iiiiiiiiji'' ":'"''••':: !ii I i;!!ili:; ::■;::,■' maimmmiimmiimmim UNIVERSITY OF B.C. LIBRARY {'■ ■^■l I ^rwm 3 9424 00406 7937 W '"'' ' \ !iH!??ei?tit^f rt.«v STORAGE ITEM PROCESSiNo-uNt LP1-A15A U.B.C. LIBRARY K M mrtli-^h ^^ mmmmm 4"0 m Digitized by tine Internet Archive in 2010 with funding from University of British Columbia Library http://www.archive.org/details/treesplantsflowOObail Trees, Plants, and Flowers, WHERE AND HOW THEY GROW. ▲ rAMILIAB HI8T0BT OF 4 THE VEGETABLE KINGDOM BT TSS AUTHOR OF "OUR OWN BIRDS." WITH SEYENTT-THRXS XNOBAYIHOt. PHUADELPHIA & LONDON: J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY. 1910 PREFACE. ^/W^^^^^%AA^^^V>AA^^ 'i'HKRE are few recreative pleasures to wliich the minds of children can be turned with more real advantage, than to the close observance of the beauties of the creation. We are every- where surrounded by objects of deep interest, which attract but little attention because their appearance is so familiar. But it certainly is an evidence that we do not sufficiently appre- ciate'the blessings which our Heavenly Father has conferred upon us, when we look with in- difference upon the beautiful adornments of that world which his own hand hath created, and whose every charm he hath so evidently designed for our enjoyment. How elevating are the thoughts which are begotten by the contemplation of these objects I 1* (▼) Tl PREFACE. how soft and gentle are the influences which take possession of the mind, when it turns the channel of its musings from the bright world around it, to the great Fountain and Source and Creator of all. There is probably no time in life when a fondness for the study of Nature may be more safely cultivated than in early childhood. It is then that the mind turns with true simpli- city from the visible objects of its admiration, to the adoration of the Invisible who created them; and what more happy moment than this to instil into the mind of a child the great truths of that religion, whose sublime doctrines are so abundantly illustrated in Holy Writ by direct references to objects in the outward world ? Our Saviour, in his teachings to his disciples, frequently alludes to the beauties of his Father's creation : '' Consider the lilies of the field how they grow ; they toil not, neither do they spin ; and yet I say unto you that Solomon in aU his glory was not arrayed like one of these." The object of these pages is not so much to attempt a description of rare and curious PEEFACE. VU plants, as, by presenting some of the leading principles of Botany in a familiar manner, to beget in the reader an interest in a study which will at once prove a profitable pleasure and a wholesome recreation. The flora of our own land possesses attractions to all classes, inas- much as it lies within the reach of all. The schoolboy may gather, as he goes, gems from the grassy roadside, which, if they be but the simplest of flowers, will bear the impress of a Divine finger, and convey a lesson of deep in- struction. Let us not then undervalue the least of His works, who created nothing in vain, but who, With consummate skill devised the plan That creation's every voice should whisper Words of peace, and joy, and hope to man INTRODUCTION. There is no time in the day better suited to the study of Nature than the early hours of the morn- ing. Every thing is bright and fresh and beau- tiful; the sweet little songsters are warbling their sprightliest notes; the lambs are skipping merrily over the soft green sod, from which the morning sun has not dispelled the sparkling dew; the tall trees wave their heads majestically to and fro ; the babbling brook murmurs its softest melodies ; while upon the gently blowing gale is borne the rich fragrance of many a fresh opening flower. The whole creation is exhilarated by the rest of the night ; and the mind, as well as the body, being refreshed by repose, becomes more capable of enjoy- ment; and if we can go forth with our hearts laden with gratitude to our Maker for his blessings, we shall be able to see in all his works, the evidences of a superior wisdom, so adapting one part to another, X INTRODUCTION. that each seems to minister to the wants and the hap- piness of the other. There are many objects of great beauty and in- terest, which can only be observed to advantage in the morning There are thousands of beautiful birds, which are active and busy in hopping about the trees, and sometimes about the very doors of our houses, early in the day, that retire to the deep shade of the forests, and pass the sultry hours of noon in the tops of the tallest trees, and there remain so quiet that few are aware of their existence. Most flowers also open their petals to catch the first glimpses of the morning sun, at which time their colors are most brilliant, and their fragrance the sweetest. If, then, you would study Nature to advan- tage, you must devote to it the earliest hours of the morning. Tarioofl Grasses. CHAPTER I. 0BAS8ES — THEIK PECULIAE FOEM AND APPEAEANCE — MAM- NEE OF GEOWTH — ADAPTATION TO THEIE USES — WHEAT — BABLEY — MAIZE — OATS — EICE — PAPYBUS — PAMPA GEAS8. HE first visible objects that were created in the beginning, after the waters were gathered together, and the dry land had appeared, were grasses. "And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit-tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself upon the earth ; and it was so. And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree (11) 12 QBASBES. jdelding fruit, whose seed was in itself after his kind ; and it was so ; and God saw that it was good." The term grass, as it is sometimes used in Scrip- ture, evidently includes a great variety of plants, as in the passage commencing with, " K God so clothe the grass of the field which to-day is and to-morrow is cast into the oven," &c., it undoubtedly alludes to the various smaller herbs which commonly grow in the fields, as in those days the stems of plants were often gathered by the poorer classes, and used for fuel. Of what is commonly called grass, there are many varieties, some of them possessing properties which render them very useful; while others seem to be created for the special purpose of beautifying the earth. Children may often be seen plucking their tall straight stems, and seem to take much delight in arranging them into bunches ; and we might suppose that the interest generally felt in the soft verdure and the cool and refreshing appearance of a luxuriant grassy field or lawn, would excite in all but the most indifi'erent a desire of knowing something more than that certain plants are called grasses, as an acquaint- ance with their structure and properties cannot fail to afibrd both instruction and entertainment. The vegetable kingdom is divided into three great natural orders, called Acrogenous, Exogenous, and Endogenous, terms referring to their different modes of growing. To the last of these belong the grasses The word Endogenous means ingrowing ; that is, the increase in the growth takes place upon the interior GRASSES. 