Alyssum

“ On some coasts we find the Sweet Alyssum (Koniga maritima) —a naturalised plant with procumbent stem, narrow lanceolate, acute leaves, and white flowers. It may be recognised by its compressed, pointed pouch with one-seeded cells. This species flowers towards the end of the summer.
The Sea Radish (Raphanus maritimus) is a much larger plant, growing three or four feet in height. In common with the Wild Radish of our corn-fields, it has a tapering pod divided into one-seeded joints, but it may be distinguished from the latter by its superior height and the deeply-divided radical leaves. ”

“ At a glance one knows it to be related to the alyssum and candy-tuft of our gardens, albeit a poor relation in spite of its vaunted purses - the tiny, heart-shaped seed-pods that so rapidly succeed the flowers. What is the secret of its successful march over the face of the earth? Like the equally triumphant chickweed, it is easily satisfied with unoccupied wasteland, it avoids the fiercest competition for insect trade by prolonging its season of bloom far beyond that of any native flower, for there is not a month in the year when one may not find it even in New England in sheltered places. ”

“ Japanese pinks and Marguerite carnations, Phlox Drummondii and poppies are better planted where they are to bloom as they do not transplant well. Sweet alyssum and nemophila begin to bloom when about an inch high, and can be transplanted at any stage of growth, even in bloom; they are sweet little flowers that make lovely borders, cute little jars, beautiful hanging baskets, and when planted in the sides of jars that contain large plants, hang over the sides in masses of bloom. ”

“ Most of the plants of this genus are natives of North-America, and remarkable for their beauty; they were first introduced under the name of Lychnidea, which, though a Latin term, is now familiarized to the English ear.
Mr. Aiton has given to this species the name of early-flowering, it coming much sooner into blossom than any of the others, beginning to flower in May with the yellow Alyssum; its blossoms, however, are not of so long duration, nor so ornamental as some others of the same family.
It seldom exceeds a foot in height, and, on this account, may be regarded as a suitable rock-plant. ”

“ Many people in such borders use sweet alyssum for the outer row, but this, while it is decorative, is not always satisfactory for it grows so high that it is apt to shadow the major scheme. Bulbs can be left in the ground for a second year's blossoming or if new varieties are desired they can be carefully lifted and replaced by potted plants, such as the scarlet geranium or the dusty miller, whose soft gray sheen makes an interesting note of color as a foreground for the bed that stretches down to touch it, a solid mass of one-toned flowers. ”

“ The speckled pretty little blue nemophila always makes me think of birds’ nests full of speckled eggs in the cool green grass. Sweet alyssum I love too well to write about; it would sound like exaggeration.
Petunias do well in the early beds, but also flourish and bloom finely if their planting is deferred until the torenia, portulaca, cypress, zinnia, tageta and real midsummer flowers are planted. None of these last do any better for early planting. ”

“ Such a border will take in about four lines of plants, the tallest being placed in groups at the back and in the centre, and the others graduated in height down to the front. In the front row patches of the white arabis, the yellow alyssum, white, yellow, blue, or purple violas, and the purple aubrietia, recurring at intervals of 5 or 6 yards on a border of considerable length, carry the eye forwards and give a balanced kind of finish to the whole. ”

“ Annuals that have been sown in the greenhouse or hotbed may be planted out, and seeds of such sorts as mignonette, sweet alyssum, Phlox Drummondii, portulaca, &c., may be sown in the beds or borders. The china aster is now one of the most popular of summer and fall plants. ”

“ Dutch bulbs, such as hyacinths, tulips, crocus, &c., and most of the varieties of lilies, may be planted. Violets that are wanted for winter flowering will now be growing freely, and the runners should be trimmed off. Sow seeds of sweet alyssum, candytuft, daisies, mignonette, pansies, &c. Visit the roadsides and woods for interesting plants to put in the hardy borders. ”

“ For making patches of colour, without paying special heed to the size of flower or development of individual plants, annuals may be sown thinly broadcast, raked in lightly, and, if the beds or borders are not too wide for reaching, thinned out as soon as four or five leaves [Pg 76] appear. Portulaca, sweet alyssum, Shirley poppies, and the annual gaillardias belong to this class, as well as single petunias of the inexpensive varieties used to edge shrubberies, and dwarf nasturtiums. ”

“ When there is garden room for their cultivation I do not approve of growing annuals in window-boxes; it is better to reserve these for choice plants; but when the window-box must be the only garden, and economy must be studied, very pretty boxes may be arranged with Sweet Alyssum; scarlet, white, or pink Phlox Drummondi; scarlet, pink, or white Verbenas; the various coloured Antirrhinums, Petunias, Nasturtiums, the blue Phacelia and Ageratums, Wild Cucumber, the finer foliaged fancy gourds, as Bryonopsis Coccinea Indica, and Abobra viridiflora. ”

“ Opossum.
Opossums furnish the natives with an abundant supply of animal food in all the well-timbered tracts. These creatures, in situations suitable to them, are very numerous. When riding through the forests of the north-eastern parts of Victoria, I have seen, at night, many hundreds of them, and it was not at all difficult to get near them. They are easily seen by moonlight; and, by keeping in the deep shadows cast by the bushes, one can almost reach them by hand when they are on the lower branches of the trees. ”

“ The native black, while conducting me through the forest or among the park-like trees of the open plains, would often point out the pricking of an Opossum's nails on the bark of a Eucalyptus or other tree, and indicate by his actions that in yonder hole, high up, was sleeping an Opossum, a Phalangista, or a Flying Petaurus. Even the objects brought to our bush-fires were enough to incite a desire for a more extended knowledge of Australia's Mammals; for numerous were the species of Kangaroos and Opossums that were nightly roasted and eaten by these children of nature. ”

