THE LADIES' FLORAL CABINET. 
Ill 
False Solomon’s Seal is very plentiful in many locali¬ 
ties, particularly in moist, low places where it forms a 
thick carpet of very small spikes of. pure white fragrant 
flowers. 
Now the violets peep out from their shelter and greet 
ns in various colors, blue, white and blue and white, 
each beautiful, some fragrant, and all bearing the fresh 
odor of spring about them. Mixed with the violets, 
•spangling the fields and hill sides with tiny golden blos¬ 
soms, is the Potentilla. In early spring the flower stems 
are short, but, as the season advances, they lengthen to 
several inches. The leaf is very like the wild straw¬ 
berry, to which family it is related. In the same 
ocality we shall find the lovely little flower Houstonia- 
'Coerulea, ofttimes covering large spaces with its blue- 
white blossoms. I think it is one of the most attractive 
■spring flowers. 
Amelanchier Canadensis (shad-busli), is a charming 
flowering shrub, and contrasts finely with the red b os- 
sorns of the maples. As we pass along we find Aquile- 
gia Canadensis blooming in the crevices of the rocks 
and on the hill-sides, clothing them with its bright 
beauty. 
As spring advances we find the Trilliums. In cool old 
woods all through the Northern States we find different 
varieties. They are all attractive, but the Tainted 
Trillium (T. ergthrocarpum), is by far the most beautiful. 
In the meadows and low swampy places we find Coptis 
trifolia (gold-thread), its white flowers showing to ad¬ 
vantage on the dark glcssy leaves. The roots are like 
threads of gold, whence the name gold-thread. 
“ In May, when sea-winds pierced our solitudes, 
I found the fresli Khodora in the woods, 
Spreading its leafless blooms in a damp nook, 
To please the desert and the sluggish brook. 
The purple petals, fallen in the pool, 
Made tho black water with their beauty gay .* 1 
So sang Emerson, and indeed the Rhodora is well 
worthy the song of the poet. The flowers are rose-pur¬ 
ple, in umbel-like clusters, coming before the leaves. 
Aretliusa bulbosa is one of the most charming wild 
flowers. The flower is a single erect bloom of bright 
rose-purple thrown up from the bulb several inches. 
It is found in bogs, and is quite scarce. 
Arisccma triphyllum (Jack-in-the-pulpit), is a very 
curious flower which blooms in May and June, and 
afterwards bears a large, close cluster of intensely 
scarlet berries. 
In bogs and other wet places we find Calla palustris. 
The resemblance to our common Calla Richardia Asthio- 
pica is very striking. It is well worthy cultivation, and 
it is remarkable that so pretty a plant is not more often 
seen grown, especially if any one has a moist place in 
their grounds. 
And now we look for Cypripediums (Ladies’ Slipper) of 
which there are a number. C. parviflora, small, yellow, 
with brown-purple tints, fragrant. C. pubescens, largo 
,yellow—a very striking flower, and Spectabile. the 
common pink. The small white C. ca7ididums is found 
in the Middle and Western States. C. acaide rose- 
purple (rarely white), differs from Spectabile and is 
found in much the same localities. AU the Cypripedium 
family are very interesting. 
The Iris is a charming flower, of which two varieties 
are very attractive, I. versicolor (Large blue Flagl r .fynd 
/. virginica (Slender blue Flag). Flowers, violet-blue. 
purple-veined, and variegated greenish-yellow or white* 
There are several other varieties, but I think the two I 
have mentioned are the finest. 
Rhododendron maximum (Rose Bay), we shall find in 
boggy places and in cultivated also, but its home is in 
swamps. The foliage is evergreen, and the flowers 
very showy, a pale-rose color in large clusters. 
Azaleas we find in variety, growing in the same locali¬ 
ties as the Rhododendron. A. nudiflora is a lovely pink 
and exquisitely fragrant. A. viscosa, a white variety 
also fragrant, blooming a little later. 
Lupinus perennis (Wild Lupine) comes in May and 
June. The flowers are purplish-blue in spikes. Occa¬ 
sionally we find white and pink, but not often. 
Celastius scandens (Climbing bitter-sweet), we find 
about this time in bloom. The flower is small, color a 
greenish-white. The beauty of the plant is in the 
berries in autumn, when the outside of the berry turns 
back disclosing a bright orange-scarlet center. We 
must not leave out of our bouquet the wild Rose, for in 
all parts of the United States we have some variety, 
and, as they bloom almost all summer, we are con¬ 
stantly coming across them. Rosa rubiginosa (Sweet- 
briar), is often cultivated for the exquisite fragrance of 
the foliage. 
Sarracenia purpurea (American Pitcher Plant), is a 
very curious plant, blooming in early summer, and 
having a very odd-looking brownish flower. The 
leaves are as singular as the flowers, being pitchers 
holding water and thought by some to be insectivorous, 
from the fact of insects almost always being found 
drowned in the water. 
Kalmia latifolia (American Laurel), is one of the 
most beautiful shrubs that grow. Of course there is no 
need of describing it; and indeed it is so beautiful, 
grows and blooms in such profusion, the flowers ranging 
in color from deep (link to pure white, no description 
could do it justice. It blooms in early summer, late or 
early according to locality. 
Cletbra alnifolia (White Alder), we shall find in wet 
copses and along the banks of streams. Large shrubs 
covered with handsome white fragrant flowers. This 
variety is found both North and South with slight varia¬ 
tions in foliage. 
Now the summer sun is blazing and all nature is full 
of life and beauty, and we cannot name the flowers for 
number. In the fields we shall find Leucanthemum 
(Ox-eye Daisy), too abundant for the farmer, but beau¬ 
tiful to the sight; and there is another plant growing 
more plentiful each year, equally to be feared, Rud- 
beckia liirta (Cone-flower.) It was formerly confined to 
the Middle States, but introduced into New England, it 
is said, in clover seed. It is a very showy flower, deep 
yellow with black center, and if this flower and the one 
last named could be kept within bounds they would be 
considered valuable, but they cannot. 
In the woods and on woody hill-sides we shall find a 
charming low-growing plant Goodyera. There are two 
or more varieties, but they do not differ much. Rattle¬ 
snake Plantain is the common name. The leaves are 
dark-green beautifully variegated, and veined with 
white. In August it throws up a spike of inconspicuous 
flowers, the chief beauty, as in most variegated plants, 
being in the leaf. In the same location we shall find 
Mitchclla (Partridge-berry) in bloom. The blossoms arc 
white and fragrant, always in pairs, and followed in 
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