New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-02-04
SCIENCE FOR TIE PEOPLE
CALIFORNIA PLANTS.

Mfr. Jos. +. James sends to The Botanical
G0cette some notes on California plants, tile re-
suit of a residence of a year and half III South
Crn California, principally III the nelghbOlhO'
of Los Angeles. One of the COmmOnest plants
On some localities seems to be the California
Popa, or EScLSchOlt:iG Coiiforpicd. Where it
grows in large patches, as 1t frequently does,
The blossoms make the ground appear OF
most intense golden color, and when the sun
Is shining brightly upon them, the eye Is dlz-
Eled by the blaze 1t does not seem to occur ut
all east of the Wasatch Mountains, but is very
common in the neighbOrhood Of Los Angeles
One of the prettiest wild flowers Is me NIUE
blue annual of the seed stores, Ncm0ph"d ~
signis Ddt1Vd metlOideS common NseH,
forms a bush three or four feet high, anu le
said to be well worth the attention Oh sduu
deners. AdROStOmd fdc'cHhftm is tle ven,
known CTeaSewOOd. and forms hne-teHtIso vi
the vegetation i'm MANY parts of the mountains;
1t is a huslly shrub with awl-slaped leaves, anu
close clusters of white flowers. lie roots are
extensively used for fuel, and ITS presence "n
land IS a sure indication OF water AT no s ted'
iepth. Yucca Vhipplci. TORI. is very hand-
some The flower stem j. often Yen ;t hn;46t
md is covered for about one-halI us ncis IN.
with dense mass of bell-shdpe0 wnite noHeIs H
Trio leaves are long. serTtIlate, ana WIN hlTu
rbarp points. When they get old they be-
come frayed at the edges hanging III long MA
ments on each side. =
The pepper Tree, Schinus Mole, Linn, one of
the prettiest of trees is used as shade tree.
The flowers are small, greenish white, III long
racemes. The fruit IL globuIar, OF deep req
color, and hangs III long punches, contrasting
beautifully with the pinnate leaves. 1t is hot
and peppery to the taste, and III Mexico,
where the tree il native, it is known az Chill
pepper. From the broken leaves and branches
exudes a white gummy substance, which is
also peppery. Generally not very tall, 1t
branches some eight or ten feet from the
ground. The bark is rough and scaly. but the
long penduOus branches and pinnae leaves are
handsome. Blossoms twice year, and Is an
evergreen the branches never being bare of
leaves Ii Is extensively planted III Southern
California but the climate of San Francisco is
not very suitable for its full DEVELOPMENT.
ArctostaphylOS gl0acd, Lindl., is the Mahzanta
of the mountains. Generally speaking II Is
small tree OF shrub, with very crooked branches.
The wood Is very hard and tough, and of
n deep red color. The flowers ale of a lose
white. aud in open racemes with very sticky
pedices. and the leaves are thick and leathery.
1t grows plentifully in some places III the
mountains. PtdtdRUS TdcfmOSd Mutt, Is the
representative of the sycamore OF the East. 1t
has much the same habit of growth ami gem
eral appearance, bat the leaves are three 10 nve
cleft instead Of being tOOthed. The wood Is so
hard that it will often turn the edge OF an axe
or Ratchet 1t growstO he one 0f the largest
frees of Southern California, and ore III the
ward of a brewery in Los Angeles must be be-
tween thirty and fifty feet in circumference. ~