, 1876-05-06
CLEANING OUT the ABoRlGlNEs.

TO Mf Editor 1f 9he Chftd1o 7rfbuht:
: CHICAGO. May 6.-Many Of your readers woro
Interested no doubt In reading tho full cataloguo
(pub1iskea In THE TRIBUNE week or Two ago)
Of planta belonging to tho Ranunculuu order.
which foultah Of have 1outtshed about tho sub
utbs Of Chicago. Such catalogues AFRO full Of
intorcst not only TO tho t5ro but tho veteran
botanlst. But It allou1d be remembered that tho
localities OF nahy annuhls. Or svnn peronnialB,
whio1, ara not woody Id structure, change will,
their varying environment. Especially ID this
Tho case with tho Hahunculaceae. Al tho oty-
tnu1ogy Of tho Tord BignI!ira, they ato 1nobtlY
such pants "a arc found in mstslly p1acct. tho
haunta Of frogs. 4 scwor, an open ditch, or
turnpike, which d1atns tho gEonnd puts to
flight auuh plants Is are pa1udiuous 10 ehotr
hsbisa. Tho writor well renembers whon thtoc.
III, hypo1ls, ana !! ldast two Varieties Of 10
bella grow on tho Long JOHN tract. bounded BY
Btasc ssroet and Indiana ayeuue. Tho DouElsB
place sowor, with other street improvements,
which rendered tho laud dry, put All inatant
ond to their growth in that locality.
communion with her Visible forms, and especial
ly tho wonderfully regular forms OF tho plant-
world to him who tiooB from tho dusty
city for tow hours respite, to seoR
Ta1nusE published aro Of great vaine; But It
from titno to limo Tue TRIBUNE would puDss.
not merely tho localities but tho times OF bloom
ing OF p1anta accessible to the ChIcngo plant
| hunter, it would do good sorr1co to many a
budding naturalist, who goes forth with tho box
| and manual to hunt down tho floral donlzeoB OF
rayinet grove, and prairto to mako them his
prtzos. ..-...-.-..
Elovon yaars ago there was no place In the
! immediate vicinity Of Chicago 30 rich In tho "a
riety Of lis native yneeta growth as REoyo Ait-
| uated north OF tho North Branch and weht OF tho
milwaukee, 4 Chicago Railroad. At that time
| thero 1onrishod theEo Ia tho months Of May and
June tho or tAros varieties Of phlox, tile Bquil!
almost ~ 1ae aa hluo hyaciDtb, ..Hovoral
Representatives Of tho cresa family, at
lcast thfoo spociea of trlllium. the
Ieck, and other representatives Of tn Q
onion tribe, the orythIouium and aotno otlor
species Of lilies, several orchids, including tho
| yellow lady-slippor and i;B arlstocratic and
splendid roIatis8, the cypr3petiuu1 spoctabt!d.
| These plants arc probably al Rono now. Tho
| etuico-Wuye Of dfRttlleres havo elthor polaonod
| thcm or tho advance of rcal estate improve
! meuts In that vicinity have changed the oondt-
| tionB which cnused them to flourish; or they
haso boon elaborated by paths and by.rayB and
+! innumersblo footsteps. ns I1uao tramp!cs into
| oblivion tho events Of this world.
Prot. Babcoclt has placed on record, BY publ.
| catiou soine yeara ago It'll tho Lens, worry full
/ and ypluable catalogue Of tho indigenous plnnt:
which flourish In tho Vicinity Ut ChlcaEo. But
for rcaaoua above mentioned among othegs, the
localities Of thcHo planss nro constantly chang
ing, and new ones arc constantly making tbel
appearance, transported BY the railroads. ao.nt
OF ~hich becouo persistent and troublesome
| Yccda IEAHDEA BToSE.