62 PEDICULARIS CANADENSIS. COMMON WOOD-BETONY. 



rate, the wild forms can be selected for cultivation. The plants 

 do well when transplanted from their native wilds to our flower 

 borders, if they are not in a situation much exposed to the full sun. 



To those who love to watch the various processes of nature 

 in the floral world, the manner in which these flowers are fertil- 

 ized affords an interesting study. It is difficult to understand 

 from the structure how they self-fertilize, or how they can receive 

 much help from insect agency ; and besides, insects will rarely 

 be found visiting them, — at least this is the writer's experience, 

 — and yet every flower seems to perfect seed. There is evidently 

 a field here for further discovery. 



The name Pcdicularis is a Latin adjective, signifying " belong- 

 ing to a louse." In the northern countries of Europe some of 

 the species abound, one of them, P. Sccptrum Carolijium, to 

 such strenoth and in such abundance that, according: to Lin- 

 neeus, it stopped a horse going at full speed. In these countries 

 the whole family is in bad odor with stock-raisers, from an idea 

 that cattle, and sheep especially, feeding on them become lousy. 

 Like many other old notions in agriculture, this is no doubt a 

 libel on these beautiful flowering plants. But the impression 

 induced Linnasus to give the name to this genus, and from it 

 also comes the English name of Louse wort, zuort beinsr an old 

 Saxon name for " plant." Americans, however, follow Dr. Gray 

 in calling the plant " Wood-Betony," the " Betony " being from 

 some resemblance to an English wild flower of that name. 



The young botanist who attempts to dry plants is generally 

 astonished that, with all his care, this one, admired so much in 

 life, defies all efforts to preserve its colors well. It turns black 

 under the best of care. 



Some poets refer to the Betony in connection with "surprising 

 situations or circumstances." This scarcely has reference to our 

 plant ; but if it had, the association would be not inappropriate. 

 It is a matter of "surprise" that a flower so beautiful should 

 have received so little poetic attention. Shakespeare, whose 

 genius for observation was so universal, wholly overlooks it. 



