THE PLANT WOKLD 227 



forested area to become so badly washed that deep gullies have been 

 formed. Every freshet causes the removal of much of the soil into the 

 bog, so that now the bog is covered with from two to four feet of sand, 

 and the destruction of many rare plants for this locality. 



From 1884 to 1887, 1 found the following interesting plants in this 

 bog. Of the orchids, the Calopogon piilcheUiis was abundant, as well as 

 the Pogonia ophioglossoides. On the wooded margins there were great 

 masses of the large showy lady's slip-per {Cypripedium spectabile Salisb.), 

 and in the marshes surrounding the bog the purple fringed-orchis, 

 Hahenaria psy codes, and Cypripedium candidum. Last summer I found 

 not a single orchid here. The showy lady's slipper was, however, found 

 in a tamarack marsh below the old bog. This species, once abundant in 

 many places in this vicinity, is becoming rare. Growing with this Cypri- 

 pedium in the tamarack marsh there were great masses of Osmunda regalis 

 and 0. cinnamomea, the Smilacina hifolia carpeted the ground, with here 

 and there bunches of Valerimia sylvatica and Saxifraga Pemisylvanica. 

 The Viola canina var. 3IuMenhergii and V, blanda were also abundant. 

 The drying up of this tamarack marsh will in course of time also cause 

 these plants to disappear. 



In the old bog the following additional interesting plants used to 

 flourish. I was disappointed not to j&nd a single plant of any of these 

 left. Drosera rotundifolia, glistening in the sun, covered the entire bog, 

 Erioplio'nim polystachyon, E. Virginicum, Bhynchospora alba were abun- 

 dant. Vaccinium macrocarpon, Sarracenia purpurea and Salix Candida 

 were common. The Menyanthes trifoliata, once abundant, was found 

 here and there pushing its way up through the sand. Large clumps of 

 the Salix lucida were found growing along the banks of the springs and 

 small brooks. The Salix longifolia covered most of the old bog. Along 

 with the S. longifolia, the Phragmites communis was abundant. The 

 stagnant pools contained a luxuriant growth of Typha latifolia and Scir- 

 pus lacustris. Along the borders of the tamarack swamp there occurred 

 a few isolated Acer rubrimi. I had previously found the species in the 

 Kickapoo Valley. This locality probably represents its western distri- 

 bution in this section of the State. The tamarack {Larix Americana) 

 occurring in the La Crosse Valley is probably the southwestern distri- 

 bution in this State, Opposite La Crosse in the Pine Creek region 

 there used to be an old tamarack marsh with a small grove. When I 

 ^•isited this locality in 1886, the old trees had been nearly removed, but 

 there was a good growth of young trees. This marsh has probably dis- 

 appeared. This locality, I think, represents the most southern distri- 

 bution of the species in Minnesota. There are no trees of the species, so 

 far as I know, native to the State of Iowa, 25 miles to the south. Among 

 the other noteworthy plants surrounding these marshes, mention may 