13 of the stem, which is often hollow, thougn mostly filled with a soft pithy substance, which becomes harder as it nears the outer surface of the stem. The peculiar formation of the leaves of endogenous plants is also striking ; the veins all run parallel to each other, mostly throughout their entire length, instead of branching off and forming the beautiful and prominent net-work so noticeable in others. To this order also belong a variety of plants differing widely from the grasses, such as some species of the Lilies, the Orchids, and many more, some of which will be mentioned hereafter. The stems of most plants are much branched, but the formation of the grasses is peculiar, the stalk being mostly tubular and jointed, and quite simple, except where, in some instances, it is parted to give place to a cluster of flowers. The leaves are very long and narrow, and the flowers are variously ar- ranged, sometimes scattered loosely upon the stem, as in the oats, sometimes in a short compact head, suspended from the ends of long and slender branch- lets, as in the Rattlesnake's grass; and sometimes they are densely crowded at the end of the stem, in a lengthened spike, as in Wheat, Rye, and Timothy. Each flower is composed of concave valves, placed one over the other ; they are most conspicuous when the beautiful white, yellow, purple or scarlet anthers, which are hung gracefully upon their slender fila- ments, project from the lips of the corolla : the plant is then in bloom, and who does not admire a specimen 2 14 GRASSES. of fresh - blown Fox Grass or Timothy, especially when on some foggy morning the minute particles of moisture have settled upon the delicate stamens, giving them the appearance of being thickly studded with jewels ? We have said that many of these plants have jointed stems; this is observed in those whose leaves grow one above the other; each joint here answers the double purpose of giving strength to the stem and support to the leaf. But, in other varieties, the only leaves produced are what are called radical, or leaves growing from the root; with these the stems are not jointed, but receive additional strength from their being sometimes triangular or square, and mostly very fleshy and stout. It is a remarkable provision of Nature, that those plants which appear to have been designed for food, either bear seed in great abundance, or are supplied with some separate provision for reproducing them- selves ; this is particularly noticeable in the grasses. Wheat, Rye, Corn, Oats, Rice, and Barley, which constitute staple articles of food, all produce their seed in great quantities ; while in many species whose seed supply the wants of the birds, the roots are perennial and creeping, and are continually sending up suckers, thus increasing themselves many-fold by a distinct method. Those seeds which require to be sown every year are reserved for the use of man, whose superior in- tellect teaches him the proper mode of rendering GRASSES. 15 them useful ; wtile tte inferior animals depend en tirely upon that provision which Nature has made for their supply. How beautifully do these facts illustrate those words of our Saviour : " Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which neither have storehouse nor barn, and God feedeth them I " The cereal grasses, or corn plants, are very rapid in their growth, and in a surprisingly short time send up a tall hollow stem, divided by joints, where the leaves are inserted, one at each joint, on the alter- nate sides of the stem ; each leaf embracing the stem like a sheath. Wheat stands at the head of the cereal grasses for its great productiveness and utility. There are seve- ral cultivated varieties of Wheat, the origin of all of which is involved in obscurity. No where has it been found in a wild state; at least, botanists have not been able to identify any of the wild species with those in cultivation. There is no doubt of its great antiquity, grains having frequently been found en- closed with the mummies of Egypt. Some of these having been sown, have produced plants similar to those now grown in the Levant. There is much to admire in a simple grain of wheat. It contains within itself a marvellous vegetative power, which, after having lain for centuries in the darkness and obscurity of an Egyptian tomb, is capable, if rightly managed, of being made to yield not only a new plant, with its abundant spike, but also plant after plant, and spike after spike, until the produce 16 GRASSES. of this single grain might at length feed a family, the dwellers in a village, the inhabitants of a city, and even of a nation, or of the world. Barley, although not so much grown in this country as some other corn plants, is neverthe- less the principal crop in some parts of the world. In Egypt and Syria it forms the staple grain for making bread. It is not capable of producing the beautiful white and fine- grained loaves that are made from wheat, as it lacks the glutinous pro- perties which are neces- sary to facilitate the ac- tion of the leaven. It is therefore made into thin cakes without the use of yeast, and hence it has been called unleavened bread. We read of such cakes in very early times. Some, most probably of Barley, are mentioned when the Lord appeared to Abraham in the plains of Mamre, and the patriarch said to Sarah, " Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal; knead it, and make cakes on the hearth." Gen. xviii. 