STUDIES OF PLANT LIFE 
become visible to our unassisted vision, have their existence, 
though we behold them not. 
“Father of earth and heaven, all, all are Thine, 
The boundless tribes in ocean, air and plain, 
And nothing lives, and moves, and breathes in vain. 
Thou art their soul, the impulse is divine: 
Nature lifts loud to Thee her happy voice, 
And calls her caverns to resound Thy praise ; 
Thy name is heard amid her pathless ways, 
And e’en her senseless things in Thee rejoice.” 
—Jane Roscoe. 
WILp GIncER—Asarum Canadense (L.). 
This is a singular herbaceous plant, chiefly found in 
bush-wood and damp, rich meadow-land. The leaves are 
wide, rounded kidney-form, with deep sinuses. The flower, 
on a short peduncle, springs from the root-stock and appears 
below the leaves close to the ground, never more than 
one to each shoot; it is campanulate with sharp-pointed 
segments of a deep chocolate color. The floral envelope 
consists of a calyx, but no corolla; the creeping thick 
fleshy root-stock is warm, pungent and aromatic. It is a 
coarse, singular-looking plant, much used in Indian medicine 
craft. 
LabDy’s SLIPPERS—MOcCASIN FLOWERS. 
Among the many rare and beautiful flowers that adorn 
our native woods and wilds few, if any, can compare with 
the lovely plants belonging to the Orchis family. Where 
all are so worthy of notice it is difficult to make a choice; 
happily there is no rivalry to contend with in the case of 
our Artist’s preferences. We will, however, first treat of 
the Cypripediums or Lady’s Slippers, better known by the 
name of Moccasin Flowers, a name common in this country 
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