1 30 Prairie -Floivers. 



anserina), all aglow this morning with golden varnished corollas in a setting 

 of silvery foliage : we will take freely of leaf and flower. The neighboring 

 patches of little spearwort (^Ranunculus pusillus) will give us slender stems 

 and pretty spherical heads of bright yellow, fitting well our purpose. 

 Farther on, in the moist spots we find the early pogonia, of graceful form 

 and curious blossoms : these early orchids, so profuse in bloom, some snowy 

 white, others of rosy hue, are equally desirable. In passing, we may take 

 sprigs from this shrubby cinquefoil {Foteniilla frtiticosa), and sprays of the 

 golden monkey-flower {Alimuius yamesii) from the edge of this little pool 

 and waterway. Passing to dryer ground, we hasten to yonder spot of daz- 

 zling red to find the showy fire-pink i^Silene Virginica) ; but it is incon- 

 veniently viscid, and must be placed with care in our tin conservator)-, or 

 we shall mar its beauty. How shall we manage this delicate wood-sorrel 

 [Oxalis violacea)} Take it entire, little bulblets and all, and in a vase it 

 will make a charming show. We find also the handsome wild crane's-bill 

 {Geranium maculatum), desirable in leaf and flower. Some of these bright 

 and airy wild peas {Lathyrus venosus) will give variety to our floral gather- 

 ings. We pluck some of these snow-white cymes from the cornels {Cornus) 

 and viburnums, gather the half-opened buds of the wild roses, and dark 

 and straw-colored clusters from the honeysuckles {Lonicera flava and 

 L. paiinflora)^ sprigs from the flowering raspberry {Rubus odoratus), fronds 

 of ferns, clustered panicles of peach-blossom color from Spircca lobata, and 

 the wild columbine {Aquilegia Canaiicnsis). 



Later in the month, tussocks of spiderwort {Tradcscantia Virginica), with 

 leafy columnar stems crowned with blue flowers, are profusely abundant. 

 An acre or more of this lovely blue, freely massed, or scattered in clumps, 

 is an object to look upon with special delight. It can be seen any morn- 

 ing from June to August. In gay rivalry and bright contrast are irregular 

 patches and wide-spread masses of the scarlet painted-cup ( Castillcja coccinea), 

 shading off with the dusky yellow variety towards rosy spots of brilliant 

 phlox {P.pilosa). These three plants seem more widely disseminated, and 

 in richer profusion, and contribute more largely to the decorative scenery 

 of these prairies, than perhaps any other of the June bloomers. 



Later, myriads of little bell-flowers and lobelias and marsh speedwells, 

 with other flowers of every hue, quietly nestle among loose-strifes and scu- 