6. The Arabs of the desert act precisely in this way now, when they entertain strangers, using Barley meal to prepare their hearth-cakes. And the bread used by our Lord when Wheat, Barley, and Rice. GRASSES. 17 he fed the multitude with five loaves and two small fishes, is expressly stated to have been made of bar- ley. John vi. 9. It is much to be regretted that so great a quantity of Barley should be wasted in producing intoxicating liquors, so destructive to the peace of mankind, this being the best grain for distillation ; and from the ready market thus obtained, the farmer is often led to grow barley, and neglect crops which would be useful in supplying the means of human subsistence The most important grain next to wheat is Maize, or Indian Corn, which is a native of America, and was cultivated by the Indians previous to the landing of Columbus. It may be a matter of surprise to some, that this plant should be ranked among the grasses; but a little examination into its structure and habits will at once show its connection with them. It attains a much larger growth than any other of the corn plants, although there are many other crrasses which even exceed it in height. Maize is extensively cultivated in every part of the continent of North America. In the western states it is particularly productive, as it sometimes jrields, under the combined influence of the rich soil and genial climate, at the rate of eight hundred for one. Maize has never been cultivated in Europe with success, the climate not being favorable to its gi'owth ; hence it is rarely seen in England, except where a few stalks are raised as curiosities. Oats is probably the next grain of importarce, espe- cially in America, where it forms one of the princi« 2* B 18 0BA8SES. Panicle of Oats. pal crops, being extensively used as feed for horses and cattle ; it is much easier of culture than wheat, and can be grown on soil that would scarcely produce a good crop of any other grain. In Ire- land it is raised in great quantities, and together with potatoes, forms a considera- ble part of the food of the peasantry. Almost any cli- mate is adapted to the growth of Oats. Good crops have been seen growing close to the line of perpetual snow, at the Glacier de Bois- sons, on Mont Blanc; and it is said to have been found in a wild state on the island of Juan Fernan- des, in the Southern Ocean ; but the few plants dis- covered there may have been produced by grains accidentally scattered by some of the pirates who in- fested those seas soon after the discovery of the island. Rice is a native of warm climates, and differs in the mode of its cultivation from any other grain that is grown. Those spots where various animal and vegetable substances are washed down by rivers, are most favorable to its growth. The marshy parts of Hindostan and Carolina are among the chief portions of the globe where rice is brought to perfection. But the American rice is generally considered as being much better than that which is grown in the East Indies. GRASSES. 19 The rice-fields of Carolina lie adjacent to the larger rivers which flow toward the sea, and down whose rapid currents the floods of each Spring bring a fresh deposit of soil. They are enclosed in some places by neat embankments, through openings in which the water is allowed to run at such times as it is needed. The rice-seed is sown in a rich plot of ground, and allowed to attain the height of a few inches, when the plants are removed into the fields where they are to grow ; the ground having been previously prepared by being overflowed with water until it is thoroughly saturated. These plantations require to be kept con- stantly moist, and as they usually lie below the level of the river, by opening the sluices in the embank- ments they are readily watered; this operation is repeated several times during its growth. A field of young rice is a beautiful and interesting sight, but the great amount of decayed vegetation which the soil contains, renders the atmosphere very unhealthy, and few persons beside the negroes em- ployed in cultivation can remain in the neighborhood with safety. In the list of useful grasses we must not forget the Bulrush spoken of in the Bible. This appeal's to be no other than the paper-reed of the Egyptians. The ark in which the infant Moses lay among the sedges of the Nile, was made of this plant. Isaiah speaks of the paper-reeds by the brooks, (Is. xix. 7,) which undoubtedly alludes to the same, as it was found in great abundance, not only in the shallow 20 GRASSES. parta of tlie Nile, but in the little streams in the vdcinity. The Papyrus, or Paper - Reed, has a thick triangular stem, eight or ten feet in height, and is said always to turn one of its angles toward the cuiTent, as though to break the force of the waves. It formerly was very abundant in all parts of Egypt, Abys- sinia, and Syria, but modern travellers de- scribe it as now being very rare. From the very ear- liest ages of Egypt, pap^Tus appears to have been used for various purposes, but especially for the man- ufacture of paper. Herodotus mentions paper made from it as beincf an article of commerce Ion"- before his time ; he calls it hyhlos. This name, it is sup- posed, is the origin of the Grreek word hiblion, or book, whence comes the term Bible. The paper made by the ancients was formed of the pellicle found be- tween the bark and the fleshy part of the stem ; the pieces of this were united together until they were of a suitable size, when they were pressed and dried in the sun. 3Iany manuscripts, written upon this GRASSES. 