New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-05-19
HAUNTS OF THE MAYFIOWER.
TIE MOST AMERICAN OF BLOSSOMS.

OF all our spring blossoms the most charming and
characteristic is tho mayhOwer trailing Ar6utuS.
Lowly and unootrsivo. yet pink tinted Ike sea
she'll, aud with a RICH ndes'ribable fragrance that
haunts tho air, II ny hls the place among American
spring flowers and Is as beloved by the American
poet as Is the English daisy (Bcs percnnis), whose
praises have been sung by 30 many English poets
from Chauccr onward
1t would be an interesting fsct 10 know. SAID tho
late Asa Cray when the plant was first noticed. and
whether IL was named by the Puritsns. Tho earliest
book Of New. England flowers. by John Josseyn, en-
titled New -England's Rariucs Discovered dOcS not
mention Il bu, Whittier, with the trc poetic license,
makes It the frst flower that greeted the Pilgrims
eyes In Plymouth after their long dreary winter
I, Is more than likely that whItIcrs poem Is
founded on fact for nowhere I'm tho Ea''crn states
does tho maynouer grow more Hbundantlv and
lnxurtousIy than al Plymouth. On te sandy hill
slopes shaded by great pines. whose tops look far
out over The blue waters Of the Bay. and whose
rugged strength come from tho salt sea air.
Is tho fsvOrite haunt Of tho mayn0wer There It's
sarShaped clusters are the largest. rs blossoms tho
plnkest and most fragrant, and its Obong leaves on
the trailing vine fresh and spring like In their
Green that II does not possible TO belisve that
they lain all winter under the snow. The may
Hover has q passion for salt water, and Is ALWAYS
found OF tho richest pink in the vicinity OF the oeeAn
Hidden under the dry dead leaves and pine needles,
It's presence is often betrayed only by the subtle fra
noows of the woody slopes where It hides itsch cso
beside It's pink blossoms, may DO found srest drift
| OF snow.
The quaint old custom Of going EMaying IL siill
preserved in the old New. England villages; carly In
| the morning OF the ISt OF May the young boys and
girls start out for the woods and fields n the scason
ia favorable In the sandy pine woods aud the corners
of the fields particularly where fro has run through
some years previously, thcy will como tho may
flower here and thore they will fud the largo lobcd
leaf and tho pink, blue and white nveneaf. OF he
| ra,ica: The pink and White snemone too. on its
slender stalk, waving IN the wind. may reward thcfr
search. Lower down near ths stream NAV perhsps
be found the early white sax!frage. ana growing ont
Of a NOISY, lcAflike clusters arc great clumps Of
the nuy biae and wnits Innocence OF ouskeT
lady" In Tho distance IN the swampY meadows
CLEANS the bright yellow Of the American cowsliD
the only spring flower that boasts OF brilliant color
nut Il must Dc an exceptionally favorable spring 10
end all these For days before the boys and girls
have been weaving dainty baskets out Of brh bark
corn husks rushes and moss; In the afternoon these
are filled and - tho dusk OF evening steals
on figures may be seen quietly stealing from hou'e
10 house hanging the dainty baskets on the door
handles Of ncighbors and friends. II there Is pretty
"schOolma'am' In the vilsEo. she Is sure 10 suffer
under an embarrassment Of riches; snd II she Is on
the watch she WI probably detect tho forms Of sofnc
OF her big boys stealing on in tho twilight half
anxious and half reluctant 10 be caught II
the msynower Nhieu londs hsrlf well TO dscora-
ton and adOrnment, has tended to perpctuste the
Observance.
To sec the plant in IT'S real beauty, Ike MacGrgor,
you must seek IL on It's native heath II Il slugnisr
fact that though Il Is tho New England dover ny fame
and reputation n f. to be found much neHrcr New
York City than Boston thirty milrs from Boston
Il tho nearest place where IT grows In abundance,
while not more Than few years agD quantities OF y
could be found in Sistrn Island not doI"n miles nom
the city Early ia Nav crowds Of ladies and children
might DO seen on the station Island boats with baskets
laden TO OVERLOOKING with the fragrant pink snd
white blossoms but, alas the cSrcssnosS with which
they were pulled up by the rOU's hAs nearly destroyed
the ore abundant vines and what the Gohs ami Van
dsis have spared civilization and The plough arc mp
roofing There Is till Srbuius on s's~TI Island, but
It f. growing scErcrr every year. Tld me 10" lovers
OF flowers who know IT'S Whereabouts k~p II -o"rrt
among Themselves and when thCy run down there in
tho spring. they 60 merely 10 see H. and leave The buds
untouched upon their parent stalk
Tho poets have been the who first discovered |
its whereabouts. stcdman'S poem Seeking the May
flower" IS one Of tho most spfnggn and sweetest OF
his lyrics: with him
Once more wo sec that wooded him. where the arbu,us
grows
George Arnold the gifted young poet Of Strawberry
Farms who died so young IN his poem Trailing Ar
buugS speaks Of laundering over the breezy Slopes
Where the trailing arbutub grows
There can DO little doubt that Mr.. ArnOlds poem
refers to the Atlantic Highlands WHORE the dainty
flower stIll grows in prufuSon and rp down th"ro
in the early spring days. hunting the Maynowcr, Is
a pleasure long 10 be remembered On the slopes
facing sandy Hook, and back IN the scclmdd woody
hOOws TIC dillgcn sonTrhcr viii ALWAYS lnd enough
blossoms 10 reward his search, while tho young sprog
woods and the view over tho hay and Sarro"s form
landscape unsurpassed IN charm. Tho Highlands !
are the nearest readily accessible hills near New York
w'nrc the flower be found In abundance: on tho |
wooded hills back OF NYack II Is said that snial !
Quantities Of tho plant may also be found: and az
cd Bank. y. j.. II - abundant. Huntingdon J.. J. !
Is also fSvOritc nCsOr for the arGutus hunters bui
ury and beauty ~ Lakewood. r. J. There IN the |
dry, sandy soil. under the shadow Of lhe pines rs
ble In any other spot. Il - singular fact. but !
borne oOi by many years observation that where |
me sr6ntus thrlves best there Tho hc9'hlrSt $40,
drained. thc shelter and me breath OF PINES. tho
ozone Of fresh ocean brcczeS. and certain remote
Perhaps it is tho latter shy elusive quality that !
has ehdeAcd II 10 pocis: IonGiclow, IN Miles |
st"ndSh makes John Alden call II the Puritan Hover
he walks 10 see Priscilla
Catering stll I" he vent the MAynowers blooming
around him
Frseont hins tho or with strange ana wonderful
Children woods and covered with leaves IN their
slumber.
puritan flowers" he said. the type Of The Puritan
naidens.
Modest, snd simple and sweet the very type Of Priscilla
Even the stsd professor Of botany William Whitman
Bailey, Of Brown Uniyersity, has written charm.
ing fine; entitled nkpsfSS A;slScpI Rose Terry
spoiled Albert LashIo1 Henry Tuchermsn ard
IFS early blossoms II is matter OF sincere plessurC
20 the lovers Of purely American school Of literature,
y the S" English daisy and cowp and have ,sretod
our NauOnsl nower& Tho msyhower y unknown 10 |