STUDIES OF PLANT LIFE 



Circle; in dreary Kamschatka and in snowy Lapland the 

 young girls wreathe their hair with its flexible garlands. 

 In inhospitable Labrador it covers the rocks and mossy 

 roots of pines and birches in lonely shaded glens. It is 

 found in the Scottish Highlands and through all parts of 

 the Northern and Eastern States of America. In all the 

 provinces of our own Canada it may be found in secluded 

 spots. On the rocky islands of the St. Lawrence and on 

 our inland lakes it is particularly abundant; its graceful 

 trailing branches cover the rude rocks and fling a robe of 

 luxuriant vegetation over decaying fallen timber, concealing 

 that which is unseemly with grace and beauty. 



" Sweet flo'wer, that in the lonely wood 

 And tangled forest clothest the rude twisted roots 

 Of lofty pine and feathery hemlock 

 With thy flower-decked garland ever reen ; 

 Thy modest, drooping rosy bells of fairy lightness 

 Wave gently to the passing breeze, 

 Diffusing fragrance." 



This pretty, graceful little plant was named in honor of 

 the great father of botany, the good Linnaeus, who chose it 

 more especially as his own flower when he plucked it first 

 in Bothnia, and by his wish it Avas adopted for the crest of 

 his coat-of-arms. 



The little flower has been immortalized by the great 

 botanist. It is said that one of his pupils, aware of his 

 great master's love for the plant, when visiting China, 

 caused a service of fine porcelain to be made and decorated 

 with wreaths of the Linnaea, as a present to Linnaeus and 

 as a mark of his grateful remembrance. 



At the death of the great naturalist, Cardinal de Noailles 

 erected a cenotaph in his garden to his memory, and planted 

 this little northern flower at its base for the sake of him 

 whose name it bears.* 



* See Miss Brightwell's Life of Linnaeus. 



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