The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-06-09
IRELAND.
THE ROsEVTLLE FERNERY, NEAR LIS
MORE, AND IT'S WONDERS.
Artificial GarOttOes and stalactttes - A
Submarine WateTfalI-A Hundred spe-
CIes of Beautiful Ferns

submarine WaterfalI-A Hundred spe-
CIes of Beautiful Ferns,
Especial Correspondence of tho Democrat.I
! MAY 20, 1873.
LTSMORE
| has its pOGt-One who has given expression to
happy thoughts, not only in words, but in the
aeEornment Of his home, Roseville, one of the
attractions Of the town. We were fortunate
enough to be Hospitality entertained there
and, from what we saw, propose to give our
friends in New Orleans wrinkle they may
think worth while applying to the beautify-
ing Of their own magnolia and Orangc-shaded
hOmeStoads
We will not speak of the grounds fanCifu
and exquisite as they are, with their symmet-
really cut beds, stretches of greenswnrd or
wel-foliaged varieties of tree and Towering
shrub; nor Of fantastic pagOda, basin-rOck-
cry and flower Upright mound. We have beau
tiful gardens ourselves in New Orleans. But
what we will endcavOr to describe Is
THE ROSEvILLE FERNERY"
of W. II baldwin, Esq. at Lismoro.
This work of art for it is nothing else, was
executed altogether by the gentleman's own
hands. Lord Brougham has said, Blessed
is lut ItbI WHO HIS IL UDhby. LOUIS y ' |.
had q penChant for clOCkwOrk; Gladstone has
mania for literary Curosities. and Mr.
Badwin's fernery Is the resource OF his leisure
hours. The work has been q pleasure to him
and the result a delight to those privileged to
view 1t.
On first entering the many gabIed COnserv-
atOries, visions Of cave and grottO, hermit
cell and water-sprite pass before our eyes,
like an inspiration Of tho cool moist atmOs-
phere of the place. Coming in from the bright
sunlight our sense of sight i9 somewhat
Clouded, and for awhile everything seems
dim and obscure. We know we arc looking
through an aisle Of rocky arches, from which
pend innumerable tender, delicate ferns and
dark, growing plants. Gradually we per-
Ceivp column and arch to be constructed of
stones curious Ms to quality or form, and
modelled after those caves whose architect is
nature. The rocks, rough and rugged seem to
be piled on each other so loosely that touch
would send them toppltng to oarth. Instead,
by cement they are welded in firm bond to
the iron arches they serve to hide
Over the CrGviCes brembe sprays of maiden
hair and from half concealed hooks rise lace
like native plants. Here we peer into
A HERMGT's CELL
in chiarOsCura. There we pose ourselves over
u sunheam-lighted aquarium TO watch the
startled goldfish dart and glide through the
clear waters
The artist has not forced nature. The
green, Shiny tingc has not been washed from
the petriied 0mc and sandl bar Of YOughal
hHrbOr, and it serves to set off by dark CON
trast the light, leathery-looking, corrugated
stone Of MiChaelstown caves. The Kerry din
mOnd, clear and crystalline, lies beside the
more opaque marble from tho quarrios OF
Waterford.
Here. unchiselled save by nature, an ap-
parently fOssilHGd bird perches itself on a
broken stalaCtite; there, q woman of stone
carries n basket. We pass from the obscure
light Of cave and cell into
a GROTTO
of whose beauties Calypso never dreamed. It
IS entirely formed Of coral and sea shcIs
Fancy walls OF snowy coral, each tiny spray
held in place by wire in order to form artistic
paniers brackets and stalaCtitCs In whose
moshGS are caught curious saw-hsh sea
urchin, sea ancmOne, etc. Then imagine an
occasional fern that has sprung spontaneous
ly from It's branchy roofing place, be-
side some delicate, pink-lined sholl, or few
struggling shoots Of ivy on which fall in
rich COlOring the SunbCams through mnia-
ture stain-glass windows. Now add to this Il
central fOunt, dashing down It's shower of
dew-drOps on n bed Of cool. green, floating
ferns. There you have the picture.
Standing here we have an excellent view Of
the masterpiece in design and execution,
A WATERFALL.
The bubbing stream falls from basin to basin
in picturesque descent. Each Of these basins
is q study in Itself, being supported appar-
emily by pieces Of statuary, but in reality by
quaint groupings of unchiseIed natural rock
One hundred and fifty varieties OF ferns
hang from the seams Of the grOttO. float in
the aquaria or battle In the pOndlet9 Of this
wonderful spot. Among these the Killarney
is the rarest, and the maiden hair the most
beautiful We must not forget to mention Il
gigantic specimen Of thistle, SO striking q
contrast does it present to its more fragile
neighbOrs.
The charm of the whole is this: Nature
has been so copied that all appearances Of
stiffness has been avoided, even in the arches
formed Of bits of rock not an inch square.
There is something 50 carefully UnBtudied in
this arrangement that the mind Of the be-
holder is in delightful state Of bewider-
ment rs to how they have been brought to-
gether.
Whv should we not have more rOckeries In
New Orleans 1t is q want in the place. We
have no lack OF summer tourists, but how
rarely do we hear of their bringing home
with them rocks from the famed mountains
OF Virginia, Canada or Niagara as memcn-
toes of their visits.
I must confess that the English and Irish
flor they are fast becoming one and the same
people, cultivate tastes for the beautiful much
more than their transatlantic cousins.
do not say they have greater powers OF
appreciation, but they exercise them more.