STUDIES OF PLANT LIFE 



leaves; in color something between a pale primrose and 

 greenish-white, often tinged with purple. The elegant droop- 

 ing bells are divided at the edge of the corolla into five 

 pointed segments, slightly turned outward, showing five 

 stamens and one style, which projects a little beyond the 

 funnel-shaped flower. These graceful flowers, united at the 

 ovary, hang beneath the leaves on slender thready pedicels 

 so slight that the least breath of air swings their light 

 fairy bells. One might almost be tempted to listen for some 

 sweet music to issue from their hollow tubes. The twin 

 berries, when ripe, are of a semi-transparent ruby-red, but, 

 like the fruit of all the genus, they are tasteless or of a 

 sickly sweet flavor. They form a feast for birds and 

 numerous species of flies, which feed upon the pulp and 

 juice. The country people give the name of " Fly Honey- 

 suckle " to this shrub doubtless from having noticed how 

 attractive the fruit is to the insect tribes. 



The Bush Honeysuckle thrives well in the garden under 

 a moderate degree of shade, and in black vegetable mould.* 



The general habit of this shrubby Honeysuckle is up- 

 right, not climbing; the branchlets are slender, with a pale 

 grayish-green bark, and bent outwards, which gives a light 

 and graceful aspect to the bush. The juicy crimson berries 

 are oblong, united at the base, and contain several yellowish 

 bony seeds. 



SMALL-FLOWERED HONEYSUCKLE Lonicera parviflora 



(Lam.). 



This pretty clustered trumpet Honeysuckle is also a native 

 of our Canadian woods; a climber, but not often ascending 

 to any great height, sometimes low and bush-like. It might 

 be termed a dwarf climbing Honeysuckle. The flowers are 



* It is claimed to be a valuable remedy in cases of dropsy. 



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