The Fort Worth gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-189?, 1891-05-14

Appropriately supplemental 10 Professor
Robert z. Iiill's interesting remarks on
''Thc Flora Of Texas, rs published in The
GAZETTE Of last week, is the following from
thar same leading American scientist. Like
the last weeks article 1t was prepared cN
prcssly for rs. Professor Hill says:
How can we create love for the study of
botany in Texas, IL no state in the Union
is SO little attention paid to this beautiful
and useful study. IN few Of our schools IS
the subject taught, and even our state uni
vcrSity. which pays $4,000 a year for pro
fcssOrs Of language, has not j single chair
Of natural history. Where natural history
Is taught-cXcept IN the Paris and one or
Two other schools have observed that
the students do not study plants, but books.
There IS but one use for books in the
shady of botany, (and these should not be
used al all by beginners, and that is for
reference. The great text book Of botany
IS Gods own fields and forests. Children
should learn TO study form and habits Of
local plantS-lcaf, root and Stem-and their
minds should be discussed of the idea that
there is beauty only in color and perfume of
flowers.
There should be local botanical clubs in
every school precinct Of our state. and the
local fora should be collected and studied.
Get children and adults interested in find
ing out how many and what kinds Of plants
grow in their range OF observation. Keep
check lists Of them in the school archives.
and soon We viii know much about the
beautiful flOraS O Texas. Names. it should
be remembered. are of least importance
nomenclature is but 4 weak attempt On
mans part 10 classify ami denominate the
beautiful and perfect nature. Learn the
plants and their differences. and names can
Ia reached later If you have Z. plant
which YOU do not know. after irwin" YOUR
best 10 find out yourself, then send il TO the
boJaniSt OF the department Of agriculture,
Washington, d. c. He will tell you.
II the many cOiored flowers which inhabit
our woods and pralrieS are beautiful and
useful. what a world of study and useful
knowledge remains 70 man in the study of
the lower forms Of plant life in Texas,
upon which absolutely no work has been
done except III the study OF the cotton root
fungus by oar agricultural college. The
study of these lower forms, while equal IN
interest and beauty TO that OF the higher or
lowering plants, is far more useful to man
kind. for If we include bacteria in the plant
kingdom nearly all animal and plant dis
eases, their occurrence, preventive and
cure. are based upon them. BY 4 Enowl-
edge OF the simple laws of their existence
and propagation millions of dollars could be
saved to our agricultural interests annually,
and allow me TO predict that in few years
the farmer who permits dead spots in his
cotton 10 grow and scatter their millions of
spores over his neighborS' fields, or his
cholera stricken hogs 10 roam the woods
and their uncremated carcasSeS to spread
Infection viii be held no less criminal than
the barn-burner or fence-cutter. and laws
viii be enacted for his punishment Just as
in Connecticut il is now imprisonment for
one TO allow the ''black Knot vegetable
N or.nNy m, his Mum +,,anS