Rensselaer Republican, Volume 16, Number 35, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 May 1884 — Floral Clocks. [ARTICLE]

Floral Clocks.

We read that at the opening of each hour, by night and by day, somewhere, a band of “feathered quiristers” breaks into happy song; from branch or rooftree, skimming the waves, or stirring the stillness of forest depths, the sweet arousing Btrain awakens silvery echoes. And so it is with flowers; each plant has its appointed season of awakening to a new day. And beautifully has one of our own poets given the story of this joyous greeting time: “Ah I well I mind the calendar (Faithful through a thousand years) Of the painted race of flowers — Exact to days, exact to hours, Counted on the spacious dial Yon 'broidered zodiac girds. I know the pretty almanac Of the punctual coming back. On their due days of the birds." Of the waking and sleeping hours of plants, the great Linnaeus has given us a list: “The morning-glory opens at about 2 in the morning, closing at 10; rutland beauty opens at 6 in the morning, closing at 11 ; vegetable oyster opens at 4 in the morning, closing at 12; poppy opens at sin the morning; bitter-sweet opens at 6in the morning; water-lily opens* at 7 in the morning; scarlet pimpernell (the poor man’s weatherglass) opens at 8 in the morning; garden marigold (Calendula arvensis) opens at 9 in the morning; sandwort (Arenaria rubra ) opens at 10 in the morning; star of Bethlehem (Oi~nithogalum) opens at 11 in the morning; passion-flower (Passiflora cccrubra ) opens at 12 in the morning; feverfew opens about 2in the afternoon; fonro’clock opens at 4 in. the afternoon; catchfly opens at 5 in the afternoon; evening primrose opens at 6 in the afternoon; night-blooming corn-cockle opens at 7 in the afternoon; nightblooming cereus opens at 8 in the evening.” Young gardeners may find great pleasure in watching the unfoldings of their flowers, pets of their own planting, and will doubtless be. able to add others to the list already made out.— Floral World.