Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1889-11-07
Changes in Nature.

That it is necessary to make changes
IN nature nobody will dispute. Ihat
Manhattan Island should have remain
ed Wilderness was clearly impossible
Changes being required, 1t behooves tls
to find how to make them without dis-
turbing the beauty of the landscape,
and how TO improve the materials
nature has so bountifuily provided.
This is what the breeder OF line horses,
dogs and COWS, the landscape gardener,
the florist, the scotsman and the archi-
tect are all trying to do.
In this way dogs have developed from
wolves and iacl;als, and the cat shows
considerable OF the qualities of her
ancient ancestor. The wild horse of
the plains has been refined into the
more gentle road horse of the resent
day.
The landsca e gardeners duty is to
study the cur rs and slopes of the hills
in nature, that he may reproduce them
in the laying out of the lawns and
grounds; 1t is essentially work of re-
production, for it is not possible for him
to improve upon nature; at best, he can
only copy her.
Not so with the florist. 1t is his mis-
sion to improve, or at least at emp5 to,
on nature. Natures flowers are usua !ly
small or single. The florist tries to
make them larger, and often to make
them double. BY selection of seeds from
plants exhibiting peculiar phenomena,
either on account of size, odor, color or
shape, lie has transformed the white
rose into cabbage, having but few OF
Il. CO., &c n
doubtful improvement, but the cult1-
waited violet is sweeter than wild one,
the best strains of pansy are more bril-
liant than the johnny ump-up, and the
double balsam is pref er than its single
progenitor. There is hardly single
Hover cultivated in our gardens but has
prototype, often quite distinct, III the
fields and meadows.
SO it is also with the scotsman. I'm
der his care the p tato has beco e a
staple vegetable, the cauliflower has
risen from the cabbage, which in turn
had come from wholly different parent,
and the tomato has been introduced and
wonderfully changed within the memory
of many now living.
This is what has been done in the past,
and in the near future, doubtless, much
more will be done. At present we have
many trees, notably the oaks, which re-
tain their leaves in driel and brown
condition almost till spring.
Even in the same species some indi-
viduaI tree keep their foliage much bet
Ter tan others. Ii, then, we plant the
seeds of those which keep their. leaves
the longest, and OF the new generation
select the trees which exhibit this
phenomenon the most strongly, and plant
their seeds, who can doubt bu that oaks
and her trees could be grown that
would not lose their foliage until the
new leaves began to come. How beaui-
full would grove of evergreens look set
Off by the dark brown leaves, one can
readily imagine.
The architect has similar duty. In
the country, he must build houses that
will not iniure the beauty of the land
scape. In the city he mus5 erect build
ings which will remind one OF the rest
and peacefulness of the green fields, the
grandeur of the cliffs and over angling
lodges, the harmony of color in the gray
and eadess woods, and the BEAUTY OF
the flowers that blossom i'll the meadows.