366 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



been introduced within the last few years, and is spreading far and wide. 

 When the countrj' was new, it was unknown. The Marsh Marigold (Cal- 

 tha palustris) is found occasionally on low meadows, its yellow sepals 

 shining like burnished gold. On the alkaline borders of low flat meadows, 

 toward the last of May, is found the small, white Lady Slipper (Cypri- 

 pedium candidum), sometimes literally covering the ground. It is a 

 beautiful little flower, and so far as I know, the only orchid growing on 

 these prairies. The pale Painted-cup (Castelleia sessiflora) is an incon- 

 spicuous plant on dry hill-sides. 



To properly appreciate the Spiderwort (Tradescantia Virginica), found 

 everywhere on the prairies, one must rise early in the morning, when the 

 dew is on the grass. There is then a delicate freshness and beauty about 

 its purple and blue petals, that disappears with the advancing day. 



With the beginning of June, nature begins to spread forth her treasures 

 with a lavish hand. The Pennsylvania Anemone and the long-fruited 

 Anemone bloom everywhere, while the delicate panicles of the Meadow- 

 rue nod in every passing breeze. Oxytropis Lamberti swings forth its 

 purple banners on the dryest hill-sides, along with Astragalus adsurgens 

 and Pentstemon albidus, fellow-wanderers from the far west. The deli- 

 cate and beautiful Astragalus hypoglottis is common on flat alkaline land, 

 along with the tall and graceful Zygadenus elegans. Astragalus caryo- 

 carpus, with its pinkish flowers and large fleshy seed pods, is everywhere. 

 The Pomme-de-terre (Psoralea esculenta) with its purplish or whitish 

 flowers nearly hidden in its hairy foliage elaborates its turnip-shaped 

 farinaceous root on high rolling prairies. The small boy likes to dig and 

 eat these roots, as did the Sioux Indians in the days that are gone. A 

 sister plant with silver-silky foliage (Psoralia argophylla) assists not a 

 little in giving the prairies their prevailing gray color. On moist prairie 

 land, Zizia cordata opens its yellow umbels everywhere early in June. 

 Two vetches, Lathyrus palustris and Lathyrus venosus, grow with great 

 luxuriance on low grounds; while the Willow-leaf Spiraea, one of the 

 few shrubs of the prairie, blooms on the margins of sloughs. Among sev- 

 eral Geums, the most striking is G-eum triflorum, sometimes called Apa- 

 che's Plume, beautiful in flower and fruit, and developing long plumose 

 styles. On moist meadows, one will find Silver-weed (Potentilla anserina) 

 and on dry ridges Alum-root (Heuchera hispida). The day-light, evening 

 Primrose (QEnothera serrulata) opens its bright yellow flowers at midday; 

 but one must get-up early in the morning to see the equally bright, 

 yellow wild Flax (Linum sulcatum and Linum rigidum). The showy 

 white panicles of the northern Bed-straw (Galium boriale) are conspicu- 

 ous in the latter days of June. The beautiful pink Phlox (Phlox pilosa), 

 and the superb orange-red Lily (Lilium Philadelphicum) light up the 

 landscape with their brilliant colors. 



The azure Larkspur (Delphinum azureum) and the purple and white 

 prairie Clovers, (Petalostemon violaceus and P. Candidus), all tall fine 

 looking plants, bloom in July; along with two small shrubs, (Amorpha 

 canescens and A. microphylla). July, too, brings the tall Astragalus (A. 

 Canadensis), and the wild Liquorice (Glycyrrhiza lepidota), as well as the 

 Evening Primrose (CEnothera biennis) and the Wolf-berry (Symphoricar- 

 pos occidentalis). Several upright Verbenas, (including V. hastata, V. 

 urticasfolia and V. stricta) bloom in July, as well as the western Germander 

 (Teucrium occidentale). Two members of the Four-o'clock family, (Oxy- 



