The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1932-05-27


California has many showcases for
the display Of her diversified floral
wares. In the high Sierras are the
snow plants, peeping inquiringly and
a bit nervously through the snowcaps
when the first warmth of spring moves
the solid pack to mushy activity.
Farther down the slopes, lichens,
MOSES, sundry family groups of ferns,
and many varieties of wild flowers
merge into the wooded lowlands,
where, especially north of the Te-
hachapi mountains, the live oak
spreads its shapely limbs and often
affords protection while adding beauty
to the pasture land, where herds of fat
Herefords browse.
In the northern part of the state
roses grow with little cultivation, but
with the profusion of goldenrod in
Pennsylvania. No mere bushes suffice
for the wealth of blossoms. They
grow on trees, often to a height of II
feet or more, and curious results of
intergrafted varieties are sometimes
found in freakish but delightful array
on a single tree. In Santa Cruz ar
bors cover the sidewalks Of some of
the streets, and over these roses, in
tertwined with geraniums, climb and
rest in clusters.
Though the cultivated flowers which
abound are beautiful and varied, all
the way from the sand dunes, Scotch
broom, and rhododendrons of Crescent
City, which is almost the last outpost
in California before the Redwood high
way reaches the Oregon line, to Ra-
mona's garden, in San Diego, only
few miles from the Mexican border, it
is to the wide open spaces" the des-
ert and mountain sides of the southern
part of the state, which we turn in
chief appreciation.
One may see and study the snow
plant under the dome of Shasta, dip
into the wonderland of plant and flow
II life at the experimental farm of
the late Luther Burbank, near Santa
Rosa, or wander through San Fran
cisco's Golden Gate park, where he
finds practically every variety of flow
er and plant that will grow under a
kindly sun.
Looking at this parks range of
trees, shrubs, flowers, trails, mead
ows, hills and small mountains, one
finds it hard to realize that in 1871
there was scarcely anything except
sand on the entire site of more than
1000 acres.
In its present form the park is a
testimonial chiefly to the AZ years of
horticultural and forestry experience
devoted to it under the supervision of
John McLaren, park superintendent,
who has obtained plants and shrubs
from every corner of the globe. Many
acquisitions have been the result of
trades with nurserymen elsewhere.
More than 1850 varieties of plants
are now propagated here.
The outstanding pride of this park
is it's thousands Of rhododendrons.
Himalayan varieties are in preponder-
ance, followed closely by natives Of
California, Oregon, Washington, and
the Carolinas. Especially conspicuous
are the fragrantissimum, which at
tains a height of to 10 feet, with
flowers inches in diameter and so
fragrant that the odor can be detected
from a modest group nearly city
block away.
One Of the National Geographic So
ciety's expeditions to Yunnan province,
China, resulted in the addition of many
hundreds Of species Of rhododendrons
to the Golden Gate park collection.
Dons Party Dress in Spring.
In the early spring California dons
her party dress and looks her best.
The winter rains have tinted hillside
and pasture land a verdant green. In
the citrus areas the delicate orange
blossom fills the air with it's perfume,
and miles of trees stretch like milky
ways as far as the eye may follow.
In other sections cherry blossoms
stage an exhibition. The almond trees
are indescribably lovely. The land
scape is filled with color, while snow
capped peaks are seen through the
tree tops.
This is cultivated loneliness; but one
day, after a searching rain followed
by warm sunshine, a mountain side
suddenly bursts into flame-a veritable
spontaneous combustion. Literally, all
outdoors becomes one vast garden Of
flowers, until 1t seems there is no end
to the colorful panorama.
The coup of gold" as the Spaniards
called the California poppy, is the
queen of wild flowers.
And the deserti Who can look upon
the desert in the spring and talk of
barren waste? Even Death valley, for
ages CALIFORNIA; bogy spot, place to
be spoken Of in awed whisper, a death
trap, now has tourist hotels and tent
camps.
Desert vegetation exhibits its great
est growth and beauty between Febru-
airy and May. 1t includes the yucca
and juniper, the creosote and mes
quite, many varieties of shrub and her
bage, an occasional Joshua tree, mixed
with Indian paintbrush "a member of
thu yucca family, monkey-flowers, lu-
plse. prickly phlox, wild buckwheat,
Jlazing-star. sunfower. barrel cactus