National Republican., 1880-07-28
A BURST OF BLOOM.
The Flower Banked Terraces Of the Agri-
cultural Grounds.
studies in Color Magnificent FLORAL Dis
play-Picturesqu Beauty of the
Public Reservations I'm
Washington.

Beautiful at this season arc the Washington
parks. With shady alleys, fragrant bowors
and respondent flower beds, plashing foun-
tains, with trees in one great mass Of bios
sons, like those of tropical forests, but with
cxuberant waves Of green foliage unlike tho
brown monotony which characterzcs the
arbora frondag0 Of tho torrid zone, Wash
ngton may be called tho "Ploasaunce City,"
Those littlo grcon spots amid the dusty will
derncss of heated bricks, which ia olhcr cities
inspire tho pen of the poet, are here so COM
mon as TO escape notice. And especially so is
this the case with the grounds of Tho agrcul
tural building.
Persons who are driving around tho city
win, ii they take tho carriage road through
the agricultural grounds that leads up to the
terrace Immediately in front Of the building,
bo greeted with o wreath of bloom that for
brilliancy, variety and artistic display cannot
elsewhere In the city be surpassed The ap'
proachcs TO the terrace of blossoms are quiet
and picLuresquely beautiful. There is more
of tho lawn than the grove about them. Yet
trees are by no means absent, and thorc Is
sufficient shade in the picture, whose main
effect Is the brilliancy of bloom and light Tho
LOmbardy poplars encircle the grounds, the
quakiug aspen rustles forever in the sunny
atmosphere, shading tho water lilies and the
long grasses that cover the surface Of the
ponds. In tho distance tho silver poplar up
lifts its cool green head high above its fellows
with its argent rustic cleaning in the sun
| light like a frozen cataract suspended in mid
air The feaLhery foliage Of the tanarac
gives an eastern look TO tho grounds, the grace
| fu Japanese maiden hair lines tho avenues in
harmonious gr0wths, tho hibiscus bends under
| the weight of its countless DlossOms, o tree of
/ l. ...fE Il
| for wealth Of bloom. The terraces round of
tho view with their magnGcsnce of color.
! Long serpcn,ino borders IN quadruplc row OF
| pale gold Coleis of wnc.red aGaran thus, and Of
\ amaranth-hued althernamt theru, form \ setting
| for the central picture Of bloom worthy the
exubcrant masses OF color that flash and flame
| in wanton riot of profusiou. Tho cOlOrs OF the
borders blend into each like the chords Of the
chromatic scale. Looking at them ii
is not hard to accept the scientific
dicta that color aud music are but undulations,
! fuster or slower, of waves of motion. The
| flowers are grouped inside the epcrcling
| frame la what would be be CT travagant masses
but for the artistic skill exhibited in their ar
rangoment. The scarlet goraniun lays bare its
great heart Of flame that burns aud glpws IN
| the summer Sunshine with passionate ardor.
You long to lay your check against that fiery
flush of color, beside which the red blood would
| pale Tho perennial phlox, ut once gorgeous
| and graceful, brcathcs out its whole self i'll
blossoms. Rich crimson with purple tint
that rofreshes tho eye, ievered from gazing
on tho scarlet flame of the geranium, pure
white purple spots on ground Of SNOW
the phlox divides with tho seraniums your
admif,tion for vivid brightness and glow oi
color. Nerbepas and pctpnias of the richest
aud loV0l;cst tihtJ, and in great variety of hues
hang from the graceful vases and bloom by
the outer walks. Tho mealy sage-green O
the Contauroa, or tho "dusty miller" relieve:
the bright pea green of the Japanese arbor-
Vita. The rose, the last rose of summer
still blooms by tho garden walks. The In
dian shot" Gamma, with its bomb-hke pods and
It's blossoms in hue like the pulpy purple o.
the perfumed plum, divides admiration with
tho petunia with its great blue, fragrant How
ers. Tho gigantic, pendant leaves
of tho callacassia, or elephants cars,
mngle with tho golden green o
tho arbor.vitae and tho delicate drat
of the abutilon. Ii this shimmering spilth ol
color were to be found graciug any public
building in New York, Philadelphia, Boston
or other cities in the country II would attract
constant attention and receive unlimited
praise. Here it Is but one Of many similar
exhibitions, although tho finest Of all, and
hence receives but little notice. But 10 every
lover OF color, every admiror of the suggest
lively picturesque fairgrounds of the agricul-
tural department, with the still finer land
scapc, effects of it's neighbor, the Smithsonian
affords n constant, cver-sstisfyng, never'cloy'
| inc fpasE