STUDIES OF PLANT LIFE 



courses. The slender, stiff, upright stem is clothed with 

 rigid, narrow, grass-like, dark green leaves, the longest 

 being nearest to the root. The flowers form a long spike 

 of densely -flowered heads; the scales of the involucre that 

 surrounds them are green, tipped with black, and finely 

 fringed; the styles protrude beyond the tips of the corolla. 

 The root is a round corm, about the size of that of the 

 crocus, sweetish and slightly astringent, mealy when roasted, 

 and not unpleasant to the taste. The roots are sought after 

 by the ground-hogs, which animals often make their burrows 

 near the place where the plants abound, which is often on 

 the slopes of dry, gravelly hills ; at any rate it is on the 

 sides of ravines, on the dry plains above Eice Lake, and on 

 islands in our chain of back lakes in Burleigh and Smith, 

 where I have found the bright Gayfeather blooming in the 

 hot month of August. The seeds are hairy, almost bristly, 

 of a light sandy brown when ripe. The blossoms, when quite 

 dry, retain their beautiful color, even for many years, 

 and may be mixed with the flowers of the Pearly Everlasting 

 for winter bouquets or ornamental wreaths. 



One of the species of this family, L. scariosa, a handsome 

 flower found on our North-western prairies, is known by the 

 name of Blazing Star. The showy flowers of the Liatris 

 family, and their hardy habits, make them desirable plants 

 for cultivation. They are easily propagated from seed. 



GOLDENROD SoUdago latifolia (L.). 



The Solidagos are among our late August and September 

 wild flowers, coming in with the hot summer suns which 

 have given the ripened grain to the cradle scythe of the 

 harvester. The Trilliums and Lupines and gorgeous Orange 

 Lilies have departed with the Moccasin-flowers, the sweet- 



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