^^ FIELD BOTANY '^ 



\= 



■=0 



Edited by Dr. H. A. Gleason, Urbana. 111. (J 



.^ 



Farther east, flowering dogwood is more common and 

 does not excite so much interest, but here in IlHnois it is rare 

 and is found along only a few of the streams. One of these is 

 the Vermillion river, which empties into the Wabash in In- 

 diana near the Illinois state line. Ascending the river toward 

 the west, the dogwood becomes steadily less abundent, and 

 finally disappears completely about ten miles from Urbana. It 

 is very conspicuous during the blooming season in May, and 

 the nature lover, strolling along the river, can follow its dis- 

 tribution without difficultv. There is one hillside far down 

 the stream which at this season is fairly white with dogwood 

 bloom, and which harbors so many other interesting plants 

 as well, that it becomes a paradise for the botanist. The hill 

 is steep, probably eighty feet high and covered from top to bot- 

 tom with dogwood. In the rich leaf mold beneath the trees 

 are thousands of shooting-stars, which bloom at the same 

 time. In drier, sunny places, the ground is covered with 

 hoary puccoon (Lithospermuni canescens), star-grass {Hy- 

 poxis hirsuta), lousewort (Pedicidairis canadensis) and col- 

 umbine. Some of these plants are common out on the prairies, 

 but are quite unusual growing together in the woods. 



Government Tree Study. — The Forestry Sendee of 

 the United States is making an effort to secure more definite 

 information regarding the time of leafing, flowering and fruit- 

 ing of our common trees and invites the teachers of botany and 

 nature-study throughout the country to contribute notes on the 

 subject. It is intended to publish the results in a series of 

 colored charts that will be of great value in extending our 



47 



