40 WILD, OR XATIVE FLOWERS. 



former they are noted for some medicinal or healing quality, by the 

 latter they are trodden under foot, while to the uneducated settler 

 whose business is to clear the forest land of the trees and wild 

 productions of the soil, on which the life supporting grain and roots are 

 to be sown or planted, these natural beauties have no value or charm, 

 and he says " Cut them down, why cumber they the ground." In these 

 things he sees not the works of the Creator ; they are, in his eyes, 

 " weeds — weeds — weeds, nothing but weeds." 



Our Bellworts and Trilliums, Smilacinas and Orchids are among, 

 our most interesting and attractive native forest flowers, but as the 

 woods are levelled and the soil changed, by exposure to the influence of 

 the elements and the introduction of foreign plants, our native vegetation 

 disappears, and soon the eye that saw and marked their lovely forms 

 and colours will see them no more. 



May-Apple — Mandrake — Podophyllum peliatiim (L.) 



The Mandrake or May-Apple is chiefly found in the rich black soil 

 of the forest, where partially clear of underwood ; in such localities It 

 forms extensive beds. When the broad umbrella-like leaf first breaks 

 the soil, early in May, it comes up closely folded round the simple fleshy 

 stem, in colour of a deep bronze or coppery hue, smooth and shining, 

 but assumes a lighter shade of green as it expands. The blossom 

 appears f rst as a large round green bud between the axils of the two 

 broad peltue, lobed and pointed leaves; the first year's leaves are single 

 and smaller and the young plant is flowerless. 



The corolla of the flower consists of from six to nine concave 

 greenish-white thick petals ; sepals (or calyx leaves) six ; the edges of 

 the petals are generally torn or ragged, the handsome flower slightly 

 drooping between the two large leaves gives out a powerful scent — not 

 agreeable if inhaled too closely, but pleasant at a little distance. 



The plant increases by buds from the thickly matted fleshy root- 

 stock ; the roots form a singular net-work under the soft vegetable 

 mould, spreading horizontally, at every articulation sending up a pair of 

 fruit-bearing scapes. The single-leafed plant is most probably a seed- 

 ling of the former year. 



The fruit of the May-Apple is a large fleshy berry ; the outer rind 

 is, when ripe, yellow, otherwise darkish-green and of a rank unpleasant 

 flavour ; the inner or pulpy part is white, soft and filled with somewhat 

 bony light-brown seeds. When not over-ripe this pulpy part may be 

 eaten ; it is sub-acid and pleasant. The fruit makes a fine preserve 

 with white sugar and when flavoured with lemon-peel and ginger ; but 



