Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1877-05-12


From the Philadelphia Times
About three years ago there appeare
an establishment on Arch Street, abov
Seventh, the proprietor Of which repre-
scented himself as French horticultul
list. who, al an enormous expense, ha'
brought to this country from Paris
collection OF remarkable plants. TIL
store was opened early in the spring
and filled with large quantity of trees
plants and seeds, all of which, accordin;
30 the Frenchman's story, were marvel
Gus in their way. Diminutive pear trees
few inches in height, We're represente'
as bearing mammoth fruit, and col
lection of California pears, weighin:
several pounds each, were exhibited a
specimens of their productions. FrencI
gentlemen. when about giving a dinner
the proprietor of the store naively ex
planned, brought their little pear trees il
from the garden. where they grew il
earthen pots, and placed them upon tn,
table. When the various courses hat
been demolished, the guests picked from
the trees before them the luscious fruit
weighing, in many cases, four and five
pounds each Such remarkable plant.
he was perfectly willing to part witt
for from $40 to $50 each. and man,
well known gentlemen in this city mad,
extensive purchases. OF the balance o.
his collections the Frenchman could moi
exhibit the productions, and. as it wa:
early in the season. the plants could moi
be expected 10 even be in bloom; but
in order 10 show his patrons that he
spoke nothing but the truth, the walls
of his establishment was plastered al
over with brilliantly colored prints
showing what each particular plant
could do when put to its mettle. and dis.
PLAYING the exact size and appearance
OF each particular flower, fruit and veg
etable There were strawberries rs biz
as peaches, and peaches no smaller thar
pumpkins: cherries as large as plums
plums whose size an overgrown apple
would envy, and apples that no bushel
basket in the land could embrace; toma.
toes so immense that no decent-sized
family could consume more than one al
a meal: cabbages so enormous that no
respectable kettle would hold them, and
every known garden production of such
size and such beauty As would put To
shame the efforts of any mere American
institutions-but all on paper, and the
prices OF all enormously high.
WONDERFUL VEGETABLES.
In seeds the Frenchman had aspara-
gus that. contrary to all traditions of
that plant, would bear the full grown
vegetables in one year and forever there
after The American article requires
three years to attain its full growth and
TO furnish the vegetables, and then it 10
productive for but limited period.
The French celery seed was guaranteed
to shoot forth stalks rs thick as a man s
arm. Gentlemen farmers and guileless
suburban householders crowded the
Frenchman's store and purchased his
plants without visibly affecting the size
of his collection. Perhaps he imported
from Paris daily. Que bright morning,
when ordinarily constituted and IMAM
bilious plants were budding forth, and
when many mere American productions
were preparing to bloom, the few irate
amateur horticulturistS. who visited the
Arch Street establishment 10 inquire
why their plants evidenced such a back
ward disposition, found that the French
man had departed for fresh gardens and
pastures new. The asparagus seed not
only did not arrive at full growth
in one year, but from the manner in
which it acted it was evident
that century would find it no nearer
the fuliillment of the wicked French
mans guarantee. The pears and apples
and plums. and all of the marvellous
fruits and vegetables, or rather those of
them that ever gave any evidence of life,
We're noted but for their despicable
smallness. The head of prominent
ham-curing establishment in this city
purchased for his greenhouse $500 worth