SUMMER MEETING, 1894. 233 



THE FRUITS AND FLOWERS OF NEW MEXICO. 

 By Mrs Dorilus Morrison. 



In response to the theme of the "Fruits and Flowers of New Mexico," 

 let tne say that our visit there was in the winter season, and, therefore 

 the most and the best I could do was to read and talk flowers with 

 those enthusiastic people. 



The main difticulty with successful orowing of some kinds of 

 plants and fruits there is the limited supply of water, but they are 

 a progressive people,away off there in New Mexico, and they are busy 

 in developing" all sorts of schemes for irrig-ation; and when they per- 

 fect this system, they will tell you — some of them will — that they 

 will rival California. 



. The territory is especially adapted to the culture of the grape, 

 the yield of fruit being abundant and the wine produced of 

 excellent quality everywhere. The cactus, differing varieties of 

 them, are to be seen, sometimes almost like a tree upon the plains, 

 and then, again, high up among the rocks; and in spite of its differ- 

 ent aspect, armedthickly,as it is, with thick needle-pointed spines.it 

 is said to be a splendid object late in June, when every branch bears 

 at its apex a large cluster of brilliant blossoms. 



Tradition is largely associated with this flower, and upon the coat 

 of arms of New Mexico there is always to be seen the cactus with a 

 serpent entwined about it, which is an emblein of the discovery of 

 the territory of the early Spaniards, with a superstitious but very 

 interesting story connected with it, that is much too long to relate 

 at this time. 



One hears the most wonderful stories of the jjlums, the apricots, 

 the cherries, the blackberries, raspberries and manj^ other fruits of 

 New Mexico, all of which I was prepared to believe by a circum- 

 stance which I will relate to you: — 



Our visit there happened to be to Gov. and Mrs. Prince, who re- 

 sided in Santa Fe. Gov. Prince was the vice-president, and Mrs. 

 Prince the first lady member, of the horticultural society of 

 New Mexico. They became interested in my paper upon the "Culture 

 of the Rose in Private Grounds" given before this society, and 

 urged me to repeat it to a company of friends invited one Sunda3' 

 evening to their house for this purpose. 



Out of this it came to be noised about in the small town that I was 

 especially interested in floriculture, and before we left Santa Fe 

 some members of the board of trade kindly sent me a wonderful, 

 pictvire of the fruits and flowers of New Mexico. I have always meant 

 that the picture should finally find its way to the walls of the Min- 

 nesota Horticultural rooms, as an inspiration for us to emulate the 

 magnificent products of that far off territory of our beloved land. 

 And is there any more propitious moment, my friends, than this verj^ 

 present one for the execution of that good intentiouT-" I think not, 

 and so I have had the picture attractively framed, and may I now 

 beg that the society will excuse me from talking* of a subject which 

 is so much more vividly portrayed in the picture before us, and that 

 j^ou will accept, with my heartj' good wishes, this New Mexican 



