STUDIES OF PLANT LIFE 
slender variety occurs of a pale buff, and also of a bright 
lemon color. The American botanists speak of Castilleia 
coccinea as being addicted to a low wettish soil, but this 
has not been my experience; if you would find it in its 
greatest perfection you must seek it on the high dry roll- 
ing plains of Rice Lake, Brantford, the Humber to the 
north of Toronto, Stoney Lake, the neighborhood of Peter- 
boro’, and similar localities. 
For soil the Scarlet Cup seems to prefer light loam, and 
evidently courts the sunshine rather than the shade. If it 
could be prevailed upon to flourish in our garden borders 
it would be a great acquisition, from its long continuance 
in flower and its brilliant coloring. The seed is light 
brown, contained in thinnish capsules, ripe in September. 
Gray says: “ Herbs parasitic on roots,” but our brave plant 
is no parasite but grows freely on open ground. Neither is 
it found with us in low wettish places; it loves the light 
and would not flourish in shade. It is essentially a “ prairie 
flower.” I have had bright specimens from our North-West 
and also from Wisconsin and Dakota, U.S.; of a darker 
red from Manitoba. 
These lovely plants, like many others that adorn our 
Canadian woods and wilds, yearly disappear from our 
midst, and soon we shall seek them but find them not. 
We might say with the poet: 
“Twas pity Nature brought ye forth 
Merely to show your worth, 
And lose ye quite! 
But ye have lovely leaves, where we 
May read how soon things have 
Their end, though ne’er so brave; 
And after they have shown their pride 
Like you awhile, they glide 
Into the grave.” 
—RHerrick. 
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