WILD, OR NATIVE FLOWERS. 



39 



the lessons that may be learned even from the humblest forest flower, 

 speaking to their hearts of the loving care of the great Creator, who 

 provideth alike for all his creatures; the wild berry to feed the wild bird, 

 the Squirrel and Field-mouse. He openeth His hand and fiUeth all 

 things living with plenteousness. 



There are, among other species of the Dogwood family that might 

 be enumerated as indigenous to this Western part of Canada, some with 

 blue berries, some with white, some with red and others with dark steel 

 coloured fruit. The dwarf Cornel, C. Canadensis is the smallest species, 

 the rough, bushy round-leaved C. cininata the second ; C. Jloridits the 

 largest : all are tonics, and bitter ; some are used in medicine ; others 

 in dyeing by the natives. The berries of several species are largely sought 

 tor and form food for the wild ducks that haunt the borders of marshes 

 and lake shores where these shrubs abound. 



The Cornel seems to have a wide geographical range, it being 

 found not only in the Eastern States of N. America, but in the colder 

 parts of Canada, westerly and northerly, and extends even to the borders 

 of the Arctic Zone. I have before me a specimen of a closely allied 

 species from North Cape, Norway, which was gathered by a friend 

 among the dark evergreen glades of that far-off land. The tiny plant 

 is smaller, and has a more pinched and starved look than our more 

 vigourous plant, otherwise there is no apparent difference. The early 

 frosts of Autumn give a pretty purple shade to the surface of the leaves 

 of our little forest Dogwood, but they do not wither, remaining fresh 

 and persistent through the winter beneath the snow. 



Twisted Stalk — Streptopus roseus (Mx.) 



This is a graceful plant with pretty pink, striped, bells belonging to 

 the Lily family. AVe find it in the forest as well as in open grassy 

 thickets. The stalk is divided into two or three branches, bearing on 

 the underside several pairs of graceful, pendant bells on thready, twisted, 

 foot-stalks. The tips of the segments are pointed and slightly recurved. 

 The berries are red, round and seeded with several hard, bony nutlets. 

 The flower is scentless. The foliage is of a light yellowish green, many 

 nerved, oval and pointed. Associated with this there often may be 

 found in the deep shade of pine woods, as well as in the rich black leaf 

 mould of the hardwood forest. The False Solomon's Seal {Polygo'natuin 

 bij^oru/n, L.,)\v\\\ch. has pale greenish-tinged bells and large blue berries. 

 The leaves are of a dark bluish green. The stem is simple and bends 

 gracefully. The flowers, notwithstanding the name, are mostly solitary. 

 Our woods hide within their shades many a lovely flower, seen only by 

 the Indian hunter and the backwoods lumberer or the axeman; by the 



