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(Platanthera hyperborea ) at the pond margin are in fruit . Also checked <br /> was the tallgrass prairie remnant on the north side of the Turnpike and <br /> east of Cherryvale Road, in the southeast ouarter of section 10 . Again <br /> nothing wa_. found. Grasses in the tallgrass prairies appecr to be too <br /> dense for orchids . <br /> In my opinion, when your own survey of the Burke property in <br /> section 3 is included, it seems that the city-owned portion of the <br /> likely orchid areas on the floodplain has been intensively covered from <br /> Baseline Road south . While there may be more small colonies of orchids , <br /> I believe no major new colonies will be discovered in this area. 1 also <br /> believe the orchid is not in the tallgrass prairie remnants . The next <br /> areas that should be checked are further downstream, particularly the <br /> open fields and creekside opposite White Rocks . I would like to check <br /> this area , but do not have a permit for White Rocks . <br /> Yesterday, I went over to the Van Vleet property where the <br /> Hawkinses are haying. In the area where we allowed them to cut the <br /> orchids , along the north fence , there were orchids along the fence that <br /> were missed by the mower . There were plants well away from the fence <br /> that were short enough that they were passed over by the mower . A few <br /> cut plants were found in the cut hay and were examined. In most , at <br /> least one fruit had been sliced open by the mower , allowing the immature <br /> seeds to spill out . 1 don't know whether the seeds can mature out of <br /> the fruit , but if they can, the mowing puts seeds right in the area of <br /> the cut plant and may contribute to plant reseeding. Where the terrain <br /> is a little up and down, it seems that the suspension system of the <br /> mower leads to some bouncing of the cutting head and so the cutting <br /> height above ground is not particularly uniform, scalped in some areas , <br /> higher in others . It may be worthwhile to spend a little more time <br /> examining the effect of mowing, and later, of baling the hay. <br /> Two days have been spent , which include setting flags for the <br /> cutting limits on the south side of the Turnpike, as well as checking <br /> out the areas described above. If you wish me to continue searching for <br /> the orchids in other areas , please let me know. <br /> Sincerely, <br /> Wi I 1 is VF . Jenni"4n7gs <br />