Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-09-15
BLOOMS TWICE
DURING YEAR
ST, JOSEPH'y ACADEM" POS
SEssES RARE PLAST-NlGHT
BLOOMING cEREUs.
JUNE AND SEPTEMBER
Three Flowers Matured Before Close
Of School and Six More Appeared
Last Night-Death Fol-
lows Blossom.

| While most night blooming GER
Gus are content to blossom out in
their beauty and grandeur but once
each year, large plant of this variety
of cactus, the property of the Sisters
Of the Holy Humility Of Mary, last
week, took upon itself the privilege Of
outdoing any former effort in produc-
ing the beautiful flower, and for the
second time during the summer, burst
out in it's regal splendor with six
blossoms. The plant is now twelve
years Of age, having been planted as
slip by Mother Joseph. 1t was
brought here by sister from Fort
first bloomed, and has once each year
month Of June, this year, three bios
some made their appearance during
the evening in the presence of the
sisters. scholars and friends. The
blooming of the plant has always been
feature Of the closing days OF school
and gives the students Of the botany
classes specimen to work upon.
Blooms Gradually.
About three weeks ago the sister in
charge Of the senior class noticed the
appearance Of some new buds, but as
the natural growth of the plant is one
leaf from another, 1t was thought to
be more leaves sprouting. AS they
grew. however, it was seen that they
were not leaves, but blossoms in for
nation, and the word was passed
about the school that another chance
would be afforded to witness the
blooming of the plant. Yesterday after
noon the scholars, who have been
most attentive in their study Of the
plant, sought the privilege Of return
ing in the evening to watch the flow
er blossom for the second time in the
year. This privilege was granted them
and large party were witnesses to
the unusual spectacle. Six beautiful
flowers began their struggle of life,
which was to last but little more than
an hour. The buds began gradually to
open out at o'clock, and the slow,
steady quivering of the buds we're
watched by numerous pairs of eyes in
their struggle to reach the zenith of
life. The blossoms scattered fra
GRANGE throughout the room and pre-
sented beautiful appearance for
few brief moments, when seemingly
spent in their efforts to accomplish
their purpose of beauty, folded petals
and salix, gradually diminished in
size and were no more.
Flower Like Life.
It is the inexorable law of nature
that man is born but to die, and equal
ly true Of the plant life which has so
many traits like the human. The law
that removes one when his term Of
usefulness and ability to further ex-
list ceases, is pathetically exemplified
in the life, short indeed, but so full of
action and power to accomplish its
task, Of the night blooming cereus
This ordinarily unattractive member
of the cactus family, which numbers
a thousand kinds in it's variety Of
plants, all belonging to the common
specie cacti, has an oddly shaped
leathery. or rubberlike leaf that
grows without regard to uniformity
or beauty, and has the appearance of
a freak in the plant life.
The use of the cactus are many
and varied, being the source of food
and drink to the Mexican, who is perl
haps the best informed on this plant
1t Is of succulent nature and is pc
culiar to the desert plains Of America,
having the same faculty as the melon
In absorbing water from the air and
sandy soil. The night blooming cereus,
of the type to which the plant of the
sisters belong, has medicinal qualities
and is possessed of properties that
make it's use as cardiac stimulant
of great value, similar in action to the
digitalis, but less uniform.
The first hlnsannn 10 flower on the