STUDIES OF PLANT LIFE 
Lettuce and others, are narcotic, being supplied with an 
abundance of bitter milky juice. The Sunflower, Coreopsis, 
Coneflower, Ragweed, and Tansy contain resinous pro- 
perties. 
The beautiful Aster family, if not remarkable for any 
peculiarly useful qualities, contains many highly ornamental 
plants. Numerous species of these charming flowers belong 
to our Canadian flora, lingering with us 
“* When fairer flowers are all decayed,” 
brightening the waste places and banks of lakes and lonely 
streams with starry flowers of every hue and shade—white, 
pearly-blue and deep purple. : 
The Coneflower is from one to three feet in height, the 
stem simple or branching, each branchlet. terminating in a 
single head.’ The rays are of a deep orange color, varying 
to yellow; the leaves broadly lanceolate, sometimes once or 
twice lobed, partly clasping the rough hairy stem, hoary and 
of a dull green, few and scattered. The scales of the chaffy 
disc are of a dark shining purple, forming a somewhat 
depressed cone. This species, with a slenderer-stemmed 
variety with rays of a golden yellow, are to be met with 
largely diffused over the Province. 
Many splendid species of the Coneflower are to be 
found on the wide-spread prairies of the West, where their 
brilliant starry flowers are mingled with many a gay 
blossom known best to the wild Indian hunter and the 
herb-seeking Medicine-men of the native tribes, who know 
their medicinal and healing qualities, if they are insensible 
to their outward beauty. One tall purple-rayed species 
(Echinacea purpurea) is very handsome. 
I sometimes think that, though apparently indifferent 
to the beauties of Nature, our laborers are not really so 
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