The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-11-10
Latest Autumn Flowers
BY j. n. PAUL, DiRI

This week may present the last OPP
portunity we shall have this season of
observing any of the wild flowers IN
bloom. Recent observations in the
fields and on the hillsides revealed only
the following species not previously
described: The docks, for grade eight;
the yarrow and the prickly bitterweed
for grade seven: the medic, or small
yellow clover, for grade six; the great
mullen, for grade five; the mustards
and water cress. for grade four; the
thorn apple, or jmson weed, for grade
three; the colored autumn leaves of
sumach, maple. etc, for grades one
and two. We may consider these in
their order.
The Dock Family.
We have several species of docks
growing in waste places or by water
bitches. They have long spikes of
greenish flowers, without petals, the
three inner divisions of the calyx al
ways forming a kind of triangular nut,
like the grain of buckwheat, the three
outer sedals small and scale-liI1e
One or more of the inner divisions
bear oil the back a small granule. AS
the flowers ripen. the spikes become
rusty brown in color. Stamens, six;
stigmas. three, and tufted. Stems
with joints, which are sheathed with
papery coverings cut obliquely at the
top. Flowers in little ring clusters
called Verticels or fascicles.
Our five docks are RumeX sVenosus.
occidentalis. salicifolius. pancifolius and
maritimus They may be studied with
advantage in the eighth grade.
The roots of the docks are valued in
medicine as blood purifiers and for
skin diseases. They possess faint
odor and a bitter astringent taste.
They should be collected in late sum
mer and autumn after the fruiting tops
have ripened. They are then washed.
split lengthwise into halves or quar-
ters. and carefully dried. The price
ranges from two to eight cents per
pound. Where these plants are COM
mon the class might make the expert
nicnt of collecting, drying and selling
the roots.
The Renowned Narrow.
Yarrow makes a pretty study. 1t is
a common weed widely dispersed, &C.
curing along rOadsides and in old
fields. About ten to twenty inches in
height, its numerous finely cut. feath-
cry and somewhat dropping leaves give
ii dainty aspect. The small white
composite flowers, in flat-topped
punches (cOrymbs). have about four or
five short rays with pistils and no pap
pus and a similar number of disc
flowers. They have an agreeable,
pungent, sharp and bitter taste and
aromatic smell A variety with rose
purple flowers is sometimes cultivated.
IF eaten by COWS the milk is made bit
ter. BY collecting and drying the en-
tire plant when in flower, the leaves
and heads may be used as a stimulant
tonic, OF sold to the local druggist for
perhaps two to five cents per pound.
1t is called Achillea millefolium, and is
suitable for observation and collection
by the seventh grade.
Cheron, the centaur, taught to
Achilles the virtues of the yarrow that
he might make an ointment to heal his
Myrmidons wounded in the siege of
Troy. The plant therefore bears the
name of the Grecian hero.
The flowers of the plant are small,
so that it masses them together to at
tract the bees. Its ray florets have de-
VelODed their shOWiness at the expense
of their stamens, while the yellow disc
flowers alone are perfect and fertile.
by contenting itself with neglected
corners OF the earth, the yarrow gives
us many valuable lessons on how to
succeed"
Many magical virtues. according to
folklore in different localities, have
been attributed to this little plant
ANY stories known of il might be told
10 the class.
Prickly Rag Weed or Bitter Weed.
4 student notes the following differ
ences between the unarmed plant pre-