STUDIES OF PLANT LIFE 
was an unbroken wilderness. There was no road opened, 
even for the rudest vehicle, on the Douro side of the lakes, 
and to gain her new home the authoress had to cross the 
river at Auburn, travel through the newly cut road in the 
opposite township, and again cross over the Otonabee at 
the head of the rapids in a birch-bark canoe. There was at 
that period no other mode of connection with the northern 
part of the Township of Douro. Now a branch railroad 
from Peterboro’ terminates in the flourishing village where 
once the writer wandered among the forest pines looking 
for wild flowers and ferns. 
As to the roads, one might say, with the Highland 
traveller, 
‘* Had you but seen these roads before they were made, 
You'd have lift up your hands and have blessed General Wade.” 
The only habitations, beyond our own log cabin, at the 
date of which I write, were one shanty and the log house of 
a dear, lamented and valued brother, the enterprising 
pioneer and founder of the prosperous village of Lakefield. 
It may easily be imagined that there were few objects of 
interest in the woods at that distant period of time—1832— 
or as a poor Irish woman sorrowfully remarked, “’Tis a 
lonesome place for the likes of us poor women folk; sure 
there isn’t a hap’orth worth the looking at; there is no 
“nothing, and it’s hard to get the bit and the sup to ate and 
to drink.” 
Well, I was better off than poor Biddy Fagan, for I soon 
found beauties in my woodland wanderings, in the un- 
known trees and plants of the forest. These things became 
a great resource, and every flower and shrub and forest 
tree awakened an interest in my mind, so that I began to 
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