ENTOMOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 



187 



BLOOD-ROOT. 



{Sanguinana canadensU.) 



[Fig. US.] 



Blooil-Root 



The Blood-root is one of our prettiest spring 

 flowers. It is usually found iu rich woody 

 slopes, among thickets of hazel, or iu other 

 warm sheltered places. Very few except the 

 botanist, or those who are acquainted with its 

 early habit, ever get into the woods in season 

 to see its handsome white blossoms. 



The cut which we give of this plant represents 

 the leaf more fully expanded than is common 



at that stage of the flower. The leaves arc 

 mostly quite small, and folded together when 

 the flower expands, but during summer they 

 spread out to be four or five inches across. 

 That part which is commonly called the root 

 of this plant is really a thick, prostrate stem, 

 develoiiing each year a new bud from its 

 extremity. The small fibres which proceed 

 from this stem (called rhizoma) are the true 

 roots. The flower, as will be seen, is raised 

 on a slender naked stem about six inches 

 long. Before expansion it is wrapped by two 

 large greenish leaves, which drop ott" as soon as 

 the flower opens. It then displays usually eight 

 or ten pure white, oblong petals, twenty or 

 more small delicate stamens, and a pistil, or 

 germ, which, after the decay of the flower, 

 expands into a thick oblong pod, filled with 

 seeds. The rhizoma, or ground-stem, contains 

 an acrid juice of a reddish color, which has val- 

 uable medicinal properties, and conseiiuently 

 the root is often sought for and collected for 

 medical purposes. 



This plant is deserving of more attention for 

 the garden. It may be transplanted with ease, 

 and a small bed in flower will be a fine orna- 

 ment. Its natural habit should be imitated as 

 far as possible in cultivation. After flowering 

 cover the bed with a thick coat of leaves or 

 litter, to protect it from the heat of the summer 

 sun. 



RED-BUD. 



{Vercis vanade/isis , L) 



The Natural Order Leguminosw embraces in 

 this country only a few trees, the priucipal of 

 which are the Black Locust, the Honey Locust, 

 the Cofi'ee-tree, and the Red-bud. The latter 

 will engage our attention at the present time. 



The Ked-bud {Cercis canadensis, L.) is a 

 small tree occurring in most of the Western and 

 Southern States. It seldom exceeds twelve or 

 fifteen feet high. It is very ornamental, par- 

 ticularly when in bloom. The fiowering occurs 

 before the development of the leaves, and from 

 the size and abundance of the flowers the tree 

 is a conspicuous object at a great distance, and 

 where the trees are numerous the whole forest 

 seems ablaze with their rose-colored flowers. 

 After the fall of the flowers, when the tree gets 

 into full leaf, it is still an object of beauty. The 

 leaves are heart-shaped, three or four inches in 

 diameter, of a lively green and smooth surface; 

 and when the pods are added, hanging in grace- 

 ful clusters below the leaves, the appearance is 

 highly attractive. The time of flowering varies 



