, 1877-05-05
SPARKS OF SCIENCE,

liysE"zx. n. F. chis.go: Jansen. Aeclurs
SPARKS OF SCIENCE.
THE FLORA ROUND ABOUT CHI
C4AGO.
The P1EK FAMiLr.-Tha group Of plants
chosen for examination this week Is a large one,
comprising nearly l,1U0 spccics: yet It Is COM
poscl mainly OF worthless weeds. A few repre-
scntatives nre priced for their fragrance and
beauty, and few store some principle In their
secrctlons which gives them slight value In
commerce; but the greater portion bestow no
nppreciablc service upon mankind. Yet their
part IN the economy OF nalure Il not wholly un.
important. for they help 10 clothc with dta.
pcries of emerald ntil wastes Of sand or rock
where plants Of ambitious gruwth md generous
products would fail 10 derive sustcnanrc.
The P!nkworts nrn all hcrbaccous plants, iar-
Ing Invariably opposite md entire leaves. somc-
times united at tho base, md always swollen
joints or uotcs. They principally inlablt tenn
perate and frigid regions and those which
dwell within the tropics aro usually 1net with In
mountainous districts, wllcrc some OF them veg-
etasc exclusively at an altitude Ut perpetual
snow. Humboldt hds estimated that ono out
Of every Twenty-Five towering plants in Franco
II Pinkwort, ono out Of every twcnty-scten In
Germany, out Of seventeen In LaplAu0, and OF
scventy.two IN America.
The arst Of the family to blossom in our
vicinity Is tho Chlckweed (ytt1laria nn1io),
which Is 80 common anl humble plant that
none beside tho botantst would dream Of plae-
Ing It In D spring-b0uquot. But lis tiny wliitc
flowers have beauties ot structure whci, reveal
themselves TO the attentive heEoldcr, and, I'M
der the maRnifvin0'9lass, excite hearty adtn!ra-
toti.. The plnnt continues ID Hover from April
to November. In June and July, thu Long
Leaved st'tcnwott ls !o1g;totaN al, equally IN
found In blossom IN the woods on the North
Branch OF Chicago River.
Tho Mousc-Ear Clickwecd {Ct7assfum p,lya-
tIns), stnall, halryspec3cs, growing in grassy
s,i.casam aud .. nafa',, wnlril IRE common a.
Riverside ulld NInsdalc, nre In bloom at tho same
season. The neat little forkcd Chckwcel
Mnyehia d'easaoma whose flowers arc Ike !ia|a.
woods and groveands round about. ~
The. Carpci-Wce t.lotago txrtieala'ah lying
IN curious pascle. lat IN t1'e saud, sends out
OF nowca n sort Of ube at tho
in the southern auhurbs Of the city. The Sand
wort tArtadria !srstta) is Il very pretty plant
growing % thy 1akc-shore a. Pine ssation aud
Glencoe uud A!nswort',. TIe flowers f" Of the be-
latter may bc gathered IN May and June.
The corn'coyklg Corn H. tLye.4i. g'Ithagel, which
up. In the borders Of wheat-aelds.. nlou9 tho
railroads, aud in other accidental places. II Is
one q the weeds that have been Introduced
i from Europe; Its la5gc' handsome lowera are
ste1ata)l d common 10 thjckcts everywhere. il
"a tall, alcnder plant. bcaring III
lnla.um'ner large white auwers With ffinged
Sn sdo S ss % q the "a sra Of 'eSs e ,aSa tSsth
The brilliant Flrr-Plnk Is. Hirgial<,) ia abut,u-
mt n the wootls at Riverside and iIlnsdale.
Ii'ta Is ono Of the lew scarlet 1owers INCLUDED
lug at a touch. That II must 10 most carefully
llnndled. The Sleepy Catrhiiy {S. Ans|rrhima)
Is slight, much-branclcd herb, common III
waste piacts. II. small flowers are borno from
The Cowiierb Kaeearia rulgart,) has escaped
from cultivation, aud grows spontaneously in
some placcs. lts pa!e-rel blossoms, clustered
y H. so1ynesd ey,nes, appsar ~ Juy ad August.
By-lookln plMnt, witll rosecolorel flowers, com.
MIonly louhle, springs up by the ways!de orca-
sI9Inai'y snIs,l y e.sellSntly named. foF !! f.
1aces and human qualities, mud solne-
times q speciea Inevitably culls to mind
the characteristics Of an ludiyilulul Or elasa
belonging to thc highest order OF creation.
ThIs plant affnrds q ,oicrullo substitute for
soap, its roots unl leaves containing saponl,,,
An infusion of tho herb Is sometimes used, In.
stca.! o. an infusion Of alkaline soap, Tor wash.
lug the finer articles u WOOL. Sotns species Of
ancaTly'allica genus, Hvpao1hi'a contain large
amount Ut saponlr, aMthaye been used In wash.
luz FROM time ili'1aenoria'. The roots Of q.
Xatanea nss employed In washing articles
whose eoiora will not bcas the application Of
ordinary suap.
To ths Pink family, Carpophiilueeu, ne aro
indebted for the varietic4 Of the beautiful Car.
natlon-Pink. Clovc-ttuk, aud Ptcotee, iii Of
which arc derived from q species (laiunthus
carvolhyli.s) growing about old ruined walls
and nne!ent castles In Europe. Frpm this lam.
nL Fk'4.euetID, which Is one III the brightest of
the Eatden-tlowurs that cutnc into blooEts, with
the peuny, and SNOWFALL. anll Feur-de.lls, ia
oSer 1eprvsentailso u ,he order. H. .sar'et 5
csustcrs u1c remembered as among the favos,tcs
In eycry olo-fasiloncd tower-bcu.
TO fhS Editor oS TAt TriStns.