STUDIES OF PLANT LIFE 
CANADIAN BaLtsaM—Impatiens fulva (Nutt.). 
Our Wild Balsam is a singularly gay plant with its 
profusion of orange-colored spotted flowers, light foliage 
‘and semi-transparent stems. The butterflies seem to take 
‘delight in hovering over the bright blossoms, and the hum- 
mming-birds may be seen on sunny days with outstretched 
‘beaks and wings winnowing the air as they balance their 
tiny bodies while extracting sweets or insects from the 
curiously-hooded flowers. In the New England States it is 
known as the Humming-bird Flower, but it has other 
pretty descriptive names, Jewel Weed, Speckled Jewel, and 
Touch-me-not. This last alludes to the sensitive nature of 
the slender seed-pods, which burst at a slight touch, rolling 
themselves into pretty rings and shedding abroad the seed. 
The flowers hang lightly, drooping on very slender 
thready stalks; when open the outer sepal of the colored 
calyx forms a hooded cap which reminds one of an old 
Jjester’s cap and bells. It is only in the single-flowered 
Balsam under cultivation that we see the curious hood 
~with its horn-like nectary; but the elastic seed-pod is, like 
the wild species, equally sensitive if touched. A strong 
coloring matter of bright orange pervades the whole plant 
in our Wild Balsam—leaves, stem and flower. The Indian 
women use the juice in dyeing, and also apply it in 
Erysipelas caused by Poison Ivy and in other diseased 
states of the skin. Our Balsam loves low wet soil. The 
low lake shore and forest streams are its favorite haunts, 
where it attains the height of three and four feet. 
There are two species: Impatiens fulva, distinguished by 
its deeper-colored blossoms, orange, almost scarlet, and its 
brown spots and darker green leaves; and J. pallida 
(Nutt.), paler, the markings on the petals slighter, the 
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