The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-05-14
HUNTING WITH A BOTAN1ST.
4 coyGREssMAN's EXPERIENCE IN
TIE sWAMPs OF FLORIDA.

The superintenden OF the botanic Garden
n. w.shi.sto. sesrching for Novelties
His Adventures at keystone B,nF and
Along the ST. John's-A BAMBOO Grove
A Day A-org the Psims-Obsorvations or
the In,eeiverous Plants The Dog h.
mana and It's Use,-Information obts'ned
from An Un,e.rned Coiored Botanist.
WASHINGTON. May 13.-south on a hunt; not
for deer. nor for bear: for neither ducks nor
quail; but for plants. The huntsman Is WI,
liam n. Smith. superintendent OF the National
Botanic Garden. a countryman and an en-
thusiastic admirer OF Robert Burns. He ac-
companied Commodore Charles wilkes In MS
expedition to Japan. and since then has been
IN charge OF tho Botanic Garden. under MS
supervision 1t has grown to It's present pro
portions. Its reputation is world wiae. MI
Smith II plain and unassuming. He mas en-
joyed intimate relations with prominent sehh-
tors and Representatives for nearly LOFTY
years. He has a broad Scotch accent. Like
his friend. ex-Attorney- General A. II. oar'ano'
he IN eminently practical. and mover dons a
dr... suIt. Although in commission at the
Garden for nearly half n century. nc hnaho'or
visited Florida
i.
WA 9tart from NhSnluElOu w the 40 Wv
tbe great naval parade in New York harbor.
Th, weather Is cold and tho sky overcast.
Overcoats arc a necessity. The cars nre
hardly warm enough for comfort. Our trip Is
over the Atlantic Coast line. We leave Wash
ineton at IL A. NJ. Ovor tho Rappahannock
and over the James We roll into North Caro-
lima. We see tho muddy waters OF the Isonn-
oke and the Neusc. and before dark IRE beyond
the Great and the Little Pedee.
~,
The botauist leans against tho window sill
thrilled with ecstasy. Each shrub and tree
attracts his attention. Tho lowliest nowers
awaken a lively interest. At times no feels
ike jumping from tho platform Of tho car TO
examine some rare specimen. BotanizinR by
rail. however. requires q keen eye and occn-
sionally a hot wheel. Mr.. Smith longs for the
latter as he catches Rlimpses OF what he thinks
are Venus's fly traps fDion1 Muse pulul. n rare
curiosity which no says nro found growing
wild only in the sandy bogs al North Carolina
The hot wheel. however. fails to mnterialize.
and as twilight draws her curtain tho disnp-
pointed man OF science Is borne into the pai-
IN the nj niG etI he ero onS tt tho sSn,e nsa the Gem. Com;
and, rheir attendant swamps. long before
daylight he Ia threading tho r:ny forests Of
iisSI. and H Is s e1nsiss the oser o FHs hisam as %" st
s snsII. 9, al An 81, fsrly mi riser sscs he ,o rI iPs I,ss s;n new "
I gsimS a s. srSSi pa m ni.a; it Il ws s@i tie p aa.axs.
" clAssihes i. put gets no opportunity to eS.
Dread ssS d'Df t: ''' Esrs ) plsnt; and Shrubs II.
BsssasiSs, w Ssas' B ass'e the a train ne e ' ON s,m 20
s snty. 5hs,G niles Are NJ f2o %l' 5s a At %s{ Es Springs sSy.
w., r dseG;.; . TS:s arr ~: sSe ,Sns th AK ,S Ss;.
tails. stand In their. shade. The sandy soil be.
low them is strewn with the bright blaok seed
seed, 90 Busy + he That r. train ssts andsS
within an ace Of, being left; Re says TINT, he
esthers the seed. not for the BStan.c Garden;
S sns a ,Hs 'sasnsn in HHerq S"smo SosA1 trs. sSn a"% he.
out Of the train at the next station and walk
i hot sun torbids It. % VIC way D''
We arrive on tho ST. Johns at o A. N. II 10
twsnty-two hours since We left Washington.
This train shows the influence OF the Pennsyl-
vania Railroad Company on the old coast line.
Sixteen years ago 1t took forty eight hours to
reach Jacksonville from Washington. To-day
It is done in far less than h III the time. and
with royal accommodations.
Our Headquarters are at Keystone ClnH. on
the st. Johns River. two miles below Jackson
VILE. 1t Is the winter residence OF Charles H.
Cummings, Mt whose suggestion the e1pedi-
ton was organized. He places at the service
Of tho botanist n naphthn launch. and en-
tertains him right royalty. The botanist
proposes to ascertain what foreign plants and
flowers will thrive In the climate OF Florida.
and to collect native specimens for tho b.
tanic Garden In Washington. The launch Is
used day and night. a glowing moon appear
ing after the hot sun COOS down. The rivers
and creeks around Keystone Bluff are care
fully explored. Landings are made In the
saw grass. In the swnmps. and on tho pine
bluffs. Two largo boxes OF native plants are
collected and forwarded to Washington. 1t is
an expedition exceeding In interest any hunt
for birds or animals. Its results must provo
Interesting to botanists rs we'll as to those who
know little or nothing of the vegetable King
dom In the South.
The first search was for palms. Four differ
srent kinds were found growing near Key
stono Bluff. The first was the palmetto proper
fSabal Pd,metoL. 1t thrives luxuriantly along
tho st. Johns and throughout tho country.
attaining u height OF sixty or seventy feet.
When about twenty years old 1t loses the boots
or straps which clasp the trunk and give tho
tree such q novel effect.
There are millions OF those trees in Florida,
but they are being rapidly thinned out Some
$50 - WV W "btSbA
the hcart-leaves OF the tree arc turned into
paper. They arc said to mako a parch-
ment equal to the parchment OF tho old.
en- time. There was q shipload Of
these hearts at Jacksonville awaiting
transportation to the mandatory. Each
heart represented a tree. The heart Is In tho
top OF the trunk. From 1t the palms arise and
radiate. As the lower ones fade and drop. q.
new layer appears at the top. When large
trees are transplanted, signs OF decay are apt
70 appear In the heart. The new leaves turn a
s'ckiy yellow. and tho Hbers are loosened. The
water leaks into tho heart. and it dos. At
such times 1t can be drawn out OF the tree like
Acork from a bottle.
Inc natives call tho tree q cabbage tree. The
neartis the cabbage. 1t is chopped from the
Top OF the tree. boiled or picked. and served
upon the table, Palmetto ky~abbape"asitIs
oaiied. Is a luxury among the wire-grassp opu-
iauon' Nor are they alone in their appre-
etatlon o. this luxury. The seminoles in tho
EvAFRlAdaG Ma II fr.aly- N.s