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daughters at home. I am glad that in parts of California, particularly in 

 Chico, they are attempting to adopt this plan, surrounding their houses 

 with what is lovely, and when we do this we can make an Eden, a para- 

 dise in California, which we have heard so much about. We have para- 

 dises in California — I am glad we have them for those we love. I have 

 a golden-haired little child whom I love to surround with all things that 

 are beautiful, and to see her learn to love the flowers and everything that is 

 lovely, and therefore we shall bring to the world something that is a benefit 

 to the world instead of a damage. 



Mr. Klee: Mr. Smith in his very interesting essay has referred to 

 medicinal plants. I believe, as he says, that there is considerable of a 

 future to the cultivation of various medicinal plants. The California cli- 

 mate that we speak so much about has a tendency of developing a very 

 strong aroma of the various plants. He says that he disputed the fact 

 that was stated by people that our flowers did not have the fragrance of 

 those of the Eastern States, or other countries. I believe they do have as 

 much, but owing to the often occurring dry winds just at the blooming time, 

 they lose it very quickly, but I think it is there all the same. Whenever 

 we have a change of the wind, and moisture is brought about, their fra- 

 grance then becomes overpowering. But there is another class of plants 

 outside of roses and such, and that is the mint family. We have a great 

 many plants of that order, and they are exceedingly rich and aromatic. 

 From those we derive a great many kinds of material oil. In the south 

 of France, and also in the Southern States, there is considerable made out 

 of preparing this material oil. As regards the medicinal plants, there are 

 many that are adapted to our climate which we now receive from other 

 countries. There is one in particular which is a very useful plant and 

 used very largely in medicine; I refer to the Rhubarb. That is a plant 

 that they use enormous quantities of, and I am satisfied that there are 

 many portions of this State where it would flourish. I have had some 

 little experience with it, and from that I can say it is successful in central 

 localities. I think it would pay to give more attention to that, and I agree 

 perfectly with Mr. Smith that we ought to diversify our horticultural prod- 

 ucts as much as possible, and there may be a good many people that now 

 have gone into fruit culture that will find it is not quite as profitable in 

 that locality as they expected; that they perhaps have got the wrong kind 

 of soil, etc., and who perhaps will turn their attention to such things, liking, 

 as they undoubtedly do, the culture of plants and outdoor life. 



Mr. White: I would speak of some of our California native woods for 

 ornamenting our yards and homes. We have in the redwood regions the 

 genuine yew of Europe, and it attains a larger size here than elsewhere, 

 a most beautiful ornamental tree; and, then, perhaps you know that far 

 back there was a cedar discovered in Port Orford which has been used 

 largely for inside blinds, and there is no wood that rivals it for that pur- 

 pose and general finishing purposes in the finest of dwellings, and it is one 

 of the most beautiful crnamental trees when properly looked after. Only 

 a few miles from National City you will find a rare pine, I believe found 

 nowhere else in the world, which maybe made one of the most ornamental 

 of trees. Now the evergreen we use for hedges, the Monterey cypress, is 

 peculiar to that, and we have a pine' peculiar to the same section of coun- 

 try, and if you go a little further north a good many shrubs in the hills — 

 the calycanthus, I have it growing in my yard, a beautiful shrub, flower- 

 ing. Then we have the native nutmeg tree of California, I have it in my 

 yard, one of the most beautiful ornamental trees that we have; I have 

 acacias from Africa and from India; but, sir, I would not exchange that 



