WOODLAND FLOWERS OF THE PRAIRIE REGION 



A LTHOUGH the grain 

 fields of the com belt 

 are very extensive still 

 there are numerous small 

 tracts of woodland. Along 

 the river bottoms and ad- 

 jacent ridges there arc 

 larger tracts, usually of 

 heavier growth. Through- 

 out this region much of 

 the woodland is given to 

 pasture for horses, cattle 

 and hogs. Under such 

 treatment the flowers and 

 small shrubs disappear 

 quickly, the open areas be- 

 ing invaded by grass and 

 the woods becoming very 

 bare and uninteresting by 



BY ARTHUR E. ELDRIDGE 





sMMFM 



A CARPET OF COLLINSIA, OR "BLUE-EYED MARY" 

 In Northern Ohio the beautiful Collinsia is a flower of May. 

 It is not abundant, but grows luxuriantly on wet grounds, 

 Ijwlands or flood plains. 



comparison with the un- 

 pastured areas. 



Many people go to these 

 tracts in the Springtime to 

 enjoy the prospect : here an 

 acre or two of bluebells, 

 looking as if a piece of the 

 sky had fallen ; there on 

 the hillside a thousand 

 snowflakes of anemones, 

 bloodroot, dutchman's 

 breeches or trilliums. 



By reason of the high 

 valuation of land, owners 

 are obliged to make eco- 

 nomic use of the wooded 

 areas. Sentiment for pres- 

 ervation of wild flowers, 

 therefore, finds little room 



CLAYTONIA, OR SPRING BEAUTY 

 Thii beautiful landscape effect is destroyed now, for two years after the photograph was taken all the flowers were gone, 



presumably due to pasturing. 



