A first cousin to the Speedwell of English poetry. These tiny blossoms fall almost as soon as they open their pretty blue eyes, therefore let the observer rest content, without trying to pluck the tender stalks. [Illustration: AMERICAN BROOKLIME: V. Americana.] *Common Speedwell.* _Veronica officinalis._ *Upland Speedwell.* Found in dry uplands and light woods in June and July. The leafy stalk lies along the ground, with the flower-stems rising from it; it is round, downy, and tough. In color green. The oval leaf, broad and rounded at the tip, tapers at the base into an exceedingly short stem: the edge is notched, and the surface downy. The leaves are set in pairs, and are of a rather light green color. The small 4-parted flower shows the mark of the Speedwells in the inequality of the divisions, the lower one being much narrower than the other three. There are two stamens, a pistil, and a small green 4-parted calyx. The flowers are closely set on slender spires, rising from the angles of the leaves. Their color is a light lavender, lined with a darker tone. The flat, heart-shaped pods ripen on the lower part of the spire while the upper part continues to bloom; the flowers speed quickly away,--with a glance, almost, they are gone, so lightly are they held in their green cups. [Illustration: COMMON SPEEDWELL: V. officinalis.] *Mullein.* _Verbascum Thapsus._ *High Taper.* *Candlewick.* Found on dry, sandy soil, in fields, and among rocks, from June to September. The single, leafy stalk rises from a foot-tuffet, to the height of 3 or 4 feet, usually, although it varies considerably; it is round, stout, and tough-fibred, covered with wool, which tempers the green and makes it whitey in tone. The large (from 6 to 12 inches long) foot-leaves have very prominent ribs which show chiefly underneath, entire margins, and are thick, like a blanket with a very woolly surface; the stalk leaves are smaller, and more pointed, and are attached to the stalk for a part of their length,--they are otherwise like the large leaves. In color a whitish green. The corolla is rather large, somewhat unequally 5-parted with rounded lobes, it is of a fine texture and smooth; in color, a clear pale yellow. The tips of the 5 stamens are orange; the pistil is green, and so is the 5-parted, woolly calyx. The flowers are set closely and numerously in a long, compact, club-shaped, terminal spike. When the flower-stalk shoots up the foot-tuffet withers, and loses the richer color which, in spring, belongs to its leafage. The rosette forms in the fall,--if potted and wintered in the house, free from the choking dust of the highway, it develops a superfine quality of wool. [Illustration: MULLEIN: Verbascum Thapsus.] *Moth Mullein.* _Verbascum Blattaria._ Found, during July and August, on sand-banks, pastures, and waysides.