“ When they have attained sufficient growth and strength, they emerge, after which they occasionally take refuge in the same receptable on the appearance of any danger, and are carried about by the parent. This is the practice with most of the Opossum tribe; but there are two species which have no ventral pouch for the reception of their young, but a kind of depression or furrow in its stead. ”

“ On a natural area, the University of Kansas Natural History Reservation, in Douglas County, northeastern Kansas, the population of opossums was studied, chiefly by live-trapping, in the fall-winter-spring seasons of 1949-50, 1950-51 and 1951-52. The study area provided a varied habitat of elm-oak-hickory woodland, pastureland, and fallow fields. Opossums use all parts of it, but concentrate their activities in the woodland.
Opossums being mainly nocturnal were rarely seen in the daytime, except when caught in traps. Reactions to humans varied ”

“ Opossums, like other animals, obviously make various types of movements. Ordinarily one tends to keep within a relatively small area that is familiar to it and that satisfies all its ecological requirements. This constitutes its home range. Many other animals, including various mammals, are characterized by territoriality; individuals, pairs or groups occupy definite areas, defended as territories, to the exclusion of other members of their species. ”

“ Everyone in the bush is trying to keep his skin whole, all day long, and all night too. Good gracious! What is the matter up there?"
A terrible hullabaloo between a pair of Opossums up a neighbouring gum tree arrested the attention of both Dot and the Koala. Presently the sounds of snarling, spitting, and screaming ended, and an Opossum climbed out to the far end of a branch, where the moonlight shone on his grey fur like silver. ”

“ All this comes from your shooting Crows. Had you been more merciful or more prudent, the Opossum might have been kept within the woods, where it would have been satisfied with a Squirrel, a young Hare, the eggs of a Turkey, or the grapes that so profusely adorn the boughs of our forest trees. But I talk to you in vain. 504
There cannot be a better exemplification of maternal tenderness than the female Opossum. Just peep into that curious sack in which the young are concealed, each attached to a teat. The kind mother not only nourishes them with care, but preserves them from their enemies ”

“ Opossums were found to have little inclination to follow beaten trails, either their own or those of other animals. A foraging opossum moved about in an extremely circuitous and erratic route, seldom taking more than a few steps without a change of direction, and frequently crossing its own course in a series of loops, some only a few feet or a few inches in diameter. ”

“ Every part of the Reservation is used by opossums, but their activity is concentrated in the woodland, and all dens found were in woodland. Most parts of the fields are within 100 yards of the edge of the woodland and no point is more than 700 feet from the edge. Most of the opossums' foraging in fields was concentrated along the edge; otherwise they tended to follow creeks and gullies and they follow well worn trails more often than they do in the woods. Within the woodland, activity tended to be concentrated along the small streams, and along the rock ledges where den sites were plentiful. ”

“ Those that feigned death usually maintained the deception for not more than two or three minutes after a person had moved away out of sight. The opossum first raised its head and sniffed, listened, and looked about cautiously for a short time, with body and limbs still relaxed in the feigning posture. ”

“ The Spotted Opossum, for so it may properly be named, is in length from the nose to the extremity of the tail about twenty-five inches, of which the tail itself takes up about nine or ten. The general colour of the animal is black, inclining to brown beneath; the neck and body spotted with irregular roundish patches of white; the ears are pretty large, and stand erect, the visage is pointed, the muzzle furnished with long slender hairs; the fore, as well as hind legs, from the knees downward, almost naked, and ash-coloured ”

“ They are kept on the tree about a month, then taken into the bush to hunt human beings, to deceive whom they take new forms at times. A couple of blacks may be hunting—one will be after honey, another after opossums. The one after opossums will go to a tree, see an opossum, chop into the tree, seize the opossum by the tail as usual. ”

“ These rock ledges, well distributed throughout the area, provide an abundance of den sites and most of the opossums definitely trailed to a home base were found to be utilizing dens in the rock ledges. Two small creeks on the area have some water for most of the year. As compared with wooded bottomland of larger stream courses in Douglas County and those counties adjoining it, the Reservation area probably supports a relatively low population density of opossums. "Sign" has been found in much greater abundance in near-by areas supporting a heavier woodland. ”

“ Most of these opossums were recaptured within a year of the time they were marked as small young in the females' pouches, and on the average they had moved a little less than 400 yards. While the [Pg 321] sex ratio was equal in the pouch young that were marked, it is noteworthy that all but two of the recaptured opossums were females; and of the two males, one was recaptured early, before it could have had time to wander far. The young males, after becoming independent must tend to wander much more widely, and to settle in new areas far removed from the mother's home range. ”

“ Peter Possum was in great trouble, for he had lost his mate. No wonder that he felt strangely lonely and sad. Most of the opossum tribe are noted for their love of family and companionship. Peter had been born and reared in the South, right in the heart of a great cypress swamp, an ideal spot for the home of any possum. Dark and lonely was the swamp jungle, with its tall pines and giant gum and cypress trees, beneath which lay trackless thickets of thorn and holly, while trailing in long, snaky lengths over all, grew matted bamboo vines and hanging mosses which looked like long grey beards. ”

“ The opossum plays an important part in this process of change; being relatively large, numerous, and of omnivorous habits, it variously influences, directly and indirectly, the populations of its plant and animal associates, through a complex web of interrelationships. ”

“ The number of active opossums in the region of the study reaches a peak in late summer and early fall, when second litters of young have grown large enough to become independent. At this season the population contains a high proportion of young of the year. During the ensuing months of fall and winter there is a steady decrease in numbers, through various mortality factors, with no replacement until young are born about the first week of March. ”