104 



HOME AND FLOWERS 



The goldenrod has been advocated by 

 many — it is beautiful for a short time only, 

 then becomes a pest, although it has been 

 chosen as state flower by Alabama and 

 Nebraska. The arbutus has also been ad- 

 vocated. It grows only in certain places 

 and is, as Mr" John Burroughs says, "ex- 

 quisite, loving rocks and evergreens, un- 

 tamable — the very spirit of the woods". 



Mes. Julia Keith. 



I have to admit that I have never taken 

 much interest in the matter of the selec- 

 tion of a flower as a national emblem. It 

 has always seemed to me that in the eagle 

 we have quite all the emblem we need. 

 There have been so many floral candidates 

 put forward by various parties for the po- 

 sition that it has been impossible, so far. 

 to decide between them, as all have cer- 

 tain meritorious features, and most of 

 them have peculiarities which somewhat 

 strongly prejudice many against them. 

 Among all of them, however, I consider 

 corn entitled to the most careful consider- 

 ation. It is purely American in origin, it 

 is beautiful in leaf and fruit, and has a 

 classic dignity which would make it ex- 

 tremely effective in architectural treat- 

 ment. A frieze of it in public buildings 



would have all the strength of the acan- 

 thus, but none of the flowers named could 

 stand such treatment. They would be 

 altogether insignificant. This question, 

 I think, is somethino^ like that of woman's 



ONE SUCCESSFUL VIRGINIA CREEPER 



suffrage. It will be heard from, occasion- 

 ally, but no definite action will be taken 

 concerning it by "the powers that be". As 

 I said before, we have a national emblem 

 in the eagle, and one that answers all pur- 

 poses. Why not be satisfied with it and not 

 attempt to introduce a rival for which 

 there seems to be no popular demand? 

 Let the eagle have the field to himself. 



THE SIDE AND REAR OF ONE CLEVELAND HOME 



