Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-05-03

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nigh. to force the grapes to ripen as rapidly as
| possible, with view OF supplying the Prcsi-
dents table with some of the delicious fruit be-
| lore ne goes away for the summer. The varie
ties grown are the Black Hamburg. Muscat
Hamburg, Muscat Alexandria and the Chaselas.
The conservatory was burned down during
Johnsons administration and all of its valuable
| plants We're destroyed. among them being the
| largest victoria Regina in the United states.
AS Is known. 1t is an aquatic plant of great
Valne. No attempt mas ever been made to re-
place it. on account Of the want of an appropri-
alton for the tank and other necessaries.
THE PALMERY.
The addition 10 the conservatory which is
devoted exclusively to palms was originally the
billiard room, adjoining the state dning-room,
and which was demolished in 1874. About two
years ago the windows which opened into the
| palmery from the state, dining-room were cut
down to the floor and glass doors substituted.
so that guests can pas Immediately from the
glare and heat of state dinner to the refreshing
| GOODNESS of the conservatory
10 the west of the Camelia house are three
more greenhouses, fronting on Executive avenue.
One Ofthese. built in 1877 was used for the growth
OF roses when the first attempt was made to
make speciality OF those flowers. 1t was soon
apparent that it was too contracted for the pur-
pose, ana IN the following year the rose house,
winch now bears that name was constructed
under the direction Of Mrs. Hayes. 1t is the
| largest house of all, and runs parallel with the
conservatory. In it grow a number OF the
leading and most popular varieties of the rose,
and a few representative specimens of nearly all
the Other varieties. In this house is the famous
Alplnla Nutens, one of the finest plants grown
IN the united States, with flowers similar to an
| 0rchld. hanging in large clusters, and also the
Aiamande. yellow vine Of great rarity. Of the
other two houses looking towards Executive
avenue enc is used partly for prOpagating pur-
poses and partly for the growth of tropical
plants, and the other is a second camelia house,
also used for soft wooded plants for cut flowers.
Inc former was built in Lincolns administration
ana the latter in Grants On the outside Of
THESE houses are the frames where the viOiets
ana cals1es are grown in winter.
These beautiful indoor gardens are superin-
tended by Mr. Henry Pfister, Swiss gardener
| OF recognized ability. He has several assistants,
ana they are kept busy trimming plants, cutting
h0Wers planting shoots and taking care Of the
gardens about the grounds.
TALK WITH BHE HEAD GARDENER.
When aSTAR reporter. while rambling through
the green houses the other day, met Mr.. Pfster,
he was cutting of little lunches CT leaves from
plant nearly three feet high. which was then
about reduced to stalks. The stems of the
punches Of leaves he stuck into boxes of wet
sand 81 am propagating, said Mr.. Pister, in
| answer to the reporters questions. Every one
| OF these shoots will take root. They are then
potted, and afterwards placed in the gardens.
| forming those beautiful, bright-cOlOred beds
which attract so much attention. The parent
plant will be thrown away" The reporter
learned that one OF the most important duties
OF the head gardeners office is to arrange suitable
floral decorations for the Presidents entertain
ments 81 have been here seven years." said Mr..
Phster, land never before were so many flowers
used as now. l am always told the date of a
proposed dinner, and the number of guests, and
l make my preparations accordingly. If have
not enough flowers available buy what more
want. You know every lady present must have
hand bOquet and that takes lots Of flowers. The
character of the decorations and the designs are
left entirely to me, and OF course endeavor not
to repeat my ideas: always try to devise some
thing suitable for the OCCASION For instance.
when the President gave his dinner in honor Of
the supreme Court, | made floral temple OF
justice, with the conventional scales Of justice at
either side. At each end was an umbrella Of
flowers, signlfying protection. There is the old
frame, said he, pointing up to the ratters OF his
work room. ''The guests always notice the
flowers the first thing; that is, Ii the decorations
are frst-class, and are high In their praises. Of
course, am always glad of it, when can make
them notice them. eat one time had the
hanging gardens of Queen Semiramis for
center piece. and at another lake with coral
shores, and plants among the coral. There were
boats upon the water and bridge across the
lake"
when foreign guest is entertained at the
White House do you endeavOr to design some
thing that will remind him of homer" asked the
reporter.
''Oh. yes" was the reply .'When the Presi-
dent gave a dinner in honor of the Marquis of
LOrne last year. all the floral decorations repre-
sented something strictly Canadian. The center
piece was Canadian canoe. with floral paddles
GU can see the frame up there. Then there were
couple of Lacrosse bats and balls in flowers, two
toboggans and two snow shoes crossed The
Marquis said he had never seen such appro-
pirate and tasteful decorations. That big bell
hanging there was the wedding bell at the
marriage of Miss Emily Platt President Hayes
niece, to Mr. Russell Hastings On both sides
of the bell hung wreaths with the initials of
the couple in the center"
"What part does Mrs. Grants Hiawatha play
in the decorations for dinners?" asked the re-
porter
ut is too small for an ornament at state din
ners, and is therefore used at small dinners In
the private dining room. At state dinners, how
ever, it is often filled with flowers and placed in
the smoking ROOM"
much of Mr.. Pfster's time the reporter ex-
pressed his thanks and departed
EIGHTY THOUSAND SHADE TREES.
A Talk with Park Commissioner
Smith-The Work Done in the Streets
of WasisingtOn-Miles and Miles Of
Shady Avenues to Result from Their
AIdDOIS-ane MINUS Oh frees Pl&nteu,
&c.
"We shall plant probably two thousand shade
trees this spring." said Park Commissioner
Smith, pausing. with one foot on the hub, to
talk with a'STAR reporter. who stopped him as
he was about to jump into his wagon last even
ing. 81 am Just going to drive out to 10Th
street to look after the young trees we are
planting there
Eyes. we are little late with our planting
this year The spring has been backward and
the weather bad. But we keep right up with
the street improvements. As fast as the streets
are graded we put out the trees Last year we
planted about three thousand"
''HOw many have the commission set out al
together" asked the reporter.
about eighty thousand. They extend all
along the streets and avenues that have been
graded about thirty feet apart. and they are all
furnishing. The number that die or fail to de-
velop properly is SO insignificant that 1t Is not
worth mentioning. In few years Washington
will be a forest of shade trees They are begin
ming to leave out now, and look how beautiful
they make the city. When they all get their
growth their boughs will almost touch, and
Washington will be one of the shadiest cities in
the world The most Of them have already got