86 ANNUAL REPORT. 



Flowering Spurge, and Oxybaphus, which like its relative the 

 garden Four-o'clock closes in the sunshine, are common prairie 

 species. On the sandy soil of the Wisconsin side, Dwarf Wild 

 Rose covers whole hill-sides, making a beautiful sight in the time 

 of flowers and filling the air with fragrance. An especially con- 

 spicuous plant of that side is Pentstemon grandiflorus with its 

 light green leaves and long racemes of bright pink flowers. 



Though each side of Lake Pepin has many species not found on 

 the other, in using only common names it is dijEficult to make 

 distinctions. 



Wayside weeds we have without number, which though scorn- 

 fully called homely weeds, are often very interesting to study. 



As we follow the windings of a little creek, where in the spring- 

 time Yellow Violets and pale pink Waterleaf grew, and the banks 

 were golden with Buttercups and Cowslips, we find it fringed with 

 a tangled growth. Virgin's-Bower trims trees and shrubs with its 

 white blossoms, Bineweed and Wild Cucumber tangle their long 

 vines with tall Touch-me-not, Indian Hemp and Swamp Milkweed. 

 In grassy places Solomon's Seal swings its row of tiny bells over 

 the water. Green striped Grass of Parnassus and Purple Polygala 

 grow near. EUisea trails its minute flowers and pretty leaves on 

 the ground. On the wet banks are blue spikes of Tall Bellflower 

 and Great Lobelia. Floating upon the water where it flows softly 

 are green leaves and yellow blossoms of Monkey-flower (Mimulus 

 Jamesii). 



Where the creek flows into a pond are crimson and rose-colored 

 spikes of Water Smartweed, White Water Lilies with floating 

 leaves, and Yellow with leaves erect. £n bordering marshes is a 

 a miscellaneous mixture of Blue Flags, Cat-tails, Arrow-heads, 

 Water-Plantain, etc. The most showy marsh plants are Pickerel- 

 weed, which has spikes of violet flowers, and Cardinal Lobelia. 



The little white and yellow Lady's Slippers are sometimes found 

 in bogs, though both are rare. 



Though this essay seems a general tangle of flowers and vines, 

 there are many species, some of them little favorites, and even 

 whole families, for which there is no room. The catalogue to be 

 printed with it contains about five hundred Phsenogamous plants and 

 ferns found in the Valley of Lake Pepin. Some one learned in wild- 

 flower lore might give a more complete list. The knowledge of 

 these and an herbarium containing half the number are results of 

 last summer's study. 



