BOTANIZING IN WESTERN WISCONSIN. 155 



Aralns ly?'ata, Phlox pilosa, Anemone patens var., Nuttalliana, Delphi- 

 nium aziireum, Viola pedata, Aster sericciis are common plants every- 

 where over these denuded hills. Betnla papyracea, Jnniperns 

 Virginiana 2Lndi /uniperns communis mark especially the upper lime- 

 stone region. PelUea atropurpurea is common on the limestone 

 rock. In the more shaded places A qui legia Canadensis and Dodecathon 

 media commonly occur. Zygadenus clegans occurs only on the lime- 

 stone outcrops on the most elevated hill tops. Its zone is certainly a 

 most characteristic one. These tops simulate prairie conditions. The 

 wooded portions of the hills contain Qucrcus tinctoria, Q. alba, the 

 latter usually at lower levels in connection with Cary alba Both also 

 occur on the ridges. The moist sandy black soils contain fine trees 

 of Qucrcus rubra. Prunus Americana is common and forins large 

 thickets, as does Pyrus coronaria and Physocarpns opulifolius. Here, too, 

 occurs Ostyra Virginica, which forms large groves. Perennial springs 

 are numerous, and where these with their constant supply of water 

 run down the narrow valleys, Tilia Americana, Staphylea trifolia, 

 Fraxinus viridis abundantly occur intermixed with the Qucrcus rubra. 

 There are great beds of beautiful Columbines [Aguilegia Canadense) 

 overhanging the rocks. The Cypripedium pubescens is common in the 

 woods, as are Phlox divaricata, Asarum Canadense, Viola pal mataYa.r., 

 cucullata and Sanguinaria Canadensis. Of the ferns Osmunda Clay- 

 tonia, Pteris aquilina, Asplenium Felix-fa'mina, Cystopteris fragilis 

 and C. biilbifera. These are the only species usually found in the 

 woods of those hills except the rare Pcllcea gracilis, which occurs on 

 the moist sandstone rocks. This delicate Pellcea sometimes covers 

 whole ledges. The Phegopteris Dryopteris and P. polypodioides. Poly- 

 podium vulgare, Woodsia ilvensis occur only on sandstone ledges in 

 the vicinity of White Pine groves which are absent from the hills in 

 the immediate vicinity of La Crosse. Camptosorus rhizophyllus occurs 

 commonly on the limestone talus at the bases of hills. Onoclea sensi- 

 bilis, Osmunda regalis, O. cinnamonea are coimmon about the Tamarack 

 swamp, seven miles north of La Crosse. The Onoclea Struthiopteris is 

 common under the shade of Acer saccharum in rich woods. 



THE RAIN TREE. 

 By Lida B Robertson. 



AT Healing Springs, Ala., the waste water of the medicinal 

 springs bubbles off into a brisk little creek, and Holly trees, 

 bays and all swamp growth luxuriantly flourish on both sides of 

 it. In our rambles there through swamp and over hillside, my 

 attention was called to a very strange phenomenon, viz : Rain showers 



