A thousand-mile walk to the Gulf . ive, walking sometimesbetween the rails, stepping from tie to tie, orwalking on the strip of sand at the sides, gazinginto the mysterious forest, Natures own. It isimpossible to write the dimmest picture ofplant grandeur so redundant, unfathomable.) Short was the measure of my walk new, canelike grass, or big lily, or gorgeousflower belonging to tree or vine, would catchmy attention, and I would throw down my bagand press and splash through the coffee-brownwater for specimens. Frequently I sank deeperand deeper until compelled to turn back andmake th
A thousand-mile walk to the Gulf . ive, walking sometimesbetween the rails, stepping from tie to tie, orwalking on the strip of sand at the sides, gazinginto the mysterious forest, Natures own. It isimpossible to write the dimmest picture ofplant grandeur so redundant, unfathomable.) Short was the measure of my walk new, canelike grass, or big lily, or gorgeousflower belonging to tree or vine, would catchmy attention, and I would throw down my bagand press and splash through the coffee-brownwater for specimens. Frequently I sank deeperand deeper until compelled to turn back andmake the attempt in another and still anotherplace. Oftentimes I was tangled in a laby-rinth of armed vines like a fly in a all times, whether wading or climbing a treefor specimens of fruit, I was overwhelmed withthe vastness and unapproachableness of thegreat guarded sea of sunny plants. Magnolia grandiflora I had seen in Georgia;but its home, its better land, is here. Itslarge dark-green leaves, glossy bright above[ 90 1. A Thousand-Mile TValk Florida Swamps and Forests and rusty brown beneath, gleam and mirrorthe sunbeams most gloriously among countlessflower-heaps of the climbing, smothering is bright also in fruit and more tropical inform and expression than the orange. It speaksitself a prince among its fellows. Occasionally, I came to a little strip of opensand, planted with pine {Pinus palustris orCubensis). Even these spots were mostly wet,though lighted with free sunshine, and adornedwith purple liatris, and orange-colored Osmundacinnamomea. But the grandest discovery ofthis great wild day was the palmetto. I was meeting so many strange plants that Iwas much excited, making many stops to getspecimens. But I could not force my way farthrough the swampy forest, although so tempt-ing and full of promise. Regardless of watersnakes or insects, I endeavored repeatedly toforce a way through the tough vine-tangles,but seldom succeeded in getting farther than
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookpublisher, booksubjectplants
