STUDIES OF PLANT LIFE 



may be seen among the light feathery mosses, hardly con- 

 cealed, for they are barely covered by the mould in which 

 they grow. The orange fibrous roots and rootlets are 

 Intensely bitter, and are much used by the old settlers as 

 tonic remedies against weakness in children when brought 

 low by fever and ague; more especially is it used as a 

 wash for sore ulcerated mouths, as thrush in young infants. 

 The Indian women use it for their little ones in case of sore 

 mouth and sore gums in teething. I once saw the small 

 evergreen leaves of the Gold Thread applied to a very 

 different purpose that of trimming evening dresses of 

 clear white muslin and as the heat of the room had little 

 effect on them they looked fresh and singularly ornamental 

 on the young ladies who had so tastefully arranged the 

 leaves on their simple white dresses. 



I have noticed the term " Gold Thread " applied lately to 

 one of the species of Dodder, that singular parasite, but it 

 was by a person apparently unacquainted with our elegant 

 little forest evergreen Coptis trifolia. 



BUNCH-BERRY SQUAW-BERRY Cornus Canadensis (Lin.). 



This elegant and attractive little plant is met with most 

 commonly in beds beneath the shade of evergreens, hem- 

 locks and spruces; it multiplies by its creeping rootstock 

 as well as by the drupe-like berry. Its popular name in 

 the backwoods is the Squaw-berry, and also Bunch-berry. 

 It is a truly lovely little plant a perfect forest gem. 



In height our tiny Dogwood rarely exceeds four or six 

 inches; the stem is leafy, the upper leaves forming a whorl 

 round the flowers, which are enclosed by the white corolla- 

 like involucre; the latter is more conspicuous than the tiny 

 terminal umbel of little flowers with their dark anthers. 



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