Smyrna times., 1880-03-10
Growing Plants.
WHERE THE FLOWERS THAT BEAUTIFY THE STA
TlONS OF THE +. ". 4 y. RAILROAD COM.
PANY COME FEOM-THE MANNER IN
WHICH THEY ARE REPRODUCED
AND CAEEn EnR.

Aiaong the many cOrveniences estab
lisAed by the Railroad Company for the
cSaduct of It's business that Of growing
flowers Tor Identifying It's stations is The
most Interesting. The only conservatory
owned by the Company Is in Wilmington
Ouilt III the rear of the Delaware Division
| Sthce. 1t IS about thirty by fifteen feet
well ventilated and admiralty situated 70,
growing plants.
vt this time Of the year the interior is
well filled with Howers all nicely arranged
giving the appearance Of a bank Of varie.
gated vsrdure, with here and there lilv or
a tube rose pointing upward
EarIy IN ths Fall the plants growing
around the stations along the road, includ.
ing the Delaware Division, are taken I'M
carefully and brough to this city to be
cared for. Here healthy sprouts are culsd
irom the stalks and placed under foster.
ing process. Along the length of the
structure run tiues from a furnace and
above these tiues in shelf or box contain.
ing about three inches o! sand. In this
sand these sprouts are planted. To watch
their develjpement is very interesting.
Under the cenal Summer-hke G temperature
the sprouung aud leafing takes place
quickly; and IN a very short time they are
OF sufficient size TO be taken from their bed
and placed in cne-inch pots. Being Young
and tender, Of course, the utmost delicacy
OF touch Is desired and it requires the
utmost ingenuity on the part oi the car.
dener to handls without brusins.
After being taken from the soil and
placed IN the pots they are, before beina
ranged IN the sun, placed in shady NOOK ;
and left for two OF three days. After TIL,
as they develop they arc changed to larger
pots. After moEtk or SO they are in a
thrifty condition, and later, in budding.
require great amount OF pruning. Every
few days the buds and blossoms are cut
and made up in hOquet8 and sent to the
houses of the officials 10 grace beudeirs and
drawing rooms.
About the time the plants are ready for
tive or SIX inch pots they are full grown
and are placed on shelves to await Sprjro.
time planting. .l0hn l.. Parson, the gar.
dsner, is asslduOus in his attention to the
plants and it is required of him to keep up
the fires anI see that ths proper degree OF
temperature IS maintained within the Lu.l!.
ing.
At the present time there are about three
thousand plants, well grown, some Of which
are IN bloom, disse minating a soft perfume
over the entire building. There ala many
varieties, including &eraniums. fuchlas,
scarlet sage. heliotropos. diturlbeeonits.
JustlcllS, PoInsetas, agcratioms, lantannas,
ferns, dahlias, colens, cactus. forget t.ms.nots,
Eisnonettc, and cal!cw lilies. These are
ready for ran.planting, ard already, owing
to tie appearances Of genial weather prapa-
tlsns to that end are being made. There
are about forty stations to he supplied.
twelve of whch are along the Delaware
railroad. The principal place is at sharon
Hill. a short distance Lelow PhilAdelphia,
whore a great many pants are needed.
Pr"bahly next 10 $Aarsn Hill are Moore >
and Crum Lyunc.
Absut tho latter part cf April or the mid,
die Of May the demand flotH tho different
stations is large. because Of this the wsrk
oi transplanting Is rapid and in a fow days
the conservatory is Nmptiad and remains SO
until Fall, when the plants are once more
returned to tais city Wilmington DtIy
Aprc