The Photography of Raymond A. Sprague
Ray Sprague was a committed outdoorsman and a staunch supporter of preservation and conservation organizations. An avid fisherman, he lost his taste for hunting birds and game later in life, preferring to “catch and release” the wildlife that fascinated him. By the 1970s he had begun in earnest to channel his interests into nature photography. Ray had a remarkable eye, and his images of plants and flowers were especially good; Audubon sought permission to use some of his photography. His focus was primarily on the flora and fauna of New Hampshire and Texas.
Below is a curated collection of slides featuring spring and summer plants, ordered and labeled by Ray himself, and later digitized by the family (click to enlarge).
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Round Lobed Hepatica - 1980
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Round Leaf (Yellow) Violet - 1980
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Saxifrage - 1989
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Dandelion - 1978
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Blood Root - 1983
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Toothwort - 1983
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Cut Leaved Toothwort - 1982
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Adders Tongue - 1989
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Hellebore - 1978
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Spring Beauty - 1984
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Dutchman's Breeches - 1988
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Houstonia (Bluettes) - 1989
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Wild Ginger - 1980
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Trailing Arbutus - 1978
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Large Flowered Bellwort - 1984
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Canada Mayflower - 1988
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Purple Trillium - 1988
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Large Trillium - 1989
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Witch Hobble - 1976
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Dwarf Ginseng - 1988
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Goldthread - 1988
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Wood Anemone - 1987
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Pussytoes - 1980
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Smooth Yellow Violet - 1984
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Early Meadow Rue - 1980
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Cowslip - 1982
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Wild Oat - 1988
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Mitrewort - 1994
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Star Flower - 1989
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Bunchberry - 1988
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Foam Flower - 1989
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Pale Corydalis - 1977
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Bog (Purple) Avens - 1977
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Smooth Solomon's Seal - 1988
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Colt's Foot - 1984
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Wild Blue Flag - 1981
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Columbine - 1994
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Ragged Robin - 1990
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Clintonia - 1982
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Painted Trillium - 1988
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Nodding Trillium - 1988
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Fringed Polygala - 1989
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Pale Laurel - 1980
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Rhodora - 1984
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Mountain Azalea - 1980
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Robin's Plantain - 1985
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Swamp Saxifrage - 1982
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Baneberry (Doll's Eye) - 1983
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Barren Strawberry - 1980
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Dame's Rocket - 1987
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Pink Pyrola - 1987
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Jack in the Pulpit - 1988
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Golden Alexander - undated
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Garlic Mustard - 1988
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Small Yellow Lady's Slipper - 1988
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Arethusa - 1988
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Leafy White Orchis - 1987
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Ram's Head Lady's Slipper - 1988
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Showy Orchis - 1988
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Large Yellow Lady's Slipper - undated
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Pink Lady's Slipper - 1988
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Showy Lady's Slipper - 1988
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White Lady's Slipper - 1978
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Orange Hawkweed - 1980
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Purple Flowering Raspberry - 1984
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Maiden Pink - 1974
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Yellow Hawkweed - 1980
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Birdsfoot Trefoil - 1975
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Heal All - 1985
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Monkey Flower - 1978
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Wild Calla Lily - 1984
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Stitchwort - 1986
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Wood Sorrel - 1975
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Bull Head Lily - 1976
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Yellow Loosestrife - 1980
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Yellow Goat's Beard - 1980
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Twin Flower - 1980
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Blue Eyed Grass - 1982
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Pyrola - 1988
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One Sided Pyrola - 1980
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Bog Cranberry - 1975
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Oxeye Daisy - 1987
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Pasture Rose - 1981
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Partridge Berry - 1985
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Cow Vetch - 1988
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Horned Bladderwort - 1970
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St. Johnswort - 1988
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Fly Honeysuckle - 1984
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Dalibarda (Dewdrop) - 1988
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Bog Rosemary - 1975
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Canada Lily - 1975
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Fragrant Water Lily - 1984
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Calopogon - 1987
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Rose Pogonia - 1987
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Musk Mallow - undated
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Bull Head Lily - 1976
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Sheep Laurel - 1986
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Pitcher Plant - 1980
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Buckbean - 1989
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Skunk Cabbage - 1990
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Bird's Foot Violet - 1988
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Marsh Speedwell - 1988
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Ajuga - 1988
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Celandine - 1988
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Hop Clover - 1987
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Spiderwort - 1987
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Moneywort - 1985
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Evening Lychnis - 1980
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Scabius - 1985
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Purple Fringed Orchid - 1986
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Black Eyed Susan - 1979
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Bladder Campion - 1985
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Common Cinquefoil - 1982
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Silvery Cinquefoil - 1982
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Tall Rue - 1980
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Blue Vervain - 1980
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Slenderleaf Sundew - 1984
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Roundleaf Sundew - 1991
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Old Field Toadflax - 1987
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Bouncing Bet - 1982
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Rabbit's Foot Clover - 1982
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Fire Weed - 1982
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Turtle Head - 1984
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Indian Pipe - 1978
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White Fringed Orchid - 1975
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Ragged White Fringed Orchid - 1977
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Round Leafed Orchid - 1980
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Pickerel Weed - 1976
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High Mallow - 1982
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Whorled Loosestrife - 1978
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Purple Loosestrife - 1974
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Cheeses (Common Mallow) - 1982
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Showy Tick Trefoil - 1984
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Hedge Bindweed - 1984
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Bedstraw Bellflower - 1984
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Rough Bedstraw - 1984
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Agrimonies - 1984
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St. Andrew's Cross - 1984
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Yellow Bedstraw - 1985

