The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-06-17
THE GEOGRAPHY OF FLOWERS.

Next to the resolving of flowers into their
component parts, and determining their species,
genera, &c, the most delightful of all botanical
pursuits is that of Floral Geography The in
ouiring mind beholds in every nook where a
flower can fluid room to open It's delicate leaves,
some new tribute to the unerring providence of
God Every leaf and bud suggest new thoughts,
and in viewing the wonderful structure OF the
vegetable kingdom, the mind begins to form
an adequate idea of that Being who not only
supplies man with all the necessaries of life,
but scatters beauty along his path and speaks
to him of hope and mercy through the fra
grant cups and emerald leaves of the flowers
that blossom everywhere.
There is no place, not even the icy glaciers
of Switzerland, where flowers are not found
On the snow-bound coasts of Melyille's Island,
around which everlasting icebergs are float
ing, the little red snow plant opens its tiny
petals and stains the white robe of the hills
with it's crimson light. On the frozen summit
of Sulitema in Norway, the beautiful blue gen.
tan and fringed pink bend over the edges of
glaciers and behold their colors in the polished
ice below. The lily of the valley also shines,
white and spotless, on the few spaces which
the short summers of Norway and Sweden can
clothe in green verdure, and the strawberry
blossom peeps up along the steep sides of the
ice-capped mountains.
| And who shall describe the rich luxuriance
of tropical growth the magnificent Brazil
ian forests and the lone and lovely islands in
the far-of southern seas!o The surprising
beauty of the orange tree, which displays on
one side the golden fruit, and on the other its
! snowy blossoms is an example. Those who
tend the pining cactus and the dropping exotic
in northern lighthouses, can form no idea of the
gorgeous flowers that bloom, almost perennialiy
in the rich tropical climes nurtured by soft
southern breezcs and fervid sunshine.
Even in phlegmatic, composed Holland, these
beautiful objects the alphabets of angels, they
have been truly caled) have been fully appre-
ciated IL seems rather ludicrous to fancy the
sturdy, tobacco-smoking Dutch running mad
after tulip roots but when we come to examine
the delicate fbres of the soul, and to consider
the firm and unalterable links that exist between
the beautiful in all it's forms, and the spirit OF
man, we cease tO wonder.
/ The thistle of Scotland the white and red
roses of England and the heur-de-lis of France
are immortalized in history rs the emblems OF
their respective countries, Thus, not satisfied
with their supreme dominion over the king.
doms of love- innocence, and beauty, they en-
Irvine themselves with war and polities-no less
| Dcuutilul, HoWtNerj INC unc VttSc tndii III thc
| other. I'D
In Miss Mitford's very entertaining Il Lite
rary RecolIections," she describes an interview
in her little garden with Mr. Webster then
filled with roses, pinks, and splendid geraniums;
and speaking of the indigenous plants OF Eng.
land and America she expressed a. great de-
sire to see the scarlet lily of New York, and
the fringed gentan of Niagara, known only to
her by Miss Martneaus description. Soon
; after Mr. Webster's arrival in America Miss
Milford received package of the seeds Of each
directed by Mr. Webster's own hand What
more beautiful gift than this, from the cultiva-
ted wales of New York, and the roaring tor
rent of Niagara, to the castled homes and ivy
clad towers Of old England could be found No
wonder that Miss Milford, passing half her
T life among the flowers, should be 80 truthful a
, delineator of Nature,
? Happy, then is the person who is early
. taught love Of flowers. Earth may grow
, weary to him, life may lose its charms, but he
will ever derive consolation from the thousand
sources OF Nature. He may go forth despair
ing and disguised with the deceiving charms
, Of the world but when he is alone in the
messy woods. with the flowers all around, and
their oder rising in the hushed air, he finds
that there is beauty still left in existence. Hii
spirit rovcs from the beautiful flowers to then
, Maker and Preserver, and tn the blessed com
ing time when he shall wander NJ n white
, robed angel where the roses of Paradise arl
blossoming along the River OF Life.
, Gun ARABic.--In Morocco, about the mid
, die Of November that is, after II rainy season
, which begins in July gummy juice exnde'
! spontaneously from the trunk and princpa
branches of the acacia tree, In about ffteer
, days it thickens in the furrow, down which i
! runs, either in yermicular for worm shape
or more commonly assuming the form of ova
and round tears about the size Of pigeon
; egg, of different colors AK they belong to tn,
! white or red gum tree About the middle o.
December, the Moors encamp on the borders o
! the forest, and the harvest lasts six weeks.
The gum is packed in very large sacks O
leather and brought on the backs of builocki
J and camels to certain ports where it is sold Z
, the French and English merchants, Gum il
highly nutricious. During the whole time o
! harvest of the journey and of the fair, TIN
Moors of the desert live almost entirely upor
it and experience has proved that six ounces
} of gum are sufficient for the support Of u mar
during twenty-four hours.
5 The MoNKEy AND THE HAwK-The follow
! ing anecdote is from the Nottingham Eng.
Journal Lord Teynham's French cook had 8
trained monkey, Us to make him useful il
0 plueking his poultry and winged game, 70
r the spit This monkey was one day following
I his occupation nj the open window Of the bacl
4 kitchen, and had just plucked one OF brace Q
d partridges, when a-hawk bounced upon il AM