The prevailing flowers at present time,

August 30.

P. M. — Up Assabet. 

August 30, 2019

The river began to fall perhaps yesterday, after rising perhaps fourteen or fifteen inches. It is now about one foot higher than before the rain of the 25th. A rise of one foot only from low water gives an appearance of fullness to the stream, and though the meadows were dry before, it would now be difficult to work on them. 

The potamogetons, etc., are drowned, and you see a full rippling tide where was a sluggish and weedy stream but four or five days ago. Now, perhaps, will be the end of quite a number of plants which culminate in dry weather when the river is low, as some potamogetons, limnanthemum (in the river), etc. 

Sparganium and heart-leaf are washed up, and the first driftwood comes down; especially portions of bridges that have been re paired take their way slowly to the sea, if they are not saved by some thrifty boatman. 

The river is fuller, with more current; a cooler wind blows; the reddish Panicum agrostoides stands cool along the banks; the great yellow flowers of the Bidens chrysanthemoides are drowned, and now I do not see to the bottom as I paddle along. 

The pasture thistle, though past its prime, is quite common, and almost every flower (i. e. thistle), wherever you meet with it, has one or more bumblebees on it, clambering over its mass of florets. One such bee which I disturb has much ado before he can rise from the grass and get under weigh, as if he were too heavily laden, and at last he flies but low. 

Now that flowers are rarer, almost every one of whatever species has bees or butterflies upon it. 

Now is the season of rank weeds, as Polygonum Careyi, tall rough goldenrod, Ambrosia elatior, primrose, erechthites (some of this seven feet high), Bidens frondosa (also five feet high). 

The erechthites down has begun to fly. 

We start when we think we are handling a worm, and open our hands quickly, and this I think is designed rather for the protection of the worm than of ourselves. 

Acorns are not fallen yet. Some haws are ripe. 

How is it with the trilllium?

  
The plants now decayed and decaying and withering are those early ones which grow in wet or shady places, as hellebore, skunk-cabbage, the two (and perhaps three) smilacinas, uvularias, polygonatum, medeola, Senecio aureus (except radical leaves), and many brakes and sarsaparillas, and how is it with trilliums and arums? 

The prevailing flowers, considering both conspicuous- ness and numbers, at present time, as I think now:

• Solidagos, especially large three-ribbed, nemoralis, tall rough, etc. 
• Asters, especially Tradescanti, puniceus, corymbosus, dumosus, Diplopappus umbellatus 
• Tansy 
• Helianthuses, as Helianthus decapetalus, divaricatus, annum, etc. 
• Eupatoriums, as perfoliatum, purpureum 
• Mikania 
• Polygonums, as P. Careyi, dumetorum, front-rank, Persicaria, sagittaium, etc. 
• Gnaphalium, as polycephalum and pearly 
• Bidens, as frondosa and chrysanthemoides
• Gerardias, as purpurea and pediculata 
• Hieraciums, as Canadense, scabra, and paniculatum 
• Vernonia 
• Polygala sanguinea, etc. 
• Liatris 
• Nabalus albus 
• Mints, as lycopuses, white mint, pycnanthemums 
• Hypericums, the small ones of all kinds 
• Leontodon autumnalis (prevailing, open in forenoon) 
• Pontederia 
• Sagittaria variabilis 
• Desmodiums 
• Spiranthes cernua 
• Lespedeza vidacea 
• Cuscuta 
• Rhexia 
• Lobelia cardinalis 
• Cirsium pumilum 
• Chenopodiums 
• Scutellaria lateriflora 
• Impatiens 
• Apios 
• Linaria vulgaris 
• Gratiola aurea

H. D. Thoreau, Journal, August 30, 1859

How is it with trilliums and arums? See August 19, 1852 ("The trillium berries, six-sided, one inch in diameter, like varnished and stained cherry wood, glossy red, crystalline and ingrained, concealed under its green leaves in shady swamps."); August 21, 1854 ("Trillium berries bright red.");  August 28, 1856 ("See the great oval masses of scarlet berries of the arum now in the meadows. Trillium fruit, long time."); September 1, 1851("The fruit of the trilliums is very handsome.. . .a dense crowded cluster of many ovoid berries turning from green to scarlet or bright brick color.") ; September 1, 1859 ("The scarlet fruit of the arum spots the swamp floor."); September 2, 1853 (" The dense oval bunches of arum berries now startle the walker in swamps. They are a brilliant vermilion on a rich ground.”); September 4, 1856 ("Splendid scarlet arum berries there now in prime.”); September 4, 1857 ("Arum berries ripe.”); September 24, 1856 ("Aarum berries still fresh"); September 28, 1856 ("The arum berries are still fresh and abundant, perhaps in their prime. A large cluster is two and a half inches long by two wide and rather flattish. . . . These singular vermilion-colored berries, about a hundred of them, surmount a purple bag on a peduncle six or eight inches long. ")