"A very gay flower, intensely red, is the bee balm. It is an herb, and a
perennial. It is often called Oswego tea, because the Indians are
supposed to have used it for tea. Then, again, you will hear it called
Indian's plume. This name seems most suitable. I can just imagine a
chief strutting around with this gay plume on his head. It likes a
somewhat secluded, moist, shady, cool place. I think it would be
possible for some of you to make it grow at home. For colour it would be
invaluable. The cardinal flower is the only flower more gaudy in red
than this bee balm.

"When one comes to orange colour the butterfly weed takes the prize.
This flower has a variety of names: it is called pleurisy root, and wind
root, and orange root. Would you think that this gay little beggar was a
member of the milkweed family? It is. When seed time comes it produces a
seed pod like unto the milkweed pod only more slender than this. All
summer long the insects hover about it. It is just like a signal to
them. "Come over here to me!" it calls to them all. It is found in dry
places, in the fields and pastures, along the dusty road sides, and by
the sooty railroad track it flashes its signal. You can make this plant
feel at home surely. And think of the butterflies that will visit your
garden all summer long.

"Then later comes old Joe Pye weed. Joe Pye was an Indian doctor but
that doesn't seem to have anything to do with his weed. Yes, it has its
connection. For when old Joe Pye went out on a case of typhoid fever he
carried this plant along; hence, its name. The plant sometimes grows to
ten feet in height. Really the swamp is its home. So if you are to use
it at all remember that it must have this condition of great moisture,
even to swampiness. The flower clusters are of a charming colour, a
beautiful dull pink.