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Syria, India and Arabia, it is regarded with the profound- 

 est reverence. The leaves that encircle the round blossom, 

 dry. and close tight -when the season of blossom is over, 

 and the stock withering completely away from the stem, 

 the flower is blown away at last from the bush on which it 

 grew, havipg dried up in the shape of a ball, which is 

 carried by the sport of the breezes to great distances. In 

 this way, it is borne over sandy wastes and deserts, until at 

 last, reaching some moist place, it cMngs to the soil, where 

 it immediately takes fresh root and springs to life and 

 beauty again. For this very reason, the orientals' have 

 adopted it as the emblem of the resurrection. The dried 

 flower is placed by the Judeans in a vase of water beside 

 the beds of the sick, and if it expands by moisture, the 

 omen is considered to be favorable. If it does not, the 

 worst at all times is feared. 



FORSYTHIA SPLENDENS. 



This is a large shrub, having a cactus-like appearance, 

 and is by many supposed to be a cactus. It grows on 

 table lands and mountain tops, on limestone rocks or in 

 limestone soils. It is a prominent feature, and gives, a 

 singular appearance to many a landscape between the 

 Pecos and Rio Grande. It grows to the height of from ten 

 to fifteen feet, sending out numerous and nearly straight 

 branches from the top of its stem or bole, which is only 

 about six inches long above the surface of the ground. 

 These branches are generally unbranched, having dense 

 clusters of deep green leaves placed at short intervals along 

 the stem. At the bases of the leaves is one and sometimes 

 two spines about half an inch long. Its flowers are trum- 

 pet shaped, of a red and scarlet hue, in quite dense clusters 

 at the ends of the branches. The branches ascend at 

 various angles, diverging and forming an open top. 



Mr. Spencer, who lives on the Rio G-rande, about twelve 

 miles above Presidio "del Norte, in. Presidio county, has a 

 door yard fence, made picket Jashioh, from the limbs of 

 the Forsythia, which is called "ocotea" byt he Mexicans. 

 He intends to make a hedge of the ocotea by planting it a 

 few feet apart and train its limbs into the line of the fence. 

 These limbs are when grotvn, two or three or more inches in 

 diameter and sufficiently strong to turn cattle. The ocotea 

 grows vigorously. 



