246 THE PLANT WOELD 



As an ornamental tree Cocos nucifera is almost without a peer 



among the palms. The restful effect of scenery in which a number of 



the long waving plumes appear, set in relief against the ultramarine of 



a Cuban sky and sea, is something to be imagined rather than described. 



Washington, d. c. Charles L. Pollard. 



FLORAL EMBLEMS. 



Several States have chosen a State flower, and just now the school 

 children of West Virginia are in the midst of a campaign preliminary 

 to a vote which will determine the floral emblem of that State. Laurel, 

 which flourishes in mountain regions, appears to be a favorite in the 

 contest. Might it not be a diversion were a floral emblem chosen for 

 the District of Columbia ? The States and the flowers adopted by them 

 as typical are : California, the poppy ; Louisiana and Mississippi, the 

 magnolia ; Colorado, the columbine ; Maine, the pine cone ; Kansas, the 

 sunflower ; New York, the rose ; Khode Island, the \iolet ; Iowa and 

 North Dakota, the wild rose ; Vermont, the red clover ; Delaware, the 

 peach blossom ; Utah, the sego lily ; Idaho, the syringa ; Arkansas and 

 Michigan, the apple blossom ; Oklahoma, the mistletoe ; Oregon, the 

 Oregon grape; Washington, the rhododendron; and Minnesota, the 

 lady slipper. Several States are discussing the matter of the adoption 

 of a State flower, and it is thought likely that Florida will choose the 

 orange blossom. New Mexico the cactus, Kentucky the blue grass, and 

 South Carolina the palmetto, though there is much more palmetto in 

 Florida than in the " Palmetto State." 



If a flower for the District were to be chosen it might be one of 

 many. The old gardens of the District bloom with lilac, snowball, 

 spirea, jonquil, rose and myrtle. The fields in summer and autumn 

 are yellow with golden rod, Avhile wild roses, violets, arbutus and laurel 

 may be found through all the woods. Within late years a brilliant and 

 dashing flower which has gained great publicity and distinction in the 

 city is the red canna. Last summer it flamed in all the public reserva- 

 tions, and its blaze of color was seen in a great number of private gar- 

 dens. — The Washington Star. 



A TREE THAT OWNS ITSELF. 



A giant oak tree which owns itself and eight feet of ground on all 

 sides is one of the unique attractions at Athens, Ga., says the Washing- 

 ton Times. 



The tree stands on Dearing street, in fashionaple Cobham, and is 

 one of the most magnificent oaks in all the South. It is tall and sym- 