21 paper, have been found in the swathings of mum- mies, which were perfectly legible, and are interesting on account of their great antiquity. Paper was made from the papyrus until the eleventh or twelfth cen- tury, when it was superseded by that made from cotton. The papyrus had also many other uses among the inhabitants of Africa. Boats of a consi- derable size were made of it, and are spoken of in the Scriptures. The tassel-like flowers which surmounted its tall straight stems were worn as coronals by illus- trious men. The Abyssinians chewed the root and the woody parts of the stem, its sweet juice resem- bling liquorice. The stems, as well as being used for fuel, were also made into cordage, and woven into a coarse matting which was used for various purposes. Those grasses, which seem to be created rather for the purpose of increasing our happiness by affording a pleasing and grateful prospect to the eye, than to minister to our comfort by supplying the wants of the body, are so numerous and so widely distributed, that all are familiar with some of them, and as any attempt to describe them would be useless in so small a compass as could be assigned them here, we shall only cite a single example, leaving it to the readers to enter more fully into the subject as their interest or pleasure may incline them, there being few, per- haps, who have not the opportunity of seeing them in profusion, as they exist almost everywhere, and "Clothe all climes in beauty." 22 GRASSES. Pampu Grass. The Pampas Grass is a native of Brazil, and coTerg large tracts of countr}^ in the vicinity of Buenos Ayres, known as the Pampas, whence its name is derived. It grows to the height of twelve or fourteen feet. Many beautiful specimens are to be seen cultivated in the gardens of England, where the mildness of the climate is favorable to its growth. The annexed cut is a sketch of a plant growing in the grounds of GRASSES. 23 Stoke Park, wliicli was long the seat of the Penn family of Pennsylvania celebrity. These plants show to much better advantage when grown separately, as the long leaves, of which there is a great profusion, hang in thick tufts on every side. From the centre of these, the tall straight stems rise several feet above the mass of foliage, and are crowned with large plume-like heads of silvery- white flowers. Some of these separate plants have attained the height of fourteen feet, with a diameter of about eighteen feet ; and occasionally they have been seen with as many as fifty heads of flowers. How beautifully does this majestic species com- pare with some of the humble little varieties which are scattered over our meadows ! and yet, while God hath given extraordinary grace and beauty to one, he has also endowed the others with qualities which render them none the less curious, and far more use- ful. How wonderfully are they adapted to the various uses assigned them ! If animals were allowed to feed upon the foliage of the Pampas Grass, its beauty would be marred, and the life of the plant endan- gered ; but not so with the meadow-grass ; the more its leaves are cropped, the wider spreads the plant ; the more it is trampled upon, the thicker and softer it grows ; and so far from being killed by the frosts of winter, it seems only to gather more life from re- pose, and upon the return of spring it again shoots forth with renewed freshness and vigor. 24 PLOWEES. CHAPTER II. fLOWEES THEIEVAEIOUS FOEMS AND COLOES — PAET8 OF A FLOWEE — AEEANGEMENT UPON THE STEM — NIGHT-BLOOM- ING CEREU8 — EVENING PEIMROSE — EFFECT OF LIGHT UPON THE BLOOM OF FLOWERS — PERFECTING OF THE SEED — THB FEUIT. Come, brother Freddy, let's go gather some flowers, Here are the violets all sweetly in bloom ; And the rosea just washed by plentiful showers. Will regale with their soft and lovely perfume. Here are tulips with petals of every hue, And a white lily with its bosom so fair; \Yhile daisies and jonquils and hyacinths too, Are casting their fragrance around on the air. The honeysuckles cluster on every spray, That twines o'er the lattice or droops from the wall Where the Humming-bird sips the nectar away. And honey-bees gather their stores for the full. Here's sweet flow'ring almonds, a token of spring, And yellow corcoras as brilliant as gold; With the gay Columbine, as pretty a thing I'm sure, as we ever need wish to behold. And primrose and cowslip with poppies intervene, Kingcups and primulas all smiling and gay ; Geraniums and foxglove in plenty are seen. All standing in bright and imposing array. FLOWERS. 25 Come, while the lark its sweet anthem is singing, And the breath of the morn is freshened by showers : The voice of the thrush through the woodland is ringing, Come, little brother, let us gather some flowers. MONG the diversified products of Creative Wisdom, there are perhapt no more attractive objects than flowers, and none to which the mind turns with greater pleasure. See how lovely and beautiful they are in their multiplied forms and colors, and how interesting and wonderful in their distri- bution and uses. Some are decked in colors • so brilliant as to bid defiance to all imitation, or marked with tints so delicate as to set at naught the skill of the artist; while others, as emblems of perfect purity, are arrayed in vestures of snowy white- ness. Nature has scattered these beautiful objects with an unsparing hand over every portion of the globe; they smile in clusters among the decayed leaves of the wood, and the pasture-fields are dotted all over with their ever-varying hues. They rear their gay heads to the sun in gaudy profusion in the ever- glowing regions of the south, and peep out in modest loveliness from beneath the Arctic snows. There is something happy in the thought that the pleasure to be derived from flowers is open to the youngest, and the poorest of mankind ; they are gifts 3 26 FLOWERS. which Nature hands alike to all. It has bsen said that birds are the poor man's music, so wild flowers may be said to be the poor man's poetry ; for him, a^ for all, they open their gay petals, and exhale the sweetest odors ; they smile upon his toils, and add new charms to repose. To children, flowers are an unfailing source of de- lio'ht ; and the first blossom that flino:s its fragrance upon the spring air is welcomed by them as a har- binger of future joys. With what care may they often be seen nursing their little daisy-plajts, when their whole happiness seems wrapt up in their suc- cessful growth I And the violets which they have dug from the woods, and transplanted into their own gardens, are watched with the greatest anxiety. This love of children for flowers is implanted in their young breasts by Him who created every blossjm pure and beautiful, and a fit object of admiration and love. There is much that is interesting and worthy of our attention in flowering plants, besides th^ir beau- tiful colors, and attractive and showy appearance; many of them possess peculiar habits which render Complete Stamens and Ovary and flower. Pistil. Pistil. Calyx and Corolla. Ovary and Calyx. them objects of wonder. Even the simple paiu: j1 a flower, when separated, bear evidence of a superior FLOWERS. 