D/r/,S70.Y OF TiOrAXY 



841 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



MEDICINAL. 



Acorns calatnus (Sweet flag). 



Aralm nudicauUs (Wild sarsaparilla). 



Apocynum androsaemifolium (spreading 

 dogbane). 



Colitis trifoUa (Goldthread). 



Hainamelis virginiana (Witch hazel). 



Hydrastis Canadensis (Golden seal). 



Panax quinquefolium (Ginseng). 



Polygala Bcncga (Seneca snakeroot). 



Solanum Dulcamara (Bittersweet, night- 

 shade). 



Trillium erectum (Red triUium). 



Trillium grandiflorum (Large flowered tril- 



lium). 

 Trilliaun undulatum (Painted trillium). 



SUSPICIOUS. 



Apocymim androsaemifolium (Spreaaing 



dogbane). 

 Nepeta hederacea (Ground ivy). 

 Meni.spcrmum canudcnse (Can. moonseed). 

 Pastinacu sativa (Wild parsnip). 

 Solanum triflorum (3-flowered nightshade). 

 Thermopsis rhombifoUa (Prairie thermopsis 



or false lupin). 



This list by no raearts comprises the poisonous and medicinal plants of Canada but 

 only those about which we hare given information this year, 



BOTANIC GARDENS. 



The past year on the whole was favourable, although during- the continued dry 

 weather m-any of our experimental plants perished, owing to the lack of watering facil- 

 ities in the gardens. 



Great success has been obtained in growing the English primrose {Primula vul- 

 rjaris) out-of-doors in Canada. A spot Avas chosen for it vmder the trees in the arbor- 

 etum where it enjoyed as nearly as possible the conditions of its natural environment. 



The seeds for exchange purposes this year included 519 different species gathered 

 from plants in tlie Botanic Gardens. "Cpon request, over 800 packets of thes^e seeds 

 were sent to foreign Botanic Gardens and to persons interested in Canadian plants. 



The labelling of the plants in the half mile of perennial border with the nomencla- 

 ture of Engler and. Prantl is being continued. 



HERBARK M. 



Many specimens new to the herbariimi have been added during the year. These 

 were collected by the staff, in British Columbia, and at Quebec, I'lslet and Riviere-du- 

 Loup. 



Our thanks are due to Mr. W. H. Brittain for the presentation of fifty different 

 species collected at Vernon, B.C. 



GERMINATION TESTS OF WILD RICE. 



Sowings of wild rice seed had been made at ihe Farm in the autumn of 1911 In 

 the spring of 1912 it was found that the seeds which had been left dry in the Inbora- 

 tory for a few days before sowing, germinated quite as freely as those which had been 

 sown immediately after gathering from the plants. This fact gave rise, to tlie ques- 

 tion, was it possible to keep fresh wild rice seed in a dry condition without impairing 

 its germinating power long enough for transportation across country? This ques- 

 tion is of very great importa'^.ce in establishing wild rice, as for many reasons the 

 autumnal sowing is preferable to spring sowing of seeds specially stored during the 

 winter. To answer this question germination tests were made, during 1912 and 1913, 

 of seeds which had been kept dry from one to twenty-one days. 



The result of these tests proves that wild rice seed kept in a diy condition for one 

 week after date of gathering will giAx* from 72 to 96 per cent of germination; for two 

 weeks, 60 to 74 per cent. The throe-week test gave 76 per cent in one case and for 

 some unaccountable reason only 2 per cent in the other. 



Ot'jawa. 



