Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1878-08-28
For the REPUBLICAN,.
THE FLORA OF THE WEST.

- IHE FLORA OF IHE WESI.
No greater field of loveliness can b
imagined than the western prairie pre-
: sents TO the lover of the beautiful
There, from early Spring, until lates
. Autumn, can be seen myriads of flow
p crs OF all forms, shades and colors
named and nameless The first tha
greets the eye in the Spring is the Gro
Gus, a much larger aud finer VARIETY
than we find in the East. Its bloom
very frequently, being as large us tn
; cobed Scdndens; in many places score
of acres are covered with these pal
, blue beauties. Appearing almost will
the crocus, is the tiny butter-cup anC
prairie daisy, always favorites of tn,
children, and even to the older ones
pleasant harbingers of sunny days
The prairie and its groves certainly
have q monopoly in thcway OF violets
The different varieties agree in mum
Der Of sepals but vary widely in color
and foliage. The colors range from
deep blue to white, while the groves
furnish the yellow wood-violet, bul
for beauty, the lavender and cream
colors are peerless, covering the praris
with a silvery sheen as the light breeze
passes over them. The foliage varies
as much in form as the flowers in color
1t includes the palm, larkspur, lance.
eaved pansy, and many other forms
Columbine, (dquilegia) an inhabtant Of
the grove, pleasantly greets the passer.
by with its wealth Of nodding flowers,
always stately, bearing dignity to
which it is entitled on account of the
mass of luxuriant foliage which sur
rounds and supports it. The Dicentrd
cUcullaria, with its blossoms of pink
and white, is a great favortie. Its flow
ers resemble, somewhat, those of the
drelytrd, but its foliage is quite differ
ent, the leaves are finely divided, and
more of fern-like growth. The wild
pea, (pisum) differs considerably from
the sweet.sccnted pea the flowers are
purple and lavender, growing in crowns
at the top of the stem, the foliage is
very much like the acacia, (suliJras.
SIM except that it is covered over
with short hair, flower not fragrant,
but quite an addition to bouquet OF
iris Cfower-deluce) there are several
varieties. The early iris, iperna !
flower blue, leaves very long copper.
colored iris, (cupred) flowers orange !:
lake iris. .(lacustris) flower blue and vel.
low. These beautiful lowersIcan be seen
for some length of time adjoining the
ponds and lakelets over the prairie
surrounded by their armor of lance or
sword shaped leaves. Prairie pink is
bell-shaped, with five petals united as
in the tecoma, or trumpet flower, a pro.
fuse bloomer, and of a bright orange
color. On removing a very thin bark
from the root of this plant, you will
find small red particles adhering TO the
inner bark, which. If applied to anv
object, will paint it a most brilliant
scarlet. The leaves are not SO long
as of the garden mink. The low oronnds
are frequently covered with cow.slip
(palustris) and yellow and white spi.
der.lily. The wood.sorrel (oralis
beauties and bnghtens much of ma
lures green carpet with its little
trumpet.shaped flowers of violet pur
pie its plant is dcanlescent. arising
from a scaly bulb. Each week brings
its tribute of new varieties to the floral
festival. Among others the gentian.
(gentiana) family, which, by the way,
is very large and a very welcome
one; the alba, with its cream white
corolla; the oboldrid, with its purplsh
bloom, and the ochrolenco with lis cor.
ola of greenish. white, are all worthy
the admiration they receive, but no
one can compare with the beautiful
closed blue gentian, (andre,osD whose
corolla never opens its beauty and
loveliness, like the hopes and fears of
the human heart, are hidden from the
rude gaze of the world; no one can
tell Of the gem without destroying the
caslxet
The wild rose of the prairie is A mar.
vel of brightness and sweetness sol.
dom ever reaching over one foot in
height but freouentlv bav;na eiab,esn %
or twontv roses in }nll blo6r 8, onn
time nresen,ing ,he annooranoa cara ~ - y"o y
large bononet aowors nar,' es ,ros "
There is a bright red hly dotted with |
black vorv bsndsome ~ ,ho o''su s,an" mtn
twelvo r or sonr,aon eV ;no6oa 'no III s'e,n mn Is
H. - e.. -
'e w, MY "'0h s."nu'