388 



THE ^MERicar* mmm journs.!,. 



OF SEWS. 



Our !\atioiial rio-wer.— On page 

 39-2 Mr. O. L. Hershiser devotes some atten- 

 tion to the matter now beins; discussed as 

 to which sliall be selected as the National 

 Flower of America— the Golden-rod, the 

 May-flower, or the Laurel, etc. It is to be 

 submitted to vote— the " polls " closing next 

 New Year's day. 



It is a singular fact that while the thistle 

 represents SScotlaud, the rose stands for 

 England, and the slmmi-ock for Ireland- 

 America has no National flower ! Perhaps 

 this may be accounted for in the fact that 

 our forefathers were much opposed to even 

 acknowledge that this was a Nation— pre- 

 ferring to think of it as a Confederation of 

 States. 



Tliousands of votes have already been 

 registered, but as there ^re yet six months 

 Iniwhich to register preferences, the result 

 may be in favor of either flower, according 

 to the systematic work done in Its favor by 

 its devotees. 



Here is a chance for bee-keepers to vote 

 solidly for the Golden-rod, and by their 

 united influence have it selected. Reader, 

 do not neglect this opportunity to do our 

 chosen pursuit a good turn. 



Mr. Hershiser describes the Golden-rod, 

 and presents its claims in an excellent man- 

 ner. Read it. As the bees have no vote, 

 let every bee-keeper vote for the bees. The 

 Golden-rod will thrive everywhere. 



France has the lily. England the rose— 

 Every one knows where the shanirock «rows ; 

 Scotland the thistle on the heathers nod— 

 America's flower— gay Golden-rod ! 



It may not be uninteresting to learn what 

 other papers have to say on this subject, 

 we therefore copy the following : 



VOTINO.— When the vote of the people has been 

 taken Congress would no doubt sanction then- 

 verdict by the adoption of suitable resolutions, and 

 the national flower of America would thus for all 

 time be determined. At any rate the discussion 

 can do no harm, and may i.p productive of much 

 good. Let it go on.— Ofiio State Journal. 



ORN —In the pleasant atlair of a national em- 

 blem we can liorrow from Germany and from Sci .t- 

 land and adopt the corn flower, andglory in the title 

 of the land o cakcs.-CincinmiM Commerciat Gaz. 



DANDELION.— Several flowers have already lieen 

 nrouo^ed fi>r this exalted position, but no one seems 

 to have thought ot the le.mtodon taraxacum, the 

 king of the .\merican Hnra. The Press advocates, 

 therefore, the adoption of tliis modest, hardy, beau- 

 tiful, and useful tlowcr as the one best fitted to 

 represent ■ uir great Nation. Hurrah for the dnude- 

 lion.— A'ew I'orlc Press. 



VIOLET.— We favor tlie violet. It stands for 

 modesty, and is, therefore, a true representative ol 

 America. Its clors are rich, but not glaring. It 

 grows in the garden and out of it. It loves the sun. 

 Iiut it can sprout and bloom under the snow. Ibis 

 18 the tlower to symbolize the Bepublic.-Aeu; 1 or); 

 Herald. 



DOn FENNEL.— If a flower. of general distribu- 

 tion is wanted, and one that everybody will know as 

 soon as he puts liis ovf ..n it, why not take dog 

 fennel! It is nluimla.it, mndest, and very difficult 

 to conquer.— ii/iniai. Ind., Heljiiet. 



MORNING-GLORT.-The chrysanthemum is the 

 national flower ot the .Tapanese. the China-aster ot 

 China, the cactus of Mexico, the lilac of Persia. 

 Garlic we assume to be the favorite with the Ital- 

 )an«as a boutonnicre. kale of the Hollanders, cauh- 

 flowerof the Germans, and the snow-ball of Ispr- 

 way and Sweden, No one as yet has put In a claim 

 for the brilliant morning-glory for America, yet 

 what is gayer or more brilliant than an arboror sides 

 of a cottaBC embellished wltli radiant van-colored 

 morning-Blories. Native or domesticated, they are 

 equally lovelv,— Dni/feiii, 0., Journal. 



INDI.\N CORN.— This was suggested many years 

 ago as a Irulv iiatii'iial plant, and a fitting emblem 

 for the United States, it is sturdy, yet graceful. Its 

 flower is modest luit beautiful. Sculptors have 

 found in its jointed stalk and drooping leaves sug- 

 gestions for new designs as ftraceful as the acanthus 

 leaves of the Greeks. It is useful as well as hand- 

 some, and no more thoroughly representative plant 

 could be found anyrvhi^re.- Philadelphia Inquirer. 



SNOWBALL.— Annie Whitelaw Houk. of Hutch- 

 inson, Kaus., writes ; " Lucy Stone votes f<jr the 

 sunflower. The sunflower belongs to the women of 

 Kansas bv adoption, and hence is too sectional for 

 the floral emblem of our national banner. The 

 same reason 1 would discard the trailing arbutus 

 and the magnolia graudifiora, and suggest the 

 merits nf the variety of viburnum, known as the 

 snowball for that distinction. In Ct.dor the fl.jwer is 

 emblematic of purity, in form of eternity, and iu 

 structure it is a flt translation for our Nation's 

 luottii. ' E Pluribus Unum.' being composed of a 

 number oi small florets, each one perfect in itself, 

 yet combining to form a grand whole. For these 

 reasons, witii the weighty one in addition that it 

 grows well in all parts of the country, I vote for the 

 snowball."— C/iicayo Dail^i Nnvs. 



