State

education on wheels rather than 01 foot. Most people arc familiar with thi dogwood, the redbud, flame aza, lea, laurel and rhododendron. These in the springtime and early summer paint delicate traceries of white, pink purple and flame against the birgh green of deciduous trees, and the darl evergreens. But from March, with the appear ancc of the first trailing arbutus when the spicily fragrant, tiny pinl blossoms peep through the late snows until the fading of the last riot of colo in the fall, it is difficult to dccid which "blooming" is the most wortl seeing. Floral Wonderland — «И — VIRGINIA LATIIItOP At left is the fringed orchid; center, lady’s slipper; right, wake robintrillium. The pictures arc by Elliott Lyman Fisher An eight-months season off surprises is opening in our western highlands where nature lias lier sample ease. "Nature’s Sample Case." "A Para¬ dise for Botanists," "A Collector's Paradise" — these arc some of the la¬ bels that have been applied to the southern Appalachians where, it has been estimated, more indigenous trees and shrubs can be found on one am¬ bitious hike than on a cross-country journey from New York to San Fran¬ cisco. This mountain region, which claims within its borders the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Blue Ridge Parkway, has been a rncc- ca for professional and amateur bot¬ anists since 1775 when Naturalist William Bartram visited it, and named it "A Collector's Paradise." In the 178 years since this early recorded botanical hike, the list of visitors has grown into millions, who have observed with wonder the wealth of floral display for at least eight months of the year. In all of Europe there arc not as many species of native trees as arc to be found in the Great Smokies. A number of these, such as Canada hem¬ lock, silvcrbcll. red spruce, yellow 2 buckeye, and the mountain ash grow to record size, while others become giants of their kind. A total of 130 na¬ tive tree species arc known to occur in this area, of which almost half is still in the original forested condition. In the Park alone arc more than 1 .300 tree, shrub and herb varieties of plants. Botanists have listed over 1,- 700 species of fungi, 330 mosses and liverworts, and 230 lichens. The ear¬ liest flowers appear by the close of February in lowland areas, while the witch-hazel, latest to bloom, may hold its blossoms into December, bringing to a close the spectacular color display which paints the mountainsides like a giant tapestry through the weeks of the fall season. The opening of good roads through the mountain area, particularly the Blue Ridge Parkway, and the roads in the national forests and the na¬ tional park, and the conducted nature study tours and illustrated lectures by park naturalists, arc making wildflow- cr and plant life study easy for the individuals who prefer their botanical From March into May. the height о the spring wildflowcr season, tourist and students, armed with notebook and lunches, make all day fiestas о the Wildflowcr Hunt, which has growl in popularity as a hobby for amateur as well as a profession for botanists It is in March, too. that the Shorti; blooms, the flower which was foun< in the mountains of North Carolini THE STATE. APRIL A. 19S!