XI 

 GOLDEN-ROD AND ASTER 



In an interesting article on "American Wild- 

 Flowers " which appeared in The Fortnightly Re- 

 view some years ago, the English naturalist, Mr. An 

 Alfred Wallace, commented upon the fact, or 

 what seemed to him the fact, that nowhere in our 

 country could be seen any such brilliant masses 

 of flowers as are yearly displayed by the moors 

 and meadows of Great Britain. 



I have not the article with me and do not recall 

 certainly whether Mr. Wallace saw our fields ami 

 hill-sides in their September dress, but I do re- 

 member that he dwelt chiefly upon our earlier Brilliancy 

 flowers, and while, of course, he alluded to the 

 many species of golden-rods and asters to be 

 found in the United States, it seems to me quite 

 impossible that he could have seen our country 

 at this season and yet have remained uncon- 

 vinced of the unusual brilliancy of its flora. 



Despite the beauty of our woods and meadows 

 when starred with the white of bloodroot and 

 anemone,and with the purple-red of the wake-robin, 



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