32 THE SICK man's companion. 



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the branches, is a small leaf. The leaves and 

 pods grow smaller as they assceiid towards the 

 top of the plant, where the small pale-blue flow- 

 ers continue to shoot forth after the lower pods 

 have ripened, dried, opened ' and discharged 

 their seeds, and the lower leaves have turned 

 yellow and withered. The thread-like flower 

 leaves dry up and remain ou the pod. The 

 lower leaves difl'er a little in shape from the oth- 

 ers, and have short foot stalks. The taste of 

 the plant, resembles that of tobacco more than 

 any other known. This plant may be found in 

 the first stages of its growth, at all times through 

 the summer, from the size of a six cent piece to 

 that of a dollar, and larger, lying flat on the 

 ground, m a round form, like a rose pressed flat; 

 in order to bear the weight of snow which lies 

 on it during the winter; and, it is subject to be 

 winter killed, like wheat. In the spring it looks 

 yellow and pale, like other plants suffering from 

 wet and cold; but when the returning sum- 

 mer spreads forth enlivening rays, it lifts up its 

 leaves, and shoots forth a stalk to the height of 

 from twelve to eighteen inches, with a num- 

 ber of branches. In June or July, it begins to 

 put forth small pointed pale-blue flowers, 

 which aie followed by small biadder-lik pods 

 about thesize of a white bean, containing a great 

 quantity of very small seeds. It comes to ma- 

 turity about the first of September, when the 



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