Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1885-04-10
= rITY OF OLEANDERS.
o,.ander Bushes Flour
y ish in Galveston.
r-,,ist DweIls Upon an Attraction
If the Texas Seaport

.,ospondent asks: docs the ole
raw in the open air in Texas
!. vsoIe year arOundY
., : 1 ~. not. The only city Of Texas
.ssIch the Oleander does not require
=, GOOD treatment and kind words
rster. is Galveston. Owing to the
nat Galveston is on an island,
!. is frequently the case with
'l.,ds is surrounded by water, the
80 IS mllder in winter than it is
- other Texas city. The warm
!. ,i.Iug from the Gulf Of Mexico
.,se.s Galveston from the chilling
i.tbsr which kills off all kinds of
.,oIeal vegetation elsewhere in Texas.
orine 10 this natural advantage, BAN
!. oranges, prickly heat, oleanders.
,auring boils can be raised in the
- air in the middle of January in
GslYe,ton.
Tbsy the oleander bushes, not the
airing boils, grow to the height of
,e.Dty feet and adorn the curbs of
~ streets. No more beautiful sight
"A be imagined than streets lined on
Nth sides with oleander5 In full bloom
hsGulf breeze tossing them about in
ssnton mirthfulness. a mass of gor-
,sous pink and white blossoms filling
N atmosphere with delicious perfume.
miss why Galveston IS called the
-Olesnder City" as these beautiful
lowers are seen and smelt on every
sde The perfume is so strong at
tines that strangers are liable to get
he headache
The oleander shrub is said to be
poisonous, and there is a pathetic
tory told of an imported schoolmaster
Who used an oleander switch with
great llberality on an unfortunate boy,
Eho, however, felt much better when
he teachers hands swelled up to the
lie of canvas-covered hams.
Outside Of Galveston Island the ole
lnder refuses to flourish like a green
bay tree during the winter season. No
Psuaslon can make it endure the win
H When the northers set in, the
proprietor of an oleander plant wraps
aAanket around its shivering limbs,
usse brings it indoors and puts it
behind the stove, just as people do at
he North. In any city outside Of
Galveston large oleander bush is q
ianty. When the fortunate owner of
such plant perceives that 1t is really
gong to bloom, the local press devotes
aealumn day to the startling event.
Poetry begins to flow, and when it f.
aaly does bloom, there is as much fuss
eH "a local election was being held.
feople come in from the country, rid
Is fifty miles in wagons without
pings. So difficult is it to get the
wander to bloom in some towns. that
men it does occur there is a process
Au' with speeches and salutes, and
Aaer evidences Of mental excitement
mere Is a story told OF an oleander
~ being stolen in Austin just as it
y about to bloom, and the Governor
a'led out the troops. A vigilance
eanittee was formed, and half a
.'len men were hung before It was
..aaa out that the tree that was to
@'ss0n had not been stolen at all.
Twas there all the time. but it vas so
~ matt was overlooked. Ii is asol-
intact that when in Austin an clean
\ \. 0l0ssoms, the nelghbors all stay up
" SnOtguns and dark lanterns. just
]. s'aey Do the night the Legislature
eioumS
H.
Il we have already intimated. Gal
1'on = the only city in Texas where
0ieander can be left out in the cold
4 survive the ordeal. Texas SIT