The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1888-01-15
Written for the Pdlotkd Netcs.l
FLORIDA PLANTS.
Our Vegetable and Fiossr Gardens-a Medicinal
Private Treasure.


| XIV.
We will leave the vegetable garden to-
| day and turn our eyes to the flower gar
den. In the North it is usual to suppose
that there can be little or nothing in the
| out-of-door aspect of nature during what
is called 1.-THE dead winter months" to
| interest. instruct or amuse the Observer
Vegetation appears at rest, the insect
world has vanished from view, the
| feathered tribes are dumb, reptiles and
| animals ALTERNATING. all nature indeed
| appears hushed to rest. The landscape
has been stripped of all its freshness and
verdure and though the old Ice King
| may have lifted his iron hand from the
earth and the sun may occasionally smile
| with genial warmth, if we enter the
woods the deep shadows are gone, we
| look upward unchecked to the cold gray
winter sky and the keen winds pipe
their shrill music through the naked
branches of the trees. But here in the
Land of Flowers there is ever something
to interest the lover of nature. Even
at the most barren season there will be
found not single day all the year round
without flowers Day by day we have
the pleasure of enjoying the shadow of
the trees, for the venerable live oak with
it's natural decorations, festoons and
garlands falsely named, Spanish
moss" which is in reality nothing else
than species of the pine apple family
named by botanists Tillandsia usneoides,
different species of the magnolia with
their coriaceous leathery leaves which
are alternate or clustered at the summit
of the branches and whose trunks and
limbs are inhabited by one species ::of
tree orchids namely by Epidendron CO.
ROpsettm aud covered with the small
creeping fern. Polypodium incdnum,
the Gordonia and Stuartia of the Cam
ella family, the Holly, Andromedas and
great number of evergreen shrubs as
well as the various species of palms viz:
the cabbage palmetto, the saw palmetto,
the blue palmetto and dwarf palmetto
never lose their verdure. Even the old
pioneers of the forest which time brought
to rest appear in freshness for they are
covered and decorated with different
with evergreen climbers for an example
the yellow iessamine, honeysuckle, trum-
pet flower, smilax, etc. Nature has no
rest whatever here, is always kept busy,
producing forms of beauty and elegance
And if we promenade in our gardens
amongst the evergreens, roses, geranium,
sweet allyssum, Catalonian jessamine,
bignonia, phlox and pinks or if we wan
der under the orange trees loaded with
their golden fruit, if Ne see the peach
trees in bloom, the mulberries in flower
and the swelling buds of the grape vine,
then we can judge the difference between
the Northern and Southern climate and
the Land of Flowers with all its shad-
ows and sad experiences appears to
US truly rs our home, our dear sweet
home. And if we ask the question.
Are these plants only there as ornaments
or for the purpose to amuse ourselves?
Then we may receive the more power
full answer; Those plants and flowers
that may grow and bloom in your gar
den have, beside the enjoyments of life,
far higher aim, namely, to reveal to us
the wisdom of the Great Architect of
the Universe as well as to teach, instruct
and educate US, TO ennoble heart and
mind. And as soon as We commence
with the study of physiology and of the
medicinal properties of the plants more
conscienciousIy, we will find amongst
them great many that will prove them
selves as the best friends in sickness and
misfortune, even in distress AMI sorrow
they viii speak to You the word of con-
ISOLATION. asking the only question: Are
you not more than those? The floral
herald sent to announce the coming Of
the spring is undoubtedly little flower.
admired so much by old and young, and
this is
THE SWEET vIoLET-vIoLA oDoRArA.
The structure of the flower is worthy