The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-08-12

THE NATIONAL BOTANIC GARDEN.

there u 10 one 80 Little known and visited by our own
liens well by strangers This arises from the
ton which some people entertain thai the only
object Of this fnatitut0n Is TO raise flowers Cor the pqr-
pose Of supplying members Of Congress and other gor-
eminent officials with bouquets for their lady friends
and thai nothing Is there 10 be which may be
found In any other reenhcuse conservatory. To dis
ped such Illusion this, and TO give idea Of
the read objects and uses of this establishment is the de-
sign Of the present article.
When the United States Exploring Expedition, under
command OF Captain Wilkes sailed the South seas
many years ago It's officers Instructed to secure
and bring homo, from the various countries which they
might visit such curious valuable seeds slips cut
tngs, Tootz Sc te nataIalsts and scientific Inen
ehed to the expedition might deem desirable in order
to induce practicable, their propagation in this
try These instructions obeyed and the result
that there subsequently, arrived large quantity Of these
ARTICLES OF which had been procured and preserved
AT considerable difficulty and expense The question
then arose what shall be done with them Since the
government had been at the expense Of procuring them
Of course they ought 10 be preserved in the best
and it deemed uRwise and mpolitic suffer them
be left in charge OF people Ignorant Of their nature and
proper mode Of cultivation, to have them distributed
at random, in which they would probably have
been entirely wasted and destroyed. Among them
plants NOT only remarkable euTiosities, but many
which if they could be successfully propagated and
clinated would prove highly useful a. wen as orna-
mental accessions TO the Sylvia Of this country The
subject having been brought to the notice Of Congress-
appropriation made for the erection Of suitable build
ngs and TO provide for tho necessary OF these
otics Such the origin d the National conserva
tory.
Many additional rare and valuable plants have been
received through the agency OF the officers Of subsequent
expeditions and ether officers Of the navy and army
and the collection has been still further enriched by
system Of exchanges with individuals and with foreign
governments the British government in particular 70
whom indsbted for large collection OF Austria
han plants and flowers Thus there Is in the
seryatory and the grounds adjacent large and con
ntly increasing collection of the and valua
Bile plants shrubs and trees, many of which to be
found nowhere else in the United States and from which
the entire country may be eventually supplied
The Botanic Garden Is situated in the square mms-
iatsly in front OF the Capitol the west side which
designated for that purpose in the plan of the city
approved of by General Washington The present su-
pern.endent William r. Smith, is graduate Of the
Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew London, and is
well calculated from his skill and experience, and also
from his scientific astanents TO promote the objects
for which this establishment designed Under his
judcious management everything is IN ourishing con-
dition and progressing finely. We learn that it is the
intention Of Dr. Blake, Commissioner Of Public Build
ings, erect bridge across the canal, which
through the grounds that there shah be direct
uluncafion from the Capitol to the Armory and the
Smithsonian Institution This work for which an ap-
propration was made Mt the last session Of Congress
viii stu further add TO tine facility of and the
venience Of those who may visit the grounds
Tie superintendent Is at present engaged in making
extensive collection Of the different varieties of grapes
native and foreign for the purpose Of hybrizng, that
we may have species combining the hardy constitution
OF the native with the sweet flavor of the foreign fruit
In order 10 facilitate this object about six thousand cut
tnrs OF the different varieties have been deposited here
by the Patent Office. for propagation
The entire control and supervision OF this establish
naert is placed ii the hands Of the Joint Congressional
Committee on the Library OF which Senator Pearre of
Maryland Is chairman and all the seeds Of the colec-
ton are gathered and together with sch plants as can
be spared are distributed under his direction in such
manner ss carry out the design of the institution
We viii now proceed to mention Of the prominent
objects az Interest which attract the attention Of the
visitor.
On entering the large conservatory the Brazilian bread
tree first catches the eye towering height of some
twetythree feet 1t is said that single tree bears su
Hcient fruit to maintain family OF sixteen persons Wear
il stands the Norfolk Island Pine, srruc ez1 from
Australia which reaches almost equal height and is
most beautiful tree We also see the N1-c- bread tree,
from the Cape Of Good Hope called by botanists Zzruaa
HcrrsEH this has borne fruit the present year.
Az we pass on We notice the date palm from Palestine
hrrr dsry-rsb from which dates have been gathered
the present season also, the East India pal Next We
notice several varieties of the banana tree from the In
dies one Of which 1s1 sspsqa is remarkable for the
size of its leaves, which measure six feet in
eng1h and two or three feet in width.
There also the Brazil palm, and several varieties
Of the zebra plant, from Brzy auaong which the
Aarrna rerfaa and the C1lahaa 81 fine collection
of orchids AR plnts from Quito, which attract much
curiosity from the remarkable resemblance OF their low
ars varons animals The interesting plant h the
Srs1-aa Rzn Queen plant which Is sometimes called
the bird Of paradise flower from the resemblance of the
flower to the plume Of that bird there are here four
species all FROM the Cape OF Good Hope.
The paintain tree Eaa pursdSszul from the Indies
next attncts our notice also. the fan palm Las1na
5os5uiea from the West ladies the Aaa tree, (Aras
iFI) from the Society Islands, which is also called
andenut tree from the fact that the natives Of these
islands formerly used the nut substitute for candies
to light their cabins There likewise specimens the
elegant speheai iAissia asgza from the East Indies I
rope plant ksrroya gsgaatez from South America Leaf
plant SBrtsaa oziyrl4sas from the East Indies rose
wood gsea4nfs nuira7,ss} from South America sensi
tiro plant tusaosuD and humble plant Pszs rs5sEs
frUm Vera Cruz; sugar cane white gusvs ST. Johns
black wooded Acaeia from Van Diemans Island willow
leaycd Acacia from Australia; ii plants from Brazil and
the Feee islands; India rubber tree and Mango tree