776 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



small flower-buds to the ripe, rose-colored berries. Tliis very popular 

 shade-tree belongs with the sumacs and poison-ivy, and is pervaded 

 with a bitter, milky juice. Various species of acacias were in bloom. 

 Good specimens of phyllodia were obtained from these trees, loaded 

 with their small spheres of fine flowers. 



The orange, lemon, and lime, in the genus Citrus, are all examples 

 of plants that may have flowers and ripe fruit at the same time. This 

 is most frequently true of the lime, next of the lemon, and least of the 

 orange. However, it was not diflicult to find orange-trees as early as 

 December bearing a ripening crop of fruit intermingled with sprays 

 of the famous fragrant flowers. The most impressive floral display 

 was in the almond-orchards, where, rising from the dry, cleanly-kept 

 soil, there Mere thousands of peach-like trees in straight rows, still 

 without leaves, but in full bloom. The whole area was one vast sea 

 of pink or peach-color, and the January air was full of the humming 

 bees and lazy butterflies which were here finding so much to eat that 

 life seemed almost a burden to them. As •with soine other species then 

 in bloom, the almond-trees had been encouraged by the dry, warm 

 winter, and had blossomed earlier than usual. This is a dangerous 

 event, for, should the subsequent weather be cold and wet, the fruits 

 blight, and the crop is much injured. 



The leading Vinter-flowering ornamental shrubs are the roses, of 

 which enough in praise can not be said. The heliotropes have a 

 wealth of bloom, and a fragrance that scents the whole air. Gerani- 

 ums [Pe/f/rf/oniums) cover the sides of houses, and display a blaze of 

 scarlet flowers. When water is supplied, the whole list of garden- 

 flowers may be obtained in midwinter. A circle of callas around a 

 fountain or water-tank, with spathes a foot across and as Avhite as 

 newly fallen snow, was no uncommon sight. But this paper deals 

 only with the plants that grow without irrigation and bloom from 

 the dust. 



We remained long enough after the first rains fell to see the foot- 

 hills begin to grow green, and were confidently informed that in a short 

 time the warm days would quicken all vegetation into new life, and, 

 in place of a few straggling plants, the whole face of the country would 

 be covered Avith a variety of flowers more to be associated with fairy- 

 land than anything on earth. However this may be, there are enough 

 s])ecies which do not give u]> the struggle upon the apiu-oach of drought, 

 so that, if a person is really bent u))on finding blossoms, he may succeed, 

 even though he wade tlirough dust to get them. 



The Bi<liop of Bedford lately said, in a sermon, of evolution, tliat we had 

 read our Bibles wrongly before, and may be reading tliem wrongly now ; and 

 protested against a hasty denunciation of what might bo proved to have at least 

 some elements of truth in it, and against a contemptuous rejection of theories 

 that we might some day accept freely and as not inconsistent with God's Word. 



