Rocky Ford enterprise., 1901-08-09
A BATTLE OF THE FLOWERS
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more typical Of the state. His sus-
gestions u the color u flowers in Ian
.ua.c has be.n freely quoted In both
prose AMI poetry.
''what could better typify the state
said Professor Cannon. than the col
ers OF this blossom, Its blush s-iiais
point TO the aznr. skies OF Colorado: its
pure whit. petals Ia the eternal SHOWS
of the srsat continental divide and its
golden anIlers not only recall III. great
treasure vaults OF the nation locked up
In our mountain fastness.s. but also
our equally great wealth. the bount.-
GUS golden harsesis that We now rap
In the heart OF the erstwhiie great Am.
erican desert
While III. old code Of the language
Of flowers contains No sentiment for
this our state Hover. We may well ap-
proprint. III. motto attached 10 It's near
relative. III. purple coiumbin.. the
words, Resolved to win." ns express
Ing sentiment typical Of our pioneer
manhood of the Centennial state.
Although originally plant Of the ra-
vines or sheltered mountain sides. bios
so,nins oaiy In the open In higher ni,i'
tudcs. II ,hrives In cultivation In the
rich gardens Of the East as well as Of
this section. A local firm has aided
.rcatly In extending the popularity Of
this Hover by collecting aud seliln.
roots and seeds Of the plant throughout
the East.
The inrr. number Of votes east for
the Mnriposa iiiy." said Professor Can.
non yesterday. "wns In no small way
due to III. fact that the columblnc has
a form far too graceful. dciicai. aud
complicated to lend MD To III. purposes
Of the decorative artist. While the
simple iuiipiik- form OF the Mnriposa
was admirably fitted for such pur.
poses. Al first decorators seemed un-
able To catch III. spirit OF the flower.
but the more recent Efforts seem to bc
/ fairly sucrcssful. The coiumbinc. nr-
members Of the great crowfoot family.
which Includes the buttcrrups. lark
spurs. monkshooi. clcmatis, the mead.
ow rue. nncmoncs and the marsh mar.
i;olds. II Is the member OF u genus Of
plant found In many parts OF the world.
As rule the native home Of the col
umbinc II the mountain. but they do
well when transplantcd To gardens.
The colors Of the coiumbincs favor
shades OF purple. blue aud white. yet
red aud yellow colorcd varieties are
,, not uncommon. There are the red and
yellow columbincs OF the rocky ellis
Of the Appalachian system Of noun
tnins nnd the golden columbincs of the
southern part OF this state. Couitcr's
Rocky Mountain Flora mentions seven
species found In the Rocky Mountains
and TO this must be added some inter
cstinH forms found by Miss Eastwood
and Miss Daley. some OF which are
tic feature Of the columbinc genus, tho
long spurs.
The coluinbinc ranges In height from
one TO three feet. The entire plant is
found to he free from the hair which
covers most of the western plants.
Most OF the leaves are found near tho
base OF the plant and are from two To
| two and onc-half Inches In diameter.
The 1--WE scpals are colorcd like petals
Of varying shades OF lilac. lavender and
blue and deep purple. In albino forms
they may be pinkish or even white.
The five white petals are prolonged into
spurs which contain mt the end sac
OF nectar. the quest OF species Of long
billed moths and OF robbcr bees who
do not hesitate to tear open the spurs
and take the sweet fiuid without rem
dcring any return to the plant In trans
| fcrring pollen from one flower to nm
other. While there are numerous
stamcns there are but five pistils which
| ripcn In follicles and scatter their seed
by the winds shaking the slowly open
Ing pods.
THE columbinc has faint, delicious
fragrance which Il very noticeable
when the winds of the mountains
sweep the odor toward an observer
who has the windward advantage OF
group OF these flowers. The names
OF our state flower have the following
Derivation: The generic name of alll-
cgia is from the Latin, meaning an ca
gle whose claws the spurs were
thought to suggest. Its specific name,
cocrulca. of course refers to Its pre-
dominating color. The English name
is supposed TO have been derived from
fancied resemblance of n number OF
doves drinking from common dish.
Although the general custom of select
ing n state flower by the school chill
drcn of the state is generally regarded
as complete. the Legislature that met
in 1899 thought 1t necessary to pass n
bill making the lavender and white
columbine our state flower n dcscrlp-
ton perhaps not very accurate for
color description, and as we have sew
cral specimens in this state OF similar
colors, anything but n distinctive one."
The monthly comparative statement
of the government receipts and expen-
ditures shows that the receipts for
July. 1901, amounted to S52,320,3iO,
and the expenditures So, $50, which
leaves n surplus for the month of S12.-
75O. as against Il deficit for the month
of July, 1000. of S4,OOO,OOO. The re-
ceipts from the same sources of reve-
nue. are given as follows: Compari-
sons are made with July, 1900: Gus
toms, $21, ,263. .963; increase, $1,4G1, 900.
Internal revenue; SOS, 1888, 100; increase,
SITS,OOO. Miscellaneous, S2,T1S, 1856; in
crease, S126OOO. The expenditures
during the month on account of the
War Department were S1G,O17,0O0, de-