Smyrna times., 1875-09-15
Flowers in Liberia.

Most of the African flowers differ from
those of the temperate climates in three
striking characteristics, viz, brilliancy o.
color, luXuriancy of growth, and in emitting
! their odor after sunset.
The last popularity has been admirably
described by Moore, i'll speaking of that
lovely native of India-the fragrant Jas.
mine:
| "Thc flowers that wake while others sleep,
The timid jasmine buds, that keep
Their fragrance to themselves all day.
But when the sunlight drives away
Let their delicious secret out"
rare and very beautiful species of the
jasmine grows in our African forests. The
bushes sometimes rise to the height of ten
feet, and are dcnsely covered with large
pinnatc, oval leaves. The starry white
flowers, with bright pink stems, clustered
on what botanists term a cyme,) raise their
delicate heads in striking contrast with the
heavy masses of glossy, dark green leaves.
Their fragrance is delightful. If we hap
pen to awaken at night in room where a
splg OF this odorous flower has dropped,
we arc almost inclined to imagine that.
instead of the dreadful malaria we strive so
much to keep out,
The sweet south wind
That brcathcs upon a bank of violcts
Stealing and giving odor"
has, by some miraculous means, penetrated
our closelyshut African chambers. Most
aptly did the ancients call this sweet flower
the "Odorous Violet"
SO much has been written about the
majestic lilies of the tropics that it is only
necessary to say that many finer varieties
flourish on our coast. Perhaps the most
remarkable of these is the white chandelier
lily, 50 called from having six narrow
petals, four inches long, pendent from
beneath, and six stamens, an inch shorter.
growing out Of the margin of a delicate
iiannel-shapcd corolla.
The Acacia Mimosa, said to be a native
Of the Nile, is a beautiful but fragile look.
ing tree, from fifteen to twenty feet
high, with small yellow flowers peeping out
from among its branches of fine, sensitive
leaves, and giving forth a most delicious
fragrance.
In passing through the forests we are
continually struck by the number and
variety OF luXuriant vines, so closely inter
woven with the branches of tall trees as to
form complete canopy. Most of them
are covered with small white flowers, ap,
parently almost too delicate to touch.
Many of the flower bearing shrubs of
temperate climes when transplanted here
attain to the height of trees. Some wears
since a member Of our mission brought
across the Atlantic small cutting of the
Oleander, from which has sprung a number
OF stately trees. Some in the garden at
Cavalla have already grown full twenty feet
high, and are almost constantly covered |
with double pink flowers, which for rich.
ness and beauty surpass anything we have
ever seen. A lovely sight it is to see these
magnificent trees circled by birds of bril-
liant plumage
Enough has been said to convince our
readers that flowers, so appropriately STYLED |
" the smiles of God" have not been with
held fran this land of moral darkness.
We earnestly pray that the day may come
when these beautiful gifts of our Heavenly
Father may be appreciated by a redeemed
and enlightened people, and that Africa,
spirituality as well as naturally, may "rejoice
and blossom as the rose."-W West african
Record.