The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1894-03-23
SOUTHERN FLOWERS,
BUREAU SOUTHERN News, !
PINE BLUFF, N. G. I

To persons travelling by rail through
the sandy pine lands of the South,
during the brown season Of the yea,,
the soil appears almost 4 drselt. md
incapable OF producing a single plant
of beauty or use. But this apparently
worthless sand has hidden virtue and
unseen properties from which spring
beauties that show this desert blossom
ing as rose. About April lst, in
many places, the ground is purple
with the simple, sky-like beauty Of the
little anemone; sometimes called wood
violet. In other places the arbutus
alter six weeks of bloom, is still cover
lug the earth with its white, delicately
pink-tinted punches of fragrant flowers.
In our boyhood, we used to think we
were rich to find an arbutus bloom or
May Day. We find it in the pinewoods
and on this poor sand in February,
and more than twice as large as the
eagerly sought beauties of our youth.
And right in our path where least ex.
pected, the violet in full bloom for our
early Easter Sunday bids us stop and
wonder how such beauty can grow
from this beach-lke sand. These are
the true violet; fragrant and purely
colored by the same hand which tints
the rainbow.
The wild pinks, or phlox, are COM
ing. Soon the wonderful trumpet
flower will come; the many varieties of
the orchidace and the lilies. Grasses
which will make and take color for
beautiful plumes six feet in height;
and herbs eight feet in height. This
sand produces few large and gorgeous
flowers. But all justly claim, in form,
tint, color and texture, the word beau
tiful in its highest sense. Their num-
Der in kinds and varieties is legion.
From the middle of February to the
middle of December when the lily
clothes the earth with its royal purple,
it is possible to Gull bouquet every
day to grace our mantels and our din
ner tables. A very little care gives us
garden flowers throughout the year.
The flora of the Southern States
may be considered as a transition, or
intermediary, between the hardy but
comparatively short lived flowers of
the highest temperate zone, and the
gorgeous and continuous beauties of
the tropics. Its characteristics are
such as to demand a distinct treat
ment scientifically This has been re-
cognized and botany for the South
ern States prepared. The importance
of correct knowledge and under
standing of the fora of the South is
recognized by the States themselves;
some of them now support a State
Botanist at a good annual salary. We
have no doubt that many persons are
ready to say at is foolish to pay out
our money to support a man just to
pick and save flowers. What can he
do to benefit the people generallyP
If the State Botanst did nothing but
to tell the people of his own state
about their beautiful flowers, he
would be in his services public bene-
fit. But he does more; he tells the
people of other states about the beauty
of his own. That helps to induce i'm
migration. He does still more; for we
must remember that every food pro-
ducing plant, every fruit tree and every
berry bush bears flower. We believe
God might have made these without
a flower at ALL" But he did not. He
crowned them all with beautiful
flowers which contain the promise OF
fruit. These flowers attract, almost
compel the attention and study of
mankind. This study finds out the
nature of plant life and what it can
do for mankind. 1t determines what
plants are destructive to human life,
and what are the supports of human
life. 1t points out those which are use
full in science, art, and in manufacture
es. The work of the botanist goes
further and, in connection with the
geologist, shows what plant life will
thrive best on given soil. The
work of the botanist goes still further,
and studies the foes to plant life; the
habits, likes and dislikes of insects in
furious and destructive to plant life.
The good state of North Carolina
supports cultured and learned State
Botanist. And it is safe to say that
the knowledge which he has spread
among the people relative to the In
sect foes of the cotton plant is-of more
value in one year than the State will
pay him for a whole life service.
Your Yankee Friend,
l. S. PACKARD.