Rensselaer Republican, Volume 24, Number 9, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 October 1891 — The National Flower. [ARTICLE]

The National Flower.

The proposition that a national lower be selected by popular vote has elicited wide discussion. Many contestants have been named, chiefly the irbutus or Mayflower, the sunflower, ;he daisy and the golden-rod. Sentimental considerations connect the ariutus with early New England history, but it is a flower rarely seen in many parts of the land, Probably not more than one-half of the people of the United States have ever seen one. As for the golden-rod and the daisy, they ire weeds, and quite too plentiful for popularity. The sunflower is preferable to either of these. So long as more thap one-half of the people of this country are farmers, and all uro dependent upon the farming industry, ft is hardly likely that on a full vote any weed can obtain the requisite aumber of votes. We propose a new contestant What is the matter with clover as a national flower? It is beautiful, fragrant and useful. A field of clover in bloom is a line sight, far finer than a field of daisies or golden-rod could possibly bo. No one of the contestants has such agreeable fragrance. From white clover also the finest honey is made. It is true clover is not a native plant, the argument of nativity being the stronghold of the advocates of the arbutus and golden-rod. But we, too, are not indigenous here. Most Americans now are of European descent, with an infusion of African blood in some sections. As the Indian has given way to white civilization, sO»the golden-rod with its picturesqueness will give way to fie Ids of clover. In the good time coming there will not be as many daisies or as much golden-rod or arbutus as now. Civilization will subdue these and replace them with something better. So we had better be a little careful about selecting as a national flower something that is known to half the country mainly as a weed, and that is likely to grow less and less, that is not really representative of anything in our national character and prospects.— American Cultivator.