The Pulaskian., 1919-04-11
PULASKI HEIGHTS Posoce) FRIDAY,
The Trail of The Plum Blossoms
 Back To Nature
(By W. F. Beck.)

NDy w. Es DeCksJ
 It is hard for me to get away from my mountain top, but Monday even- ing again tore loose and caught the train from Wye to Bigelow. This train has to go ten miles to get five. There was big load of logs on, so the brakes were all set until we reached Rankin creek then they were loosened and we put on more speed. All at once I realized that the creek valley was full of plum trees and they were in bloom. That's why noticed them for the first time though l had been over the route dozens of times. I had never seen so many plum trees before except once. That was away up the Arkansas and then up nearly to the source of one of it's tributaries, in the sand hills on the brakes of the Canadian in the Texas Panhandle. Those plums were red and yellow and the sand hills were travellers.
 The sand was clean and like drifted snow. The children would climb to the top of them, take a seat on the brink of the sand precipice and coast to the bottom. It was great fun. In the past the Indians visited these sandhills and feasted on the fruits from distant states, as the white do today.
 The sandhills in their travels ire quently overwhelmed the plum trees. One thicket found with only a foot to foot and half of the tree tops remaining above the sand, but each plum shown in it's colors like a jewel. AS the train followed this trail of plum blossoms down the mountain I decided that the trail would lead me to something nice and that the Wandering Fairy had prepared some delightful surprise for me. I reach ed Little Rock at midnight after a fine summer shower with which my Fairy had washed the streets and even the air to have everything nice and clear for my coming.
 Tuesday morning she led me in her own mysterious way across the free bridge and along the road that leads up the river close to the bank on my left. could not help but marvel at the beautiful right of way this road has chosen, but why don't the people of Argenta line the river bank here with rose bushes?
 The way led on until I came to a field of green houses and hot beds. It is the home of J. W. Vestal and Sons nurseries and greenhouses. First I noticed two-story stone office build ing covered with beautiful green English ivy. To the north of it is the old Vestal homestead where the elder Mrs. Vestal resides. South from the office was long glass-cover- ed greenhouse which was the first building I entered. The first flower I noticed in bloom was a Hybiscus. Its big red flowers carried me back at once to old times and scenes in Texas and Florida. I believe it is California's state flower. It is fit companion for the oleander and both should be seen more often in our yards than they are. I was in a tropical garden with it's moist hot climate. A transition that Is easily explained in a supernatural way, but which was really brought about by the Vestal's energy, through the two big steam plants as shown by their smoke stacks, one of brick and the other of metal, showed that they were using steam heat to work this miracle. There were a great variety of palms, beautiful ferns from the largest to the tiniest. There were so many ferns that it might well be termed a fernery, there were oleand- CTS, magnolias, banana plants, ferny vines. There was one big leaved plant growing in pot of rich earth which was out of it's element for it is parisite, it's real place of growth