New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-05-24
ROMANCE OF SPRING BEAUTY.
Pretty Story for Boys ard Girls About the
Dainty Wild Flower.

One OF the most valued members OF the flower
branch Of Dame Natures Sunshine Society is little
spring beauty. At present the woods near New
York are thiciXly sprtnkled with the ptnNish-whte
flowers which open only when the sun is shining
Their arrival has been source Of JOY 10 count
less swarms of hungry bees. bunblehees. beeliks
flies and butterflies. for whom they provide an
early store Of pollen and nectar Spring beauty
late in putting in an appearance this season.
In the early part OF March. 1903, she had arrived
IN the woods Of the neighbCrhoOd- 1t was not until
late IN April Of this year that she could be found.
here and there. lifting u timid head from among
beds Of decayng leaves or clusters of bleached
grass. IN this neighborhood she precedes all other
flowers excepting the anemones. but she remains
TO be companion the violet hepatica- saxifrage
adder's tongue. wild gerariUu. marsh marigold.
-the-pupit bloOdrcot. early everlasting. bell
wort SolOmOn's seal wild ginseng. Dutchmauis
breeches, wood betony. moss pink and other spring
blossoms
The spring beauty belongs 10 what is known as
the purslane family. and is a first cousin OF the
garden pOrtulaca- In appearance spring beauty
IS delicate little creature Her two narrow,
sword shaped leaves. looking not unlike thick
blades of grass, are family green. The slender
raceme Of flowers Is fragile in the hand. but with
what elasticity it bend before the rough spring
winds! II is a marvel how spring beauty can
crown herself with lovely flowers when other
plants find scarcely means OF putting forth little
green leaves II you would solve the mystery
scrape away the soil until you dislodge Of the
plants without breaking II. AT the base OF the
long, underground stem you Will discover q fairy
potato-fOr SO the country children call It. This
potato IS bulb. which is called a CORN. This bulb
supplies the plant with food which the soil and
atmosphere cannot yet supply IN abundance
Radiating from the bulb are many hairliks roots
that absorb from the soil any nUtriment moist
ure which be obtained The bulb. embedded
deeply in the ground and protected by thick walls
laid in the ground all winter and as soon as the
frost was out of the soil ready TO send up It's
slender leaves. for the spring beauty Is what is
called perennal-that is. the plant root will
produce plant year after year. During the
ing season the leaves will lay up another supply
Of food in the bulb and then die down 10 the
ground.
The flower seeds fall 10 the ground at the be-
ginning OF summer, and, sending up leaves, form
cOrms for the plants before being blghted by
the frost. In the spring these infant spring
beauties are ready to shoot up and astonish bare
and chilly world with their rosy blooms
All flowers have their special visitors and.
while the spring beauty receives the attention OF
nearly all the early Corners OF the winged insect
host the most elegant OF these patrons are the
dainty spring azure, the Cloudsd sulphur and that
black and bun swallOwtau known the Philodice
ajax. butterfly. The flower has no perfume and
the little creatures are doubtless attracted 70 II
by the striking color of the petals. Although most
of these seem 10 be pink. they are white. veined
with crimson. the five stamens being tipped with
crimson anthers. Some spring beauties are alto
gether white. while others seem 20 be deep pink
Usually those which grow in shaded places are the
rOsiesr.
Spring beauty IS q real American plant II IS a
native OF no other continent II was discovered by
John Clayton, a little English boy, who. when
/ twelve years old, came 70 this country with his
father The father was q lawyer and bestowed
his what education he could Il was ample
for the time. but the boys best education OBJ
tanned in roaming in the woods. where he took
keen delight in collecting the strange new flowers
OF the wilderness, so different from those Of his
English home He talked 70 friendly Indians. and
learned from them the wonderful qualities OF
medicinal herbs He questioned any one who had
the slightest knowledge OF plants. His father be-
came Attorney General of the colony He succeeded
in obtaining coed position for his son The young
man was appointed secretary OF Gloucester Coun-
" and on the death OF his superior. clerk % the
/ county. office which Re held until his death
dfty-one years later. The excellent salary which
he received freed him from anxiety IN regard 70
living His work was light, and gave ample
Of Williamsport often wondered al the lack o:
Attorney General for the fox hunting racing plant
ers of early ElrEiniI had small opinion Of mere
abroad honored ana from time 20 time published
ne writings 81 yet3s MI G!aylor 9gI. IN r tneic
nate instinct Essays published by The celebrated
many celebrated foreign naturalists- Among these
was John Frederick Gi0nov:us. who assisted him
IN me plohcallon OF a o9ok ne r ora o. Nlt -
glnIa. a work written in Latin and me 4rst one
- or wears. through many dIscolI aseIletls JoIA
Clayton Laoored az his great work II was 70 be
ready in ia Plates we're prepared and dfrec-
lions We're written for the eusravers. when the
LCtanlst grown 70 be an old man % eighty years,
was taken i'll. His hope Of rlvaling the fame Of
the great LinuPus, whose senior he by four
teen years seemed fading when the dying
thought OF trustworthy friend and relative, Will
lam Clayton. holder OF another slueCUTe. the clerk
ship OF New-keut. William Clayton received
the manuscript. promised that il should be pub
Ished directed and John Clayton died. Happy
IN the thought Of fame with which this work
would surround his
But fate seemed 20 oe euniCy with this
markable man for during the War Of the RevC-
luton. then dawninS upon the colonies. the records
% the county Of NeW-keUJ were burned and with
them the manuscript Of John ClayIoD's book. which
had been placed among them for safe keeping And
IL looked il of the great lOtauist
would be forgotten. But far away in Leyden, HOl-
land. there lived The son OF ClaytOns Old friend
John Frederick tfiCnOviuS. The boy had listened
with fervert interest the letters describing the
wonderful land beyond the Atlantic Ocean, and
had examined with admiration the dried flowers
that frequently accompanied the rlissives. His
father dead. and had left notes of these
plants These the young edited. together with
descriptions once sent by John Clayton. The uu-
named. plants OF the pUrSIaue family he called
ClaytOuia in honor OF the American bOt11iSI. The
book which ne then published was called The
Flora OF Virginia II IS written in Latin and is
scarcely ever consulted except by learned
botanists but II served 10 inmOrJglize the
of Clayton. for the ClaytOnia grows everywhere in
America and promises 10 be OF the last wild
flowers 70 become extinct