The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-08-22
MOUNTAIN LAUREL
 MAY BE CHOSEN NATIONAL FLOWER

In spite of many attempts. the ef- fort to to adopt a national flower has been unavailing thus far. The latest trial of this kind was embodied in bill introduced in the House of Repre- sentatives recently Officially to recog- nize a floral emblem for the United States of America" It was the pur- pose of this bill to make the mountain laurel the national flower and the proposed legislation was fathered by Representative Stephens of Texas. wide variety of plants and flowers has been suggested for the honor of car rying national significance, including the Indian corn. pumpkin, and wild columbine. In favor of the laurel Representative Stephens bill said in it's preamble .I
 "It is in bloom on three of our great est national holidays-Independe Day. Decoration Day. and Flag Day. It's flowers are red and white, two of the colors in our flag, the. red for courage. the white for purity, and the leaves combining as they do yellow for wisdom and blue for truth, blend- ed together, forming the green of fruitfulness are surely typical of our country The seed pod on opening forms a perfect f1ve-pointed star. The flower is wonderfully formed like chalice, with five delicately curved edges, the blossoms clustered together like the constellation of the States. and would mean "The Union Forever"
 Elizabeth G. Britton. Honorary Gu rator of Mosses of the New York Bo- tanical Gardens. objects to the laurel as a national emblem on account of its, comparatively narrow distribution, as it is found only in the Eastern Ctates, except along the coastal plain. s
 "The selection of the hemountain lau- rel as a national flower" she says. would mean that many of the ropes used for Christmas decorations. much of the trimmings for fruit stands and baskets, and almost all of the briar- wood pipes would be made from the laurel. The supply must come from wild sources, none of 1t being cultivet- ed for these purposes. If we more than double the demand and add number of other reasons for its de- struction, the end is surely in sight. The goldenrod has been adopted by five different Statea. is native and
  sentiment and refined beauty. Person. ally, 1t would seem as if the pine tree which has just been adopted for the new fifty cent piece, would be more widespread in distribution and more suitable for our national emblem"
 Most of the States have adopted flowers as emblems, and a partial list of plants and blossoms which have thus received official sanction is as fol- lows: Alabama, goldenrod; Arkansas. apple blossom; California, golden pop py; Colorado, blue columbine; Con- necticut, mountain laurel; Delaware. peach; Florida, orange blossoms; Geor- gia, Cherokee Rose; Idaho. syringa: Illinois, native violet; Indiana, carna- ton, Iowa, goldenrod; Kansas, sun flower; Kentucky. goldenrod; Louisi- ana, magnolia; Maine, pine cone and tassel; Maryland, black-eyed Susan. Massachusetts, arbutus; Minnesota, moccasin flower; Mississippi, magno- Iia; Missouri, goldenrod; Montana. bitter root; Nebraska, goldenrod: New Jersey, violet; New York, rose; North Carolina, daisy; North Dakota. wild rose; Ohio, red carnation; Ok lahorf1a, mistletoe: Oregon, grape; Pennsylvania. laurel; Rhode Island. violet; South Dakota. basque flower: Tennessee. daisy; Texas, blue bonnet lupines; Utah, Sego lily; Vermont. red clover; Washington, rhododen- dron West Virginia, rhododendron: Wisconsin violet; Wyoming. gentian; Hawaii, lAhuA.