided look, and thatmay account for the name. One kind, verymuch smaller and more slender, is found indry fields and sandy places. The larger kindis found in wet meadows or bogs, and is notso dainty as the Spiranthes gra
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