Democratic Sentinel, Volume 20, Number 28, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 July 1896 — FOR A NATIONAL FLOWER. [ARTICLE]

FOR A NATIONAL FLOWER.

The Columbine's Claims to Be Selected as Our Floral Emblem. Gertrude Christian Fosdick, in the Ladies’ Home Journal, advocates the adoption of the columbine as our National flower, and considers its many commending points: “First, its very name suggest Columbia,” she writes. “Nor la this, as may appear, a mere trivial play upon words. We know that the word Columbus means dove, a fact full of poetic signifleanee when we remember how Columbus, like Noah's messenger of old, was sent forth to discover a new land. We also know that the columbine took its name from the resemblance which one view ot the flower bears to a group of doves. This form grows wild in the region where Columbus was bora, as well as iu our ltocky Mountain States. Then, too, the botanical and horticultural name of the flower is Aquilegia, which isVonnected with the Latin acini hi, an eagle, and was so named because t lie flower reversed suggests an.eagle's talons. Thus we have the thought of our Amerirtin eagle, emblematic of fearless power. Again, a front view of the flower shows the outline to Ik; a beautiful ttve-rayed star, emblematic of the stars of our flag 5 while, the leaf terminates in thirteen lobes, the number of the stripes, as well as of the number of original Stages In the Union. Another point is that while the columbine grows in many colors, three colors—the brilliant red, pure white and the exquisite Cerulean blue—are tlie American variety of the flower. Once more, a single petal of one of the long-spurred variety the shape of a horn of plenty, slgmo-l cant of this fruitful land, while short-spurred petal forms a perfect little liberty cap. Lastly, it grows In efery State of the Union, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and from Canada to the Gulf. It point of hardihood It compares favorably with the rose. Our wild columbines are in full bloom by Memorial Day, and have not all disappeared by the Fourth of July.”