The discussion began over a year ago in 

 the Boston Globe. It has now spread over 

 the entire country, and has culminated in 

 the publication of an exquiste little book, 

 by Mr. Prang, entitled, " Our National 

 Flower," which can be obtained at this 

 office (price 2.5 cents), with postal card vote 

 enclosed. The book contains elegaut pict- 

 ures of the two leading candidates, iu lovely 

 colors, with verses pleading for the Nation's 

 choice. ^Vhen ordering the book, if your 

 preference or vote is expressed, we will 

 publish it in the Bee Journal. 



The Golden-rod will be selected, if bee- 

 keepers throw the weight of their influence 

 in the scale, and vote solidly for it. Then 

 it will receive much more attention than 

 heretofore, and will be cultivated in great 

 abundance— as the National floral emblem— 

 and our little winged friends will enjoy its 

 wealth of nectar, where now they have 

 nothing to take its place after the lindens 

 have given their rich yield of honej'. 



As the National Flower, the Golden-rod 

 will grace every hillside, stream and valley, 

 and will lie as dear to patriotic hearts as the 

 National Hymn and National Flag. Where 

 now it is but seldom seen, it will be culti- 

 vated, and thus materially add to the wealth 

 of the flowers, when autumn comes with its 

 tinges of glory and hues of magnificence ! 



To be instrumental in selecting the " Na- 

 tional Flower of America," will be some- 

 thing to be proud ot in all your future lite, 

 and will be gloried iu by your posterity. To 

 do it, you must act at once, and give it your 

 full endeavor. 



Uuited Stales Census.- The Super- 

 intendent of the Census has issued the fol- 

 lowing to the medical profession : 



The various medical associations and the 

 medical profession will be glad to learn that 

 Dr. John S. Billings, Surgeon ot the United 

 States Army, has consented to take charge 

 of the Report on the Mortality and "\rital 

 Statistics of the United States as returned 

 by the Eleventh Census. 



As the United States has no system of 

 registration ot vital statistics, such" as is re- 

 lied upon by other civilized nations for tlie 

 purpose of ascertaining the actual move- 

 ment of population, our census affords the 

 only opportunity of obtaining near an ap- 

 proximate estimate of the birth and death 

 rates of much the larger part of the country, 

 which is entirely unprovided with any satis- 

 factory 35'stem of State and luuniciijal reg- 

 istration. 



In view of this, the Census Oflice will 

 issue to the medical profession throughout 



the country, " Physician's Registers " for 

 the purpose of obtaining more accurate re- 

 turns or deaths than it is possible for the 

 enumerators to make. It is earnestly hoped 

 that physicians iu every part of the coun- 

 try will co-operate with the Census Office in 

 this important work. The record should be 

 kept from June 1, 1SS9, to May SI, 1890. 

 Nearly 2(3,000 of the registration books were 

 filled up and returned to the office In ISSO, 

 and nearly all ot them used for statistical 

 purposes. It is hoped that double this num- 

 ber will be obtained for the Eleventh 

 Census. 



Physicians not receiving Registers can 

 obtain them by sending their names and ad- 

 dresses to the Census Office, and, with the 

 Register, an official envelope which requires 

 no stamp, will be provided for their return 

 to Washington. 



If all medical and surgical practitioners 

 throughout the country will lend their aid, 

 the mortality and vital statistics of the 

 Eleventh Census will be more comprehen- 

 sive and complete than they have ever been. 

 Every physician should take a personal 

 pride in having this report as full and ac- 

 curate as it is possible to make it. 



It is hereby promised that all information 

 obtained through this source shall be held 

 strictly confidential. 



Robert P. Porter, 

 Superintendent of Census. 



It is necessary to obtain the co-operation 

 of medical men in all parts of the country 

 to insure a successful result. This is »11 

 volunteer work on the part of the physician, 

 but will give material help to a most impor- 

 tant branch of statistical inquiry. 



It is equally important to the country that 

 the returns in relation to farm products and 

 live stock should be full and correct. The 

 enumerator, iu the house-to-house visit he 

 will make, during the month of June, ISOO, 

 will be constantly met with the fact that 

 farmers keep no books, and hence returns 

 are not frequently guess-work. The census 

 year began on June 1st, and ends May 31, 

 1S90. If farmers throughout the country 

 would note tliis fact, and keep account of 

 the products of their farms during the census 

 year, it would be of material aid in securing 

 reliable returns for the Eleventh Census. 



Our Conveittiou Ilantl-Book.— 



This is a very useful book for those who at- 

 tend conventions, and should be generally 

 used. Mr. O. L. Hershiser, of Buttalo, N. 

 T., writes thus concerning it, under date of 



June 1, 1S89: 



Mk. Newman :— We found your little 

 hand-book for use in organizing conven- 

 tions very useful. We adopted, with slight 

 modifications, a constitution found therein. 



Our meeting was attended with much en- 

 thusiasm and good cheer. The bee and 

 honey industry seems to be awakening to 

 new life in this portion of the State. We 

 expect to derive much benefit from our as- 

 sociation socially, and intellectually and 

 financially. 



C^" The International Bee-Keepers' Association 

 will meet in the court-house, at Brantford. Out., 

 Canada, on December 4. 5. and G. ISso. All bee- 

 keepers are invited to attend, and State and District 

 bee-keei'crs' societies are requested to apiioiut del- 

 egates to the convention. Full particulars of the 

 meeting will be given in due time. Anyone desirous 

 of becoming amenil«er, and receiving the last Annu- 

 al Report bound, mav do so bv forwarding $1.00 to 

 the Secretary. — R. F. Holt'ekmanx, Sec. Bran^ 

 ford.Ont.. Canada. 