27 skill, which has so nicely adapted them to each other Let us see what they are. First comes the Calyx^ or the cup which supports the flower ; this is some- times entire, but more frequently parted into divi- sions, or segments, as they are called ; it is generally of a pale green color, but, in some instances, as in the Fuchsia, it is highly colored ; the Calyx also acts as a covering for the seed-vessels. The delicate and richly colored leaves or petals, which stand just with- in the calyx form the corona Some flowers have neither calyx nor corolla, and cluster around a pen- dent spike, as in the Willow and Hazel ; these are termed Catkins. At the base of the corolla there generally appears the Nectary^ so called from its se- creting a sweet fluid called nectar. This is the store from which the bee derives its honey, and from this delicious fountain the lovely little Humming - Bird, poised upon its Catkin, Hazel, rapid wings, extracts through its slender bill the sweet food which it conveys to its young. The most important organs in the flower are those which produce the seed. These consist of two principal parts, called Stamens and Pistils. They mostly exist in the same flower ; but in some cases they not only occupy separate flowers, but are pro- duced upon separate plants. At the base of the pistil is the seed-vessel or Ovary, which is composed of one or more valves, diff'ering in form in difierent plants; a little thread-like stalk called a JStyl^ 28 FLOWERS. rises from the top of this seed-vessel, and sup. ports a small spongy substance called the Stigma. Around this pistil, or pistils, (as there are sometimes many,) are placed the stamens, each consisting of a slender thread, or filament, supporting a little bag, called the anther^ which contains the pollen, a kind of powder or dust; when this powder ripens, the anthers burst, and the pollen falls upon the stigma, which is mostly below, and thus the seed in the ovary becomes fertilized. These grains of pollen, which are very minute, when seen under a microscope are of various shapes; some are round or oval, some square, others are toothed like a watch-wheel, or re- semble a prickly ball, while others have long appen- dages or tails. There is much difference observable in the shape md size of flowers, as well as their colorings; some are large and showy, while others are so diminutive as to require the aid of a microscope to distinguish them. Some are shaped like a bell, as may be seen in the Campanula ; others like a trumpet, as the Con- volvulus and Honeysuckle ; the common Snapdragon and the Scarlet Sage have flowers of a very peculiar form, called Hngent, or grinning, from their resem- blance to an open mouth ; but the most common form of flowers is the shape of a star or a cross. They generally consist of from four to eight or ten petals, spreading out like rays, arranging themselves va- liously; sometimes these petals are broad at the base, and bend upwards, and form a shallow cup; sometimes they bend backwards, and almost clasp the FLOWERS. 29 stem ; the flower is here said to have its corolla re- Jiected. Flowers also differ in their arrangement. Some grow very close and compact around one common stalk, which is frequently quite long, as in the Fox- glove; this is called a spike. Sometimes they droop in long and graceful bunches, like Currants ; these are styled racemes. In the beautiful Lilac they appear in a thick, close head, or thyrse. In some cases they hang loosely upon long slender branch- ing stems, or peduncles; these are panicles, of which the Oats is an illus- tration. When they have separate stalks which rise from a common cen- tre, and spread out in the form of an umbrella, as in the Carrot, they are described as umbels ; when these stalks which rise from one centre become much branched, and the flowers more scattered, as may be seen in the com- mon Elder, we call it a a/me; if the clusters grow from different parts of the main stalk, and the stems are of different lengths, it is a corymb; while if the flowers are on very short stems, and form a close, thick-set cluster, it bears the name of a fascicle ; of this the Sweet William is a very familiar example. There are also many other modes of flowering peculiar to different plants, but these are the most important, as many of those which come under general observation will be found to have one or an- 3* Spike, Fox- Klove. 80 FLOWERS. Baoeme, Labarnum. other of these methods of displaying their blossoms There is, however, a very interesting exception to this in the common Dogwood. The flowers, which are quite small, are clustered in close heads, and each head is surrounded by four large white leaves, which are called an involucre. These leaves being very prominent and showy, are often mistaken for the flower, while they only act as appen- dages; but they undoubtedly have some use assigned them; perhaps it may be to protect the delicate little blossoms from the cold night-winds which are apt to prevail in the early Spring, while they are in bloom. Most flowers require the action of light to cause them to expand, and many never open except un- der the influence of the most bril- liant sunshine. But there are a few instances in which the con- trary is observed. Far down in the evergreen forests of South America, when the sun has set behind the tall groves of Palm and Mimosa, and the glimmering twilight is fast fol- lowing in its train, the magnificent flowers of the Night-blooming Cereus may be seen just opening their fair petals to catch the first rays of the full-orbed moon. Travellers in the tropics describe it as a sight Fascicle, Sweet William. FLOWERS. 