The Pipsissewa Business: The Wasp Review of poetry in the Second Report of the State Mineralogist of California

From the Wasp page 6

 "In the Wasp last week, where and when you acknowledge receipt of certain State pamphlets, it does not appear that you have received the great boss pamphlet of the season entitled Second Report of the State Mineralogist of California - over 500 pages, soft shelled, law-book size. It reads like a looney prose edition of Walt Whitman. You get it and look into it. Pay."

I would have paid it, because of this snarky review itself.

Well, here it is:  the Pipsissewa and Poetry in the Appendix of the "Forest Trees of California." 

And here is ... pipsissewa (wiki) AKA umbellate wintergreen or prince's pine  Pipsissewa (Chimaphila umbellata). Calflora shows the cutest flowers! Who wouldn't write poetry about this little beauty!

Wikimedia

I'm guessing Solomon Oldstone is Ambrose Bierce? "Horn Toad Valley, Cal."?

Wasp issue

The Cover "Who Did It?"

Train crash caused by two signal men who were distracted by a lady???