New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-04-09
SPRINGS FIRST FLOWERS.
THEY ARE MOSTLY IN THE FORM OF
CATKINS.
THE HAZEL. ALREADY OUT WITH IT'S TWO KINDS
OF BLOssOMS-THE PUSSY WILLOw-DIF-
FERENT WAYS OF FERTILIzrNG.

stormy ii apparently did little to delay Natures
preparations for the spring. The early plants
are accustomed to spring from a rain soaked
earth. and the first flowers seem not to require
much encouragement in the way of warmth
Theirs is an unbounded confidence in the APP
proach OF a mder season all the more striking
because not founded upon reason. With few ex-
ceptions the early flowers are not what are
popularity called SUCH but are most of them to
be found in the shape of catkns. To the aver
age individual. the notion of flower is some
thing with snowy petals and bright color. and
he is surprised to learn that, viewed from the
standpoint Of the plant or tree. a flower may
lack both these attributes and still perform all
necessary functions Because the forest trees
have no conspicuous blossoms. there are many
who suppose they do not bloom at all, and yet
every season the branches are hung full OF
flowers and he who will look may be con-
WINGED.
In nearly every thicket and fence along
the Bronx the hazel is now blooming Nature
thus early in the year begins to fashion the
hazelnut. or filbert as it is called when 1t gets
to market If its history Is traced back far
enough it is found that one crop is hardly ma
tured before the plant starts upon another The
catkns are formed in autumn, and every mild
day in winter seems to add something to their
nuence underground touches them that they be-
gin to grow in earnest. Then the stiff short
catkins lengthen and become flexible and sift
an immense amount of pollen upon the passing
breeze.
1t is not every plant that can sport two kinds
of blossoms: the hazel is that can. The
blossoms in the catkns are all male or sterile
flowers The others must be sought near by
They appear like tiny crimson stars with hve
rays scattered along the branches. In order
to form a nut the pollen must fall upon some
of these rays This is the secret of why so much
nollen is produced There must be enough so
that the tiny stars shall not be missed.
Down along the water the alder follows the
hazels example. and in the woodlands the brch
will soon do likewise. The brownlsh color III
the alders catkns is used by the children IN
some sections for dyeing their Easter eggs
few handfus of the catkns boiled with the
eggs suffices to give them rich brown tint. 1t
often happens, however. that Easter following
the calendar and the alder following nature, the
two do not combine properly, for If the catklns
omen before Easter their usefulness as dye
on that day is destroyed.
The hazel and alder are called anemonophilous
or wind fortified flowers because they trust to
the wind to carry their pollen. The pussy will
low whose silvery catkins now abound along
streams and the borders of swamps, has found
another way of securing the transferrence OF It's
pollen 1t has called the bees to its aid. The
two kinds of flowers are on different SHRUBS
often long distances apart. but by providing
reward OF honey the bees are induced TO go
from one blossom to another. transferring the
pollen which clings to their bodies as they go
Since the willows are polenated by insects
they DO not need to produce so much pollen as
the hazel and alder but they must secrete money
instead and thus lose in one direction what
they gain in another Wind-fertzed flowers
commonly do not produce honey, for the wind
asks no pay for his services
Among honey producing trees must be IN
c,uded the red and white naples. now blooming
along suburban streets. These produce Doth
sugar and honey but commonly not at the same
time When the tree begins honey making the
sugar maker knows it is time for MN 10 STOP
else his product will have bitter flavor ana
taste of the bud" ne phrases 1t. III Is proDa-
be that even those who have spent their lives
in the country walking under the blooming ma
,lae zach sDring have no idea what beauties are
swinging from the boughs overhead Yet from
each bud springs several tiny be-shaped HOW
ers as marvellously fashioned as any that doom
in softer airs.
Opa thing noticeable about nearly all the
aarIv blossoms is that they are formed during
Tho nreceding autumn In blooming before the
,o.yoc nut forth they reverse the usual order OF
tbinps Indeed the witch hazel, which properly
belongs to this class, goes step iui'"c anu
having formed its flower buds in autumn
Nnu