The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1874-05-14
THE HOLY SPIRIT PLANT.
THE BOTANY OF PANAMA.

OF all the orchidaceous plants that
GROW on the Isthmus of Panama,
there is none that appeals to the
religious sentiment and popular
Imagination so strongly as the cele-
brated dove or Hspia'atw Saaato orchid.
The exquisite mlnicry Of this class
Of plants, says the Panama Star and
Herald, is seen in this. species to
take the form Of dove with out
spread wings, sheltered in the bosom
Of the flower. While other and moro
gaudy orchids excite the wonder and
curiosity of the beholder in seeing
the remarkable likeness to bees,
butterflies and other insects, the
Espiritu Saato appeals to higher
and nobler sentiment. The Spanish
ladies, with that respect for the
imagery of the Roman Catholic
Church in which the dove takes so
prominent place, associated the
name with the pird selected by tAe
Holy Stirit 10 witness the Baptism OF
our Saviour, and by this MANS 1t Is
still known. 10 cali 1t the Holy
Ghost flower sounds harsh and even
irreverent to Protestant ears, The
effect of the Espiratu Sa7ato flower is
at once devotional and po6tical.
That it should fosm q striking sub
jest for the exercise OF some Of the
Spanish American poets, who have
seen the plant IN It's native woods, is
natural and 10 be expected. They
have not only celebrated the flower
in their verses for its natural beauty,
wonderful structure and fragrance,
butshave seized on it to express and
mourn over the sorrows OF poets IN
general, to whom the gitr seems
lnseparable from worldly dlsappoiut-
ment and privation. Many OF them,
III order to protect the works that
60 ntinue to charm the world, had
no time" as the lamented Agassiz
said, $50 make money" Thomas
Martin Fuillet, o. Panama, who wro e
some exquisite pieces Of Spanish
poetry and died young, has a poems
On the Aapirutl Sauto flower of
Panama, addressed to d lady. In
ne two last verses he expresses a
nope, when he is laid TO rest III the
grave, that although he expects no
'ne to shed a tear 10 his memory,
ome kid hand Will lay on the
black pail that covers his coffin
ew flowers Of the Eypiritu Smeto.
The love Of flowers is very common
n Panama, and few balconies are
without them.
The E!parltu SAINT, plant, or
oereSter5o elat0 OF the botanlst, was
. tayorlte OF the nuns, but cannot be
made 10 go on Towering in Panama.
Lhe bulbs may be preserved alive |
or q lorg time, bat they refuse to
produce flowers. they must have
'efiod of rest III comparatively cool
atmosphere, but during their growth
'ud towering they require cool and
Tery moist atmosphere. The hot and
iryseasons seod them tosleep, andsleep
IN they will in the air Of the coast
sndcity, while such conditions of the
requisite moisture and temperature are
kept from them.
The supply, however, is kept up
by several jamaica men, who make
it business to seek for them in the
forests that skllt the higher regions
through which the railroad passes, es-
peclally about Lion Hill station.
These are not found, so far as we
know, in Veraquas or Chiriqui,
though the cordilIeras of both these
departments abound in exquisite and
rare orchids. These plants are often
offered for sale in the streets and
before the Grand Hotel Of Panama,
where passengers obtained them at
from three to five dollars the dozen Of
bulbs.in flower in July, August and
September. oau aia test a73d
n HE HIDDEN T0pTIrpr Thora