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[[underline]] Hemlock Swamp [[/underline]]

[[underline]] Aug. 4. [[/underline]] - Mrs. Norton and I spent the mg. wandering around a hemlock swamp back of the lake, which the dry weather has relieved of its only objectionable feature - water.  Most of the hemlocks were young, growing under pine trees, but some of them were large & made almost a thicket. [[superscript]] + [[/superscript]] 
Brakes, long ^ [[insertion]] cinnamon [[/insertion]] [[underlined]] Osmunda [[/underlined]] fronds and shield fern (?) gave added richness, but the ground cover of moss was the most swampy feature of the place.  Spongy sphagnum that you sank deep into, pigeon wheat & other deep mosses.
The roots of the trees ^ [[insertion]] veining the ground [[/insertion]] were outlined by green (? do the roots stand higher in the swamp for breathing purposes?) The floor was carpeted with it - varying shades & forms kept us exclaiming with eyes on the ground.  High stalks of the broad-leaved Veratrum spoke of spring richness.  Gold thread, with shiny 3 parted strawberry-like leaf slender stem & root of gold thread (orange color) came up through the moss cushions.  Clusters of Indian pipes with
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[[superscript]] + [[/superscript]] Among the hemlocks were ^[[insertion]] old [[/insertion]] yellow birches - showing curling bark only on their branches.  Two grew over rocks, one sitting like a fat seal [[image - pen drawing of lower tree trunk and roots]] on the rock - amusing.