The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1916-07-30

trees, shrubs, vines. ferns, herbs,
sedges, grasses and MOSES. No state
in the union equals it in floral wealth.
Many of our trees, shrubs and
plants bear flowers, glorious in color
and fragrance, each month and season
having its share, making a constant
procession Of floral beauties along the
path of the year.
In the winter season when the riv-
ers and lakes of the north are COW
cred with thick ice, and the ground
blanketed with snow, the Wistaria
vine in Florida chambers over our
porches and trsE and freights them
with masses of pennants bewildering
in number and beauty. And roses,
too, of infinite number, size and
color, are in bloom at Christmas time
If they are given chance to grow.
And it's in the winter, too, that the
orange tree is in height of bloom and
fills the air with indescribable frag-
rance.
Then in turn comes the oleander
and then the magnolia, with bios
som having no rival for splendor
among the trees of Americs, accom-
paniet! by its prototype but
no less beautiful-the cape jessa-
mine, and just at this time the crepe
myrtle shrub is a vision-each a mas
sive bouquet.
Florida has over two hundred kinds
OF deciduous green trees of ensnmer-
cial utility-many more than any
other state-and countless shrubs and
vines, with herbs conspicuous when
in bloom but very inconspicuous or
practically invisible at other times.
Among the herbs that are recogniz-
able and conspicuous any day in the
year-most prominent the Spanish
moss-hanging pendant from the for
est trees and giving them weird ap-
pearance-and many others worthy
of attention.
In the early days the Spaniards cul-
tivated the indigo plant in Florida,
but the cheaper labor of the East In
dies put the industry out of business
and in turn it succumbed to the blues
found in coal tar by German chem
lists. The camphor tree is a conspic-
uors and beautiful tree of Florida,
and it is now being utilized CONNER
cially and promises to release the
world from Japanese monopoly in
a commodity necessary in medicine
and to manufacturers.
There are trees growing in Flor
ida not known to botanists anywhere
else in the world, and found native
only on the east side of the Apala-
chicola river. These are the Tumion
taxifoliun, or sinking cedar-and
Taxus Floridania, both very attrac-
tive evergreens. A fine specimen of
the first named is to be seen on the
grounds of the state capitol at Tai
lahassee and in several of the parks
of Jacksonville.
Besides the native fora of the state
ranging from lichens to palms and
mammoth cypress and oak trees there
will be found areas greatly modified
by civilization, such as new and old
fields, roadsides, dooryards and rail-
road rights of way. Some of these
minute but charming creatures of
nature in their struggle to reach out
to the skies for "a place in the sun"
for their share in the air, not only
that they may thrive and silently
teach the lesson Of the beautiful but
to tempt man to utilize them, are ma
tive varieties which students DESTROYS
of knowing more about botany, fiori-
culture, AGRICULTURE, have survived
and changed conditions. 1t is the
opinion of Dr. Sellards, our state geo.
logist, that most of them have been
brought in by chance from other states
and other countries. Most of the for
eign plants in Florida seem to be o.
tropical origin, but Europe, Africa
and Asia each have contributed a por-
ton.
All of our plants, however, are not
of the land. The water hyacinth for
example is beautiful plant when in
bloom, cattle wade in the water to
eat it, and scientists think the strange
growth may be an important source
of peat. 1t is native of South
America and was brought here about
twenty-five years ago for usein foun-
tain ponds, but it escaped and for a
time threatened to close the st. Johns
river to navigation, and a good deal
of money has been expended to pre-
| vent its extension.
/ If the cities and towns of Florida
would collect for their parks streets
and home yards, and plant and pro-
tect specimens Of the best of our
many beautiful trees, shrubs and
vines, selected with view to month
ly succession in bloom, Florida could
indeed be made the Estate Beautiful. -
| County officials should arrange for
the planting of ornamental trees
along the roadways, and school