31 Cmbel, Carrot. worth witnessing, to see in the same forest perhaps hundreds of these lovely blossoms hanging in profusion from the branches of the trees, and loading the atmo- sphere with the most delicious fragrance. The plants upon which they grow are parasites, and fasten their roots into the tmnks and branches of the trees. The flowers are white, and very large, often measuring as much as nine or ten inches in diameter. They commence to blow earl}^ in the evering, and remain open during most of the night, when they close, to bloom no more. But the Evening Primrose is a much more familiar instance in which the approach of darkness is hailed by the opening flower. This beautiful and interesting plant grows abundantly in our fields, and on the borders of our woods; and is frequently culti- vated in our gardens. It unfolds its pale yellow blos- soms in the latter part of the day, and the process of opening is of so re- markable a nature as to claim parti- cular notice. The divisions of the calyx are furnished with little hooks at their extremities, by which the flower is held together before expan- sion. These divisions open gradually at the bottom, so as to show the yel- low corolla within, when suddenly the flower bursts from its confinement, and opens about Corymb. Candj Tuft. 32 FLOWERS. Cyme, Elder. half way, being still partially restrained by tbe calyx ; it then continues to expand gradually for some time, when it finally opens with a slight noise. This occupies about fifteen minutes, and may be witnessed upon almost any summer's evening. There are also other plants of this description, which are found growing in many parts of the world. The Mar- vel of Peru has been termed by the French, " Belle de nuit," on account of this peculiarity j and the night-winds of India are laden with the odors of the large blue, lilac, or white blossoms of plants of so magnificent an appearance as to entitle them to the appellation of the " Glory of the night." Some plants, the flowers of which bloom many days in succession, close their petals during the night, while in others the leaves double them- selves over the blossoms to shelter them from the cold dews. Linnaeus, the celebrated Swedish naturalist, termed this "the sleep of plants;" and there is little doubt that nearly all are more or less affected by it, except those whose habits i jsemble the Primrose. Compound leaves, or p*iiicie of Grasp, such as are composed of many small FLOWERS 33 leaflets arranged on both sides of a common midrib, often fold themselves together, and remain in a droop- ing posture, until the stimulating influence of the sun's rays causes them again to expand. While, as has been observed, most flowers require the action of light to make them bloom, the ab- sence of light is not the only cause of their folding up For although crocuses are so tenacious of their privilege of opening upon the first appearance of the sun, that it is quite easy to cheat them by bringing them near a lamp in the evening, yet many beautiful wild as well as cultivated flowers, regardless of the light, are closed by noonday. Florists act upon the sugges- tions of Nature in the manage- ment of their choice greenhouse plants; and while they expose them to the full glare of the sun in order to produce the bloom, they also observe that its conti- nued influence tends to hasten decay, by ripening too soon the pollen contained in the anthers, and consequently hastening the fertilizing of the seed; and as the flowers only last in perfection while this process is being accomplished, the period of blooming may be greatly prolonged by shading them from the direct rays of the sun. If, then, the half-opened flower be kept in a sort of twilight by means of canvas or paper shades, the pollen does not c Thyrse, Lilae. 34 FLOWERS InTolucre, Dogwood. ripen so fast, and the flowera are fair and fresh for many days, and even weeks, instead of yielding to the first bright- ness of the season. For the moment the great object for which the flower is produced is accomplished, which is the per- fection of the seed, it imme- diately commences to wither, the petals become flaccid, the colors lose their brightness and beauty, and they soon either fold themselves within the calyx, or fall unheeded to the ground. Upon the fading of the corolla, the seed commences to grow, and the ovary which contains it gradually increases until the seed becomes ripe, when it bursts from its confinement, and falls to take root in the earth, and become itself a plant like that which bore it. There are many curious and interesting forms no- ticed in the fruits of difi"erent plants ; some of them have such valuable uses assigned them by man, that without them life would be robbed of many of its luxuries and comforts. The Apples which load our orchard trees, the Peaches and Pears and Plums in almost endless variety, the Grapes and other berries which hang in clusters from our vines, the nuts which lie scattered beneath our forest trees, and above all the grain upon which we depend mainly for our suste- PLOWERS oo nance, are all familiar forms of fruit. How wonder- fully does Nature provide, not only for the repro duction of the plant by this means, but how bounti- fully does she spread around us these her choicest blessings, which are so singularly adapted to our wants ! The leaves also of plants present many varieties, both in their shape and arrangement. Sometimes they are placed alternately one above another on the stem ; sometimes two are placed opposite each other ; and often we see them in what is called a whorl, or radiating from the same point like the spokes of a wheel. They also occur in tufts or bunches thickly scattered on the stem or branches, and sometimes but a single leaf is seen, and that springs immediately from the root, and is termed a radical, while those which grow from the stem are called cauh'ne. Some plants have both cauline and radical leaves, and some have neither. The following cuts will illustrate the principal shapes observable in leaves. Serrate. Palmate. Cordate. Ovate. Lanceolate. These may be separated into two distinct classes, the simple and the compound; the simple being those 36 FLOWKBS. Sagtjtat*. Sinuate. Mucronate. Digitate. Crenate. whicli, though much notched, are not divided into separate parts. The Fuchsia has a simple leaf. The compound are such as consist of a number of small leaflets arranged upon a common midrib, as is seen in the Sweet Pea Emarginate. Temate. Pinnatifid. Bipinnate. Pinnate. Leaves may be considered as the most important appendages of plants, and certainly add not a little to their beauty ; the flower would lose much of its lustre were it not in contrast with the pleasing and agree able color of the leaf. FLOWERS. 