The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-07-23
Ihe Results Of His Tour Through
the State for the Fair
Exhibit
6any Interesting Specimens of
Montana Flora Gathered In
Different Sections
Delightful Tour and Ono Prod uCtive Of
Much Good for tho Exhibit At
Chicago.

ccount Of his recent trip for the state OK
libit at the Worlds fair. The first stop
kas made at Basin. whore those Interested
h mines frequently stop, but others seldom
yer see anything of tho place. 1t 10 like q
attle most among the mountains. and fur
fishes an easy basis for botanical excur-
lions. Arriving there about II .. M, two
Aours wore spent along the railroad track,
bot more than twenty rods In distance, for
e proved rich botanical ground. All Of
his material has not yet been studied. but
here it was that Adoxa Moschatellina. l., was
For the first time found by me. II ever be-
Pore reported from Montana, / cannot tell.
Eplematis Douglasii and vsrticellaris were
both found in fruit at this place. The
usual Pines and FRS were abundant, forming
Extensive and valuable forests on the noun
,ains and near the streams. Thu common
Meadow-rus which 30 many mistake for q
B'Maiden's-hair' fern was very abundant
Ealono the streams. 1t 10 . diBcious plant,
always exciting great interest whenever q
~ootanist points out the very evident differ
&snce between the male and female plants.
On tho way to Basin tho quiet pools &C.
,%ompanying the streams were frequently
covered with a delicate and exquisitsly
beautiful white bloom of the water white
buttercup. and everywhere on marshy ground
was found the Kanunoulus Cymbalaria.
Beneath brush peeped out the deep blue
p~orollas of our common larkspur. which
goes by the scientific name of Delphinium
Menziesii.
Monkshood or aconite has not yet been
reported from Montana, but I found it very
abundant in the park. and this causes me
10 believe it will yet be seen in Helena.
In damp shaded spots near streamlets
several specimens were seen of Aotaea
bspicata; they we're just passing into the
berry but gave no signs as vet whether the
berry would prove to be the white or tho
bred variety. Few wild flowers show a moro
beautiful spike of clustered white flowers
than these.
Many Of our people constantly demand
THAT common names be spoken when re-
ssuch o%utlandish Latin names2 The de-
$spised Latin names mean much and often
Scontain a condensed history of the plant:
sbut more than that, we must remember
that out of our more than one thousand
of Montana plants not moro than
thus these Latin names must be used. The
other day, while sitting in tho witness chair
in Judge Hunts court. I was asked to give
the name of a certain grass growing in q
certain hole, l replied Festuca ovina and
all the audience laughed! What there ia
The defendants lawyer asked. ia it not a
bunch Rrass?" l replied. "Yes. indeed.
but there are thirty or more bunch
grasses" '-f
l am reminded of this when I Try to de.
scribe the next object found at Basin,
namely, Corydalis aurea; it has no common
name, and contradicts the statement in
Coulter's Manual that the variety ocoi-
dentalis il more common in our range
than the type"
or rock crosses throughout the entire trip
abundance was found of Arabs perfoliata,
spsthulata. Drummondii n Holbeerlii. as
also erysimun asperum and cheiranthoides.
The mustards are represented by the
Sisymbrium canescens, growing from six
inches to thirty inches high. and is q little
tiny yellow flower on finely dissected leaves,
covered with short canescenoe. Sisym-
brium incisum is a much coarser and ro-
bust plant. while linifolium grows as its
name implies, with an appearance of lines.
1t is plentiful in our vacant lots in the city
of Helena itself. and is a very good ex-
change plant, for it Is found only in west
ern Wyoming. Montana and Idaho. An
allied species of mustard, Brassica sinapis-
trum. has been introduced into our grain
fields, and is getting to be quite a trouble
some weed.
At this time OF year there is to be found
abundance of the chickweeds, several ape
cies Of which were found on this trip. The
native blue flax grew luxuriantly at Basin,
Warm Springs, Anaconda and Philipsburg.
Three geraniums were also found though
out the whole trip. This is often Il sur
ums as only a house plant, and fail to no
tice our native species, all of which are
beautiful.
Strange to say. throughout the entire trip
'New Jersey tea" a species of which is now
in bloom in Montana, was not met. Our
clear up to the highest elevation reached,
over at Granite.
Sevetal lupines displayed their rich pro-
fusion of flowers, always enhancing.
At Warm Springs and Stuart was found
a native clover extensively spreading in the
great plains to he found along the Deer
Lodge river. 1t is one we'll adapted to cul-
tivation. and the day cannot be far distant
when its fame will be world wide. If ono
of those ranchmen on whose ground it is
found would take the pains to harvest the
seed and introduce it to the world, it would
be equal to a gold mine to him. To the
casual observer, 1t would be mistaken for
d looking red clover.
On this trip several peas were gathered
some of which were new to my collection
and in due season will be determined and
exhibited at Chicago.
At Basin mountain Mahogany was seen
by me, and it has been also discovered
somewhere on Mt. Tom, near Helena. by
the son of Rev. 4. Uhl. n his employer
DR.. Starr. DR.. Swallow also once obtained
and brought me a small specimen of it from
tho mountains to the south.
Gemn strictum and ttilorum were to be
found everywhere, as also the wild straw
berry. Eight PotentellRs showed them
selves. as also three roses. At Basin and
Granite, SaxafraRa punctatn we're found
and treasured for their great beauty and
comparative rareness. Only two Of the
Alum roots, common everywhere in Mon
tana were found. but the one named for
Al, XU;ij;,r,, 80 G1raoA Follo ,~,u mt .oo,,