The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1921-08-09

WASHINGTON, d. C.-Abund-
ant SHOWS on the higher levels OF
Yosemite National Park have brought
a bumper crop of flowers this season.
Attention is called to this fact by
the announcement that special provis-
ion has been made for the protection
of the lavish display from depreda-
tons of the thoughtless visitor.
"Yosemite's topography, with thous-
ands of feet difference in altitude in
places within hailing distance of each
other, makes it possible for the visitor
to enjoy flowers of several seasons in
single visit" says a bulletin from
the Washington, d. c., headquarters
of the National Geographic Society
Climb Spins Floral Calendar.
Leaving the rich San Joaquin valley
at MERGED for the beautiful trip by
train through the Canyon OF the Mer-
ced river, SCARED by the gold diggings
OF 40, the traveller turns his floral cal
endar backward with each mile climb
ing into the Sierra Nevada, passing
rapidly from full summer to late spring
at FL Portal, where the official gate
way to Yosemite National Park is To-
Gated. A few miles farther, at the
Gates of the Valley-that famous spot
where FL Captain stands on the left,
Three GraceS and Bridalveil falls on
the right, with vista of Yosemite
valley between-he finds spring in full
glory.
And on the same day visitors to
Glacier Point just upstairs from
Yosemite valley, on the rim of the
granite wall enclosing the valley and
1884 feet higher, will be out skiing
and tobogganing on four feet of snow.
by the time summer gets to Yose-
mite valley it is springtime at Glacier
Point and when summer gets to the
point the Sierra is enjoying the brief
season which passes there for both
spring and simmer, and Yosemite val
ley has progressed well towards aut-
umn. -o, -,
Snowplant Is a Park Wonder.
Most interesting of all plants to
the visitor is the snowplant-and no
other is so jealously guarded by the
park authorities. When word of new
stalk is received sign is dispatched
hastily and erected near it-hands off
In its early stages the snowplant is
more like scarlet asparagus tip than
anything else. AS it natures the leaves
near the upper end unfold and reveal
bells much like those of hyacinth.
The name snowplant is misleading, &C
cording to such a high authority as
Jepson says the plant has Moth
ing to do with snow, and that the name
probably originated because it appears
early in spring and is likely to be
caught in clate furry, which makes
the richness tof,its coloring all the more
conspicuous, causing the uniformed
to think that the plant pushed its way
through the new snow.
"ContraUy%to the common assump-
ton the Snowplant is not a parasite,
but lives on decaying vegetable matter
absorbed through intricately laced
white fibers which serve the plant in
place of roots 1t is unique in that the
food absorbed is at once transmitted
into the scarlet stalk and leaves, diff
fering from other plants which are
veritable chemical laboratories, de-
handing chlorophyl to assist them
in digesting their daily meal.
Bloom as Ice Melts.
There probably are more than
1000 different species of Towering
plants, shrubs and trees in Yosemite
Some of them, like the marsh butter
cup, seem to bud beneath the snow
and then burst into bloom as soon as
the icy covering melts On the high
levels of the park a thin patch of
snow will disappear under the inhu-
ence Of hot sun and the patient bot