Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-09-08
A CITY SURROUNDED BY AUTUMN
Flowers of Field Forest Are Rich Variety and Color and
Should Prove as Attractive to Country Excursionists
Those of Any Other Season
Rv W. R. MURPHY

ENALL from the floral viewpoint, is almost
l. tropical in it's luxuriance and splendor of
wild bloom. Amid vernal surroundings the
autumnal flora would strike ian unharmo-
nious note. Nature reveals wild flower
evolution through the successive seasons
White, pure or tinged with other hues, is the
predominatng spring color, and the flowers
are likely to be delicate in contour and de-
liciousy fragrant. Summer brings heavier
flowers and brighter colors. BY autumntide
in the seasons cycle brilliant hues, high
stalks and large flowers are in order. But
they accord admirably with their environ
ment of changing leaves. golden-tissued at
mosphere and tonic spice-laden woodland air
that puts a thrill in the blood.
Yet the autumn fora is not we'll known
as that of spring. Possibly this is because
woodland strolls not so frequently fea-
sible as in the spring, and the lure of the
woods is not so potent after the riches Of
the preceding months. At the years unfold
ing the spirit Graves the fragrance and fresh
ness Of the outdoors after a pent-up winter.
This insures intimacy with the floral aspects
of the young O. the year. In fall outing time
is often past and business routine replaces
communion with nature in it's varied forms.
Pilgrmages back to nature should be a year.
round affair. The largess of autumn is rich.
1t is not time of decay and melancholy, de-
spite the poets, but of ample variety. It's
treasures in the hills and uplands, meadow
levels and woodlands about Philadelphia are
easily accessible; they bring a fine and mani
fold reward to the seeker.
Calling the Flowers by Name
Already autumn is on in the suburbs and
country. The flowers are many and readily
recognizable with a little guidance To be
speaking terms with them is we'll worth
the trifiing trouble of preparedness. AS
Richard Jefferies says: "The first conscious
pleasure about wild flowers is to find out
their names Once you wish to Identify
them, nothing escapes, not even the chick
weed OF the path or the moss on the walk"
Autumn wild flowers have several notice.
able characteristics Extraordinarily lavish
coloring broadly brushed on, marks the sea-
sons floral pictures. This is to attract the
attention Of the insects, already stated by the
honied treasures of the spring and summer
Corollas, or flower envelopes, are gorgeous
Purely decorative, these serve as a bait 10
the insects which bear the pollen from flower
to flower and consummate seed reproduction.
Insect life is the wane as fall enters. and
so sepcial lure is necessary. A third trait
is the predominance OF yellow; Il is typical
of the time and its massed effects draw the
insect travellers A final token of the season
is the predominance Of flowers Of the COM
posite family, TO which belong the dandelion.
aster, golden rod. Its blossoms are not uni
tary but an aggregation OF flowers Take
the daisy; the disk flowers, capable OF repro
duction, are massed in the yellow head; the
ray flowers are the white petals. All four
traits OF autumnal flora are related in cause
and effect TO perpetuation Of the species.
The hue Of the goldenrod sets the hilltons
aglow, lightens the thiclSets' gloom, bright
ems brooksides and beauties even humhIa
stretches OF road. II is the most plentiful of
our autumn flowers, both in mass and In
variety More than so species are found in
the United States Hereabouts the common
varieties are the lanceolate, thus labeled
from the shape of the leaves; the scented
with its elusive anise seed aroma. ana he
hairy. with easily recognizable hirsuta
stalk, All these tone congruously with the
autumn landscape
Gold, Yellow and Blue
Also OF the prevalent yellow is the bur
marigold, a trichsy wilding which travels un-
der several aliases. AS sticktight, pitchfork
and beggarstick II is familiar to the wood
land stroller, because OF its habit OF attach
ing it's burs TO the clothing. In this wav its
seeds are carried to pastures new, for the
ours are really seeds ana the passerby the
agent OF transmission. This Is one Of ma
ture's tricks OF seed distribution. Gray calls
the mower "homely" II is.
The dandelion. Lowelrs dear common
flower Of childhood" may well be included
IN the autumnai nst, for lis blossoms are
among the latest a. they are smonr the
earliest or the year Other yellow iowers
] are the lov-lying snspdragon called butter