The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1896-05-17
HOW THE DESERTS ARE BEAUTIFIED

The terrible eruption of Krakatoa, in
the Sunda strait,in 1883, furnished the
opportunity for illustrating the ease
with which nature can replant with veg
etable life district which has become
completely desolated, remarks the st.
Louis Globe Democrat The volcanic
eruption was one of the most destruc-
tive recorded in history the loss of hui
man life being estimated to exceed 100,-
900. OF the thirty-fiv volcanoes on and
near the island of Java twenty-six were
in violent eruption at the same time.
The center of disturbance was the
island volcano of Krakatoa, which emit
ted molten lava and bur ling ashes in
such abundance. that every living thing
whether animal or vegetable, on the
island was destroyed. and an observer
from ship which approached close
to the land declared that the whole is
land was red hot. Four years from the
date of eruption the island was visited
by an eminent naturalist, who found
that the ashes and lava had cooled to
such an extent as to permit the begin
nings OF vegetable life. and on making
closer examination he discovered that
during the brief space of four years ma
ture had stocked the island with GAG diff
ferent kinds of plants.
Ihere are many seeds which seem
py their formation, to be specially de-
signed for transmission through the air.
and OF these several are quite as good il
lustrations as the thistle. The seed of
the common dandelion, a plant to be
seen on every common, has wings
which will carry it away on the slightest
preath or air The wings are very slight
1llamentS, radiating backward from
the seed, so that when the latter finally
lodges 1t falls tip first. in the most ia
Vorable position for taking root. Coun-
try children in the United States often
md amusement in blowing the seeds
from the stalk and watching to see how
far they Will go before falling to the
ground. but whenever there is even a.
moderate breeze the experiment is uni
formly a failure, as the feecy seed fly
out of sight and are gone in an instant.
and the next season a dandeion springs
W in somebody's lawn where the plant
was never seen before. The common
tumble weed is another example of the
winged seed. The plant grows in a
Woolly bunch, which, when dried. is
easily separated from the stalk, and
slight breeze sets the ball rolling over
the ground to scatter it's seeds wher-
ever it goes.
The seeds of many ferns and micro
scopic plants are so constructed as to
be readily lifted and carried away by
the wind, while some of considerable
size are provided with an elaborate ar
rangement for aerial transportation
The common maple is an example of the
last kind, for projecting from it's large
head is membrane closely resembling
in size. shape and general appearance
the wing of locust. When the seed
Is separated from the tree, even If the
air be quite still, 1t does not fall directly
to the earth. but by it's peculiar con-
struction acquires in falling spiral
motion that takes 1t several feet from
beneath the starting point. and when
brisk breeze is blowing one of these
winged seeds has been known to twirI
through the air for six miles before its
journey came to an end and it sank to
the ground. there to terminate and
start a maple grove.
A man at Grenola. Kan. turned an old
gambling den into residence but 1t re-
mains vacant for want of tenants. Three
different families which tried to live in it
declare they heard the click Of poker chips
from midnight till dawn.