, 1876-05-20
SPARKS OF SCIENCE:
Flora Round About Chicago. The
Geranium Family.
C0c0a-Lcnves rs q Stimu1ant..vA A
Grnssllopper.PIaguo
tn Spain.
Silica In Vegotation-A Yellow wator-
Lily-Afrtoan Exploratioa.

AHJ~hIloan b1plor0tl0n.
FLORA ROUND ABorrr e,11rcAno
The GEltANIuM FAMILY.-Eycry collection =
howcta brought III from tho grovelanls 10
SOHO t'Fo or thrco weeks to come, will be a,l1t
enro to contain epccfnicns Of tho Wild Crimes
nlll tHtTdnt"ht saatniafuna), a handsome, shin,
mower, with pink petals, nnd flye-partetl, lobc,
ieates' IL ID one OF tho ncranfutns, belonging
70 the family which affpr1s so many fovurlt,
species Tor culture III tho Isuuso and tic rrflcu
lts English namo Is derived from tic fanctcd re-
scmblalsec Of Ito bcakai fruit to tho bill OF tl,t
craNc. a second member OF thu sa1no genus
tho Carolina Crancsbill 70. Caroliafanu,n) is IN
cltdcd In our forn, but Is moro restrlctctl IN 10
cn'lty. Frof. Dabcocs notes its OCCURRENCE mem
Lincoln Park and north of the city.
sevon species of tho Gcranium family (gera,
'leaee1J arc found III the stntcs covered by
Trays Florn. This Is q stnnll proportion of nm
ortlcr that numbers IN a'l about 200 suceica.
The lora Of Great britain Includes tl,irter,,
species. But the 1crantutns nro very uncaual]y
distributed over tie world. BY fur the iargcr
number arc found ut tho Capo Of Good Hone,
especially Of tho fine genus l'e'.rgouiutn. II Is
from this region that VIC obtain ali tho ,n1cl,-
priced species that aAorn our windows md
norsets. The number md variety of tho exotic
cultivation, as most uf In s;'ccins i'tpSu rppa"i ny
lated hybrlt3lzo frrcy. "r'~' ''0'' ~
:EI3 Ihe Ge,a,eHsta nre not characterized by any
striking qualities, yctt un astrlngent principle
tain to tic order. The root Of our wild Crnics
bill is powerful hstrngcnt, cjyjiIu liz, nInnt Z,
como loeatise, tic llaio u 11ninsnoot. h Il has az
been fara hcld IN gh rep1te as garglc aud tonic
Nfui ildiie, cMfttng at tho sarno tl1no un urt,-
matte odor. Several OF tie species protiucc r1i-
Bic tubcs. Those ol tho q. faipeNorl,s nro cnten
y ,,,n van pisna'i's Land where tiloy are called
tho Iuyouium trsie at tlo Cano nf Unmi su M"no ~
The lcaves OF the Itlaryoa,n acetoft.n, mi
aricia m ei1 of io 1r0 pleasantly and an ngreea1e
Jnasiou, celebrated rroncl, botanist un,tc,1.
Basn @ se1c of pn SnAissSa aa9ae. s o. GSFan' 'na
s 1a' s a tgn}y ~ Gy ,e, has @9ed s ths sss pa
Of the family Geruneaee1r. OF tic Itmnunthesn'
no liave hut ono Representatives fE7acrt ,rosc,.'
1t"asottss), ncat but ineonspIcaoas fiHst littlo
pant growing on tho banks Of tho Chicago and
ine out Of tho axis Of tic thrcc.partcd jeaves.
Linna'sthes, comprises the cItiro sulnnr,icr'
OF the sub-orlor 0zalidacetr (sorrcl family VIC
{Ora'fs cioIaeea) may 10 found in flower u nt tho
present time Oh grassy banks by tho ronistiiea La
to tho west and suiitil, even Within tho 1in,its
e sl,e city It has elovefliko !cnf, and pink
Is strongly acid The Yellow sorrcl &c 70 e, siretn,
Is common both In mild aud cultivated Grounds.
md has been familiar to most ct Hs from shiIIs
hood n; under tho name Of "Lady'a Sorrel."
Thcrd aro very few who have not at ono time or |
foliage OF this sour-1ilIccd nlant, w ''o
Tho O1dlidess include uboyc zoo snccjca. anorc
Which aro herbs, shrubs, and trees. They nro
10 tropical regions. 4 small eycrrrccn snSn srSn
Atcnhoa caratl1o1u) belonging to 1ho or,ler
allied Tie coromande1 aooscberrry ryoaSes we1 i s1. 1
enaiyey used III making cooling "jn1i drinka ~ and
onfcctLons for the table. TIC irilit in Of % thc
fac ind shape OF d ducks err. viii, tIin r.I' aM
o!y rind, clear, Juicy pulls, ind ut acrcen2lv-
"a ',a aayor. Tho 4. Mm1 anotllcr species of
n@a e san f1t geras a j. sHualy pTized fer s aed
'tth white, pink-yarlel nowcrs, nativo Of tliIs
ountry anil OF Europc, ia yery nbuntlant TN in
,an1lnn.d3, aI,ll,,.3, where 1t f used rs IN anti.
roa1,aae It's acil leaycs form nn
teepcd, ntIorl refreshing drink In fovcrs
s axis Of Their leaves, and othcfs hive S t'bcr.
Ha y roots which aro useful as food. Tho D.
ookcdi become mcaly, ike potatosa'' ' ,Vhcn WIFI
xposed to tho sun, tho tubcrs Of tho list.
ninctf plant lose their uclty, a,ld ncn,,iro thr
lsta and consistency Of dried iles. Ttc a
'e1qei is much cultivated in nloxico for tic
'ko Of It's roots, which resemble small pars.
lps. Several species Of O1aIis nrc hIrh,y rs-
'emed rs ornaments OF our Crccnhouses. W
Some Of tho Oxaltls exhibit a1i irritaOtllty nj.
ost cauallng that at tho Sensitive Tisnt nf
lcso, tho Ate'ltoa Blin.bi and the OralA Sc,si,iua
Y tho most remarkable, The lcavcs NJ t%n
'ootl-Sorrel dsoop, Of, Us wo NAV sav. 5en ~. an
ccp, at night. 0xatic aeid is ollain1i from
lis Rpecics,-twenty pounds Of lcaycs ufYor,]nr
pounds Of Juice, from which little lcss Tint
rec ounces uf oxa1ato of potash can hc 1,rn. .
red. ~'@1' ~ i"''
From juno to September we ,nay look for Tho :
ur Tullcll-Afc-Npt fI,1natc,H f,.i"a1
'ar tho lakc-shorc, south Of LID citys Thc
ant grows from to 3 feet htet: tia stems