NATIVE WILD FLOWERS 



the country. Even the trees of the forest were hardly dis- 

 tinguished by name, and much less were the wild flowers 

 cared for, unless some of the settlers knew of curative 

 medicines to be extracted from the leaves or roots, or of 

 some household dye for the home-spun flannel garments 

 which were then all that could be obtained as clothing for 

 their families. 



But to return to my Gerardias, several fine species have 

 been found growing on the islands of Lake Ontario and on 

 the banks of the Humber, that fruitful wilderness of many 

 flowers; and doubtless these handsome, showy plants are 

 well known in many localities westward in the Dominion of 

 Canada. 



The handsomest of all is G. quercifolia, Oak-leaved 

 Gerardia, a robust, stately plant of from three to six feet 

 in height, with large open-throated orange bells ; it is known 

 as False Foxglove. There are several fine purple-flowered 

 species, and others of paler yellow than quercifolia, with 

 stems coarse, rigid, downy or bristly; the leaves are mostly 

 rough on the surface and of a dull green. 



I am not aware of any particularly useful qualities attri- 

 buted to this genus, but as ornaments to our gardens they 

 would prove very attractive one of the most suitable is 

 G. pedicularia, a very much branched species which grows 

 in dry thickets; it is about two feet high, has prettily lobed 

 foliage, and bears a profusion of yellow flowers. It seems a 

 pity that these beautiful plants should be passed by as only 

 weeds, unnoticed and unvalued. 



GAYFEATHER BUTTON SNAKEROOT Liatris cylindracea 



(Michx.). 



This pretty purple flower is found growing on dry hills, 

 near lakes and rivers, on sandy flats and old dried water- 



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