EARLY SUMMER'S FLOWERS

Woodland trails are coming into their own these days on "The Mountain". Long hours of warm sunshine which has followed the recent rains have served to stimulate the season, which, a few days ago, was regarded as tardy.

The white flower of the Forest Anemone, perched daintily upon its slender stem, finds an adequate background upon which to display its latent beauty, in the deep green of the shaded forest aisles. Here and there, clustered along the trailside are groups of Alpine Beauty whose single, delicate blossom dispells all doubt as to the reason for its name. Nor is its beauty lost with the dropping of its petals -- a handsome blue berry replaces the flower in the late summer. The other day, along the rocky river bar of the Nisqually my vision was arrested by a speck of color so rich and warm, in contrast to the cold greys of glaciated boulders, that for a moment the eye could hardly establish its identity. It was a Crimson Columbine -- common in higher, moister, and more suitable locations.

The flower display at the Museum is further enlivened by the red of the Mimulus or Monkey Flower, the Paintbrush and the Heather -- all collected close to Longmire -- while the famous Avalanche Lily, the first to be found blooming at the edge of the receding snowbanks, just recently was added to the display. Blue Lupine, Canada Dogwood, Bear Grass, Star Flower, Pink Corydalis, all are part of this display which at this early time -- for there is still six feet of snow in Paradise Valley -- already numbers forty species.

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