37 CHAPTER III. THE AMERICAN ALOE — THE PASSION FLOWER — ORCHIDS — TRUMPET FLOWER — MORNING GLORY — THE ROSE — BLACK- BEERY — DAISY — COMPOUND FLOWERS. F all the forms in whicli flowers appear, there is perhaps none more wonderful than that of the Aloe. Its peculiar habits, and its gigantic dimensions, may well entitle it to the name of king of flowers. It is commonly known by the name of " The Century Plant," from the fact that it was formerly supposed to bloom only once in a hundred years. This is, however, an error which time has corrected, as many specimens have been known to flower in conservatories in much shorter periods; and it is probable that in its native climate it occurs at an early age. In the United States the Aloe is probably the best known, and most fre- quently kept as an ornament to our hot-houses. It is a native of tropical America, where it is a plant of great utility to the Indians. The singular fact that it blooms but once, and that its existence terminates with the decay of its flowors, has rendered it particularly interesting; and as the 4 38 FLOWERS. opportunity of witnessing so beautiful a spectacle i/ of rare occurrence; it is regarded as a great curiosity A noble sped men, probably 80 or 90 years of age, recently bloomed in Philadelphia About the middle of the summer of 1858, the stem made its appear- ance, and in six weeks' time it had reached the height of about twenty feet, being seven inches in diameter at the base, and crowned with sev- enteen fascicles of greenish yellow flowers, number- ing in all about 3000, and spreading over a space of nearly eighteen feet in circumference. In Mexico, the West Indies, and South America, where several varieties of this plant are found, it is often cultivated by the natives, and its different parts appropriated to useful purposes. It may frequently be seen planted in long rows, which serve as hedges, and form an impervious barrier both to man and beaat. American Aloe. FLOWERS. 89 In no other country, perhaps, is the Aloe so gene- rally serviceable as in America. The rope bridges of Mexico, so often named as dangerous to the traveller unaccustomed to cross them, are formed entirely of cords made of the fibrous parts of its root. These bridges, swung over some foaming torrent, have pieces of the bamboo stem placed at small intervals across the ropes, disclosing through their interstices the dashing of the waters; and their rude structure, oscillating either with the wind or the unsteady footsteps of the passengers, might appal the heart of the strongest and bravest strangers, while the Indian passes lightly and fear- lessly over. The leaves of the Aloe, when baked, form an ex- cellent article of food, and from the juice, sugar and medicines are prepared. The strong flower stems serve as beams for the roofs of the Indian dwellings, and the leaves supply the place of tiles. In former times the Aloe was extensively cultivated for the manufacture of paper, and great quantities were evidently used in the time of the Montezumas in painting hieroglyphics. The paper produced from this plant resembles that made by the Egyptians from the papyrus. The ancient Mexican manuscripts, which have received so much attention from the learned, and upon whose records is based the history of that injured and interesting people, were painted chiefly upon paper made from the fibre of the aloe. Many of these " picture writings," as they have been called, are still preserved at Mexico. 40 FLOWERS. From the juice pressed from the flowers of this plant, the natives prepare a very pleasant and refresh- ing beverage, called " pulque," of which they are very fond, and it is said to be quite nutritious and wholesome, although, if taken in large quantities, it produces the same effect as brandy. The drug called aloes is the thickened juice of a species of aloe, which grows abundantly near the Cape of Grood Hope. It is procured by cutting the leaves in pieces, and pressing and boiling them ; after which the juice is allowed to cool, when it becomes hard. How few, who look upon the thick spiny leaves of the Aloes, as they stand in our green-houses, ever reflect upon the great usefulness of this plant to the natives of America ! flanging in gay festoons about the venerable trees of the American forests, the various kinds of Passion-, Flowers form objects of splendor which arrest the attention of the traveller. In this, their native soil, they grow to much greater perfection than when kept in our green-houses ; and their large starry blossoms hang down in profusion among the branches, or clasp by their strong tendrils the immense trunks of the trees. There are upwards of forty species found growing in various parts of the world, varying greatly in their color and appearance. Some are very strong and robust plants, sending out long stout stems which lay hold of anything within their reach; and in the summer season, when their growth is rank and rapid, FLOWERS. 