STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 83 



Discussion on the paper of Mr. Sias was postponed till to-morrow 

 morning, in order to introduce the next paper on 



THE WILD FLOWERS OF LAKE PEPIN VALLEY. 



By Miss Sara Manning, of Lake City, Minnesota. 



INTRODUCTION BY THE SECRETARY. 



[Mr. President, Ladles and Gentlemen : Bafore the reading of this paper is 

 proceeded with, I desire to say that it has been written for the State Horticul- 

 tural Society by particular request, and the object in view in asking Miss 

 Manning to furnish it at this time was to make a commencement of a record of 

 the wild flowers and ferns of Minnesota, in our annual report for the year 1884, 

 in the hope that other botanists, after reading this paper, may supply any 

 omissions in it, of varieties they muy find anywhere in this State, so that in time 

 we may have in the reports of this society a complete botanical survey of Min- 

 nesota in this department. Its interest and value to botanists and horticulturists 

 will be apparent without any remark of mine. 



I also wish to say that, v^hile Miss Manning, in order to bring her paper 

 within the usual limits, has very properly omitted the botanical names of most 

 of the varieties, she has kindly offered to furnish a catalogue, and it will be 

 printed in connection with the paper, for reference.] 



Miss Manning then read her paper as follows : 



During the walks and drives of two pleasant seasons, I 

 have studied the wild flowers of our beautiful valley. With- 

 out attempting a scientific arrangement, some idea of thera 

 may be given, though not nearly all can receive even a passing 

 notice. 



No doubt it would be more proper to consider them by families, 

 but I have chosen to divide the valley, which lies partly in 

 Wisconsin and partly in Minnesota, into several regions and 

 mention the flowers of each without regard to their relationships. 



It is a consoling thought to those interested in botany that 

 many of our precipitous bluff-sides and deep ravines can never be 

 cultivated. Here many flowers and ferns will be allowed to grow 

 unmolested by the "westward march of civilization," before which 

 many prairie species disappear. 



The more delicate species grow on these bluff-sides, which have 

 a northern exposure. Just at their base in early spring the Purple 

 Anemone blossoms, a daring little pioneer that comes even 

 while here and there the snow still lingers. It is shielded 



