The morning call., 1892-10-21
BOTANICAL. WONDERS.
The Flora of the New World in
Columbus Time.

most important plants even OF the va
World was at that time hidden under
cloud of vague phrases and yernacular
names varying in almost every district anu
dialect, and the interest awakened Dy them
was usually strictly utilitarlan.
The earliest interest felt by Columbus in
nlants of the New World was probably
shown as his vessel became entanged in
the giant seaweed of Saragossa, which
quieted somewhat the apprehensiOns of his
crew, and later the sight of thOrny bush
laden with red fruit, which gave him
more certain promise of the appearance Of
the long-hOped-for land.
The rich vegetation Of the shores awak-
ened in the discoveries a feeling of wonder
at its unlikeness to familiar forms, but no
intelligent interest. and to their ignorance.
which was that of their age aud shared by
their successors. we owe the almost hope
less obscurity which involves the early his
tory OF the plants cultivated by the inhabi-
tants Of the New World.
After the discovery of America explora-
iion to the north and east was undertaken
by England.
The south and west as far north as San
Francisco. settled and explored by the
Spaniards, Investigated botanically when
botany came TO be a science by Spanish
botanists, or under the auspices of the
Spanish crown, and literally besprinkled
both geographically and biologically with
musical Spanish names, has naturally a
stronger interest in the Columbian celebra-
lions than can be felt on the eastern side Of
the continent
The botanical exploration proper of the
New World did not commence with the mid
die of the eighteenth century, when the
PRONUNCIATION by Linn@us of the binomial
system gave an immense i'm petus TO the
study of botn zoology and botany. and &C
tive ana adventurous men began TO travel
in distant lands. to bring back for study
the strange and interesting forms of yege-
table and animal life.
The early known plants of the New World
were described in Europe at first by Lin
naus and his contemporaries, later largely
by the English and French, there being in
the New World neither libraries nor colec-
tons Of sufficient extent to allow American
botanists to determine whether strange
plants had been previously described or not
The Old World is iprepotent in regard to
the New. Whether this fact is ow ng to a
longer ancestry, or to long continuance
under somewhat unfavorable conditions, it
be doubted by the student Of any branch
Of biological science. Its hardy and teem-
ing population, aetuated too often by greed
or fanaticism, but working along natural
lines, has destroyed our native races Of
men. and its vagrant, frequently pernielous
weeds, giving Us a practical Illustration Of
the survival of the fttest," are rapidly
transforming our fields and waysdes 10
IF
We owe to the Old World nearly all our
cereals. fruits and vegetables. We have 10
thank her also for the canada" thistle,
burdock. oxeye daisy. star thistles, may
weed, milk thistle, horehound, ribgrass,
knotweed, sheep sorrel. black sorrel. hedge
mustard, wild radish. etc, as well as for
tile burclover, alflerilla, wild oat and nu-
merous grasses; the region from which
the early settlers came. of course, deteTmin-
ing. unless debarred by climate the char
acter of the immigrating vegetation. Thus,
the weeds Of the eastern part of North
America are largely those of Northern
EaroDe. while California, in common with
nearly all the Spanish settlements, is over
run by Mediterranean weeds.
Four hundred years of commerce, with
constantly increasing exports Of wool, cere-
ais, etc, have hardly given Europe dozen
Of our weeds. and even these for the most
part have found scanty lodgment, and
their inherent weakness is quite as we'll
shown by this fact as by their yielding
place to the invader in their own land.
The New World has given to the Old a
short and seanty list of food plants, but
among them is ore which could now be ILL.,
spared-the potato. The more important
Of the remainder are: Indian corn, the
tomato, sweet potato, peanut, chocolate,
pineapple and aguacate Called, By an un-
pardonable corruption of its Spanish name,
ALLIGATOR pearl tobacco and possibly the
cocoanut and yam.
The uncertainty regarding the last two is.
to a certain extent, caused by the vague
records Of the early explorers. They are
widely spread in tropical countries, and
their place of origin Is perhaps only TO be
determined by the theory of proba biiities.
No scientific observer. worthy Of the nj anne,
now believes, for instance, in the multiple
origin of species. and the most satisfactory
evidence OF the American nativity of the
eocoanut is the fact that all the other spe-
cies known are found only in the New
World. In whichever part of the world
these plants originated. their distribution
makes it nearly certain that they had been
transmitted from one TO the other by acct
dent or design before the discovery of the
new continent.
Cinchona is one of the greatest blessings
which the New World has contributed. Its
inestimable value was we'll shown in the
late Civil War, where it was made one of
the articles 'contraband Of war" by the
Federal authorities. but lest we grow too
proud, let rs remember that she has also
furnished tobacco.
Among the timber trees are the black wal
nut. the mahogany and rosewood.
The plants cultivated tor ornament are
much more numerous and make for Amer
lea better showing. but though there are
shining exceptions, they are as whole de-
cldedly inferior to those of the Old World.
Our forests are poor, in comparison, in the
number Of species, though not in indvid-
uals. and our magnificent Sequoias may
proudly challenge comparison with the
world. Great quantities of the seeds OF our
conifers have gone and are still going
abroad. for Europe has already learned
what time and vandalism are sure to teach
us-the value of trees.
The more snowy plants contributed to the
gardens and hothouses of the Old World
are: Victoria regia, Sarracenia, Darling
tonia, eschscholtzia. Romneya, Clarkia,
godetia, nearly all the cacti, the sunflowers,
French" marigold. dahlia. cosmos, Down.
ingia. gilia, cob9a, phacelias and nemo-
philas, petunia, salpeglossis schezanthus,
calceolaria, pentstemon, gloxinia, bignonia,
mirabilis, Bougainyillea, numerous snowy
orchids from Mexico and South America,
tigridia, eucharis, agave, lapagera. the
Mariposas, numerous palms and ferns, our
wall.knnwn namnas grass etc
Our native plants are much more appre-
ciated in Europe than with us; so much so
that if one of our native sons should desire
one of the finer varieties OF the State flower
recently adopted by the Floral Society, he
would have to send there for the seed of
eSchscholtzia. KATHARINE BRANDEGEE.