41 they soon envelope the trunks of the trees in a rich and luxuriant mantle. These have mostly large blue, white, or crimson flowers, which they bear in great abundance. The greatest number of varieties may probably be found in South America and the West Indies. One or two species grow in the United States, and many in Africa and the adjacent islands. These flowers are of short continuance, generally lasting but one day, opening a little before noon, and closing in the evening. The name of Passion-Flower was given to it by the Spaniards, whose attention was attracted by the beau- tiful and showy appearance made by the vines in the forests of Mexico and South America; and fancy pictured to them in the various parts of the flower a resemblance to the crown of thorns, and the other signs of our Saviour's passion. Alluding to this, the poet Barton says : — "We soar to heaven; and to outlive Our life's contracted span, Unto the glorious stars "we give The names of mortal man. Then may not one poor floweret's bloom The holier memory share Of Him who, to avert our doom, Vouchsafed our sins to bear? God dwelleth not in temples reared By work of human hands; Yet shrines august, by man revered, Are found in Christian lands. 4 ♦ 42 FLOWERS And may not e'en a simple flower Proclaim his glorious praise, "Whose fiat only, had the power, Its form from earth to raise ? Then freely let the blossom ope Its beauties — to recall A scene which bids the humble hope In Him who died for all ! " In the same coun- tries where the Night- Blooming Cereus and the Passion - Flower wreathe their bright blossoms among the forest - trees, may be seen many other cu- rious and interesting plants ; among them is a tribe known as Orchises or Orchids; these, like the Cereus, are often found grow- ing upon the trunks and branches, and Butterfly Orchis. sometlmcs in such quantities, as almost to deprive the tree of the nou- rishing sap intended for its support. If we should attempt to describe the multiplied forms and color- ings of these air-plants, it would cost the labor of a lifetime. They mostly consist of rough unsightly bulbs, which, for about one-half the year, lie appa- FLOWERS. 43 rently lifeless, adhering by their tough fibrous roots to the bark ; but no sooner do the clouds of the rainy season empty their life-giving virtues upon the earth, than they send out their leaves in thick tufts, which, being often long and grass-like, have a graceful ap- pearance. After these have arrived at their full perfection, the flower-stems shoot forth, and are some- times several feet in length, loaded with a profusion of gay flowers, frequently very large, and of almost every imaginable shape and color. Some of them bear a close resemblance to living objects. Thus, in the Butterfly Orchis, the likeness is so striking, that one unacquainted with the plant would suppose that a large yellow butterfly had chanced to light upon it. Orchises are divided into two kinds, terrestrials or such as grow upon the ground, and Epiphytes, or those which hang from the trees. Many very beau- tiful terrestrial Orchids are to be found in our own woods and meadows. But the most curious and re- markable species are exotics, and require peculiar treatment to make them flower. The roots are tied to a rough stick of wood, with the bark upon it, and are suspended from the roof of the green-house; others are planted in pots filled with stones and rotten wood. The air in the house being kept constantly moist, the plants thrive and produce their blossoms in great perfection. Another very attractive and showy species of plants is the BigLonia, or Trumpet-Flower; of this, many varieties abound in the same localities as the Orchids, and may often be seen weaving a tangled web with 44 FLOWERS. their long twining stems as they clamber over the trees. The great abundance of these and other vines in the tropical forests, so fills up the recesses between the undergrowth, as to render them almost impene- trable, and travellers often speak of being compelled to cut their way through with axes. These tangled brakes are the lodging-places of thousands of beauti- ful birds, which build their nests and rear their young without fear of intrusion. Here the jewelled breast of the Humming-Bird is seen glittering in the light, as it flits from flower to flower and gently dips its tiny bill into their sweet ambrosial cups ; and here may be heard the wild screams of flocks of gay plu- maged Parrots, intermingled with the no less clamor- ous chattering of troops of monkeys. On the borders of these forests may also be found in great profusion, many elegant varieties of Convol- vulus or Morning-Glories, plants with which most persons are familiar. Of all the flowers with which Nature with a lavish hand adorns our gardens, there is perhaps none more showy or more fleeting. Their delicately painted petals, their luxuriant growth, the graceful drooping of their long twining branches, and, above all, the gorgeous array of large showy blossoms, which welcome with their smiles the earliest streaks of dawn, all conspire to render them, as they truly are, the glory of the morning. But how in- structive is the lesson conveyed by the language of Scripture, which is so applicable to this beautiful plant ; — " For the sun is no sooner risen with a bum- FLOWERS. 45 ing heat, than the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth." The common sweet potato is a species of Convol- vulus, and was originally brought from South Ame- rica. Its blossoms are bright purple, but are so hidden beneath the leaves, as to attract but little attention. Most varieties of Convolvulus, or Ipomsea, are an- nuals, and are grown from seed, but there are some whose roots are perennial, and in their native climates they are constantly clothed with verdure. One of these, which, in this latitude, requires the protection of the green-house during the winter, extends its branches to a great length, sometimes forty feet in one season, and over four hundred flowers have been counted at one time upon a single vine, each flower being four inches in diameter. But foremost among the flowers of the garden stands the rose, a general favorite on account of its soft and delicate colorings, and its delightful fragrance. The rose was undoubtedly well known, and its qualities appreciated, at a very early period. In the Scriptures, it is alluded to, where the idea of great beauty and excellence is intended to be conveyed. Solomon, in Canticles, speaks of the "Rose of Sha- ron;" and the prophet Isaiah, in ch. xxxv. 1, thus makes use of it in a beautiful comparison : " The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them, and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose." We are greatly in