New-York tribune., 1886-03-25
ORCHIDS, ROSES AND PALMS.
MR.. KLUNDER's EXHIBITION OPENED.
CROWDS THRoNG THE OPERA HoUsE-wHAT THEY

CROWDS THRoNG THE OPERA HoUSE-wHAT THEY
SAW.
Broadway in front of the Metropolitan
Opera House looked yesterday afternoon as though the
usual opera had with wonderful unannity mis-
taken the of day aud come to see 1.-The Queen OF
sheba five six hours too soon. Carriages stood in
thcky packed that the drivers Of the street cars
had to rein in their untamed steeds
blocks below the opera House. and as they
waited speculate may be to whether the charter had
been suddenly annuled and the rails torn up IN conse-
| quence by the myrmidons OF the law.
one needed but to pass the doors Of the Opera House
constantly the swing with neverending inpourng
adequate explanation OF all this turmoil
From within waited the March wind
! for yards around odor like that OF Araoy
the blest." This TO the dihgcnt observer
! was clear indication that tho great
flower show promised for long by Mr.. Klunder
had at length been opened. aud that might have been
expected every one who is any one" as the phrase
goes. focking to see It, Had the same observer
merely entered the gates of the opera house. any
lingering doubts upon the subject would have been dls
PEELED ON the very threshold, as 1t we're. bloomed
lovely garden which seemed as though months must
have been taken to bring it to the per-
fection displayed 1t lay on each side OF
the central passage, laid out with the geometrca
stiffness combined with the ardent color dear TO those
old Duchmen who thOnght that life Itself was not 100
high a price to pay for safety Of some cherished
hues adding what the tulips lacked an exquisite ana
reaching scent This, however, mere foretaste
glories when. ones ticket being delivered
up outrance was gained TO the auditorium OF the
opera house. This through passage
the walks OF which, as indeed were
all the OF the lobby outside. were mass OF creep
ing plants and green foliage deftly ontwDcd together
The tunnellke construction Of this, due to the original
architect of the building caused the scene at the eni OF
it to burst upon the eye with bewildering
prodgality OF light and color.
1t was difficult when gazing at the scene to under
stand that several hundred men had been for
days engaged in arranging this wealth OF
floral treasures and curiositics Mi. hIunder
taken advantage Of the two natural divisions A.
forded him by the stage and the auditorium. The
former he has converted Into OF floral grOtto In
the cepte OF which plays fountain nasnnE anu spark
ling in the white rays of electro light suspended
overhead Backed by some enormous this part
of the house stretch onward into the dim dis
Of distance and imagpes it to be hundreds
aOf yards in extent Round the fountain Is Oorler OF
delicate lilies Of the valley shaking their delicate bells
as the stray drops of cool water splash over tlen
Palms. gigantic ferns ami other foliage plants stand
here and there and compose skliuy WIN INC frame Gi
greenery surrounding the mirrors which stand .a 10
| are banks of modest English primroSes, hluing
their delicate blossoms III the rougn bHt
kindly protecting leaves and recalling to many the lush
woods or deep hedgerows OF an cary Ensisn spiing;
Here placed the stands full OF cut mowers OF
every description which can be bought for their beauty
alone or 6rieflived mcmentoes OF the exhibition
Yesterday however. the crowd chiefly fingered Iound
ratDr. This large baptismal-fOnt standing some
feet high the basin having diameter OF nearly
being composed entirely of different flowers OF daz-
1os ana purity P@ng @ T.oa oScs Sb ei h
the prOscenum opening, the chief portion OF he SNOW Is
to be found Here are The Orchids the the palms
Kingdom A mere enumeration OF the flowers exhibited
Use of Schools" as may be imagined when it is
mentioned that less than 7O6 different varieties ana
that there are shown III round numbers e0UOO roses
G5 900 bulbous plants and 10000 shrubs Inat these
disposed with an excellent eye to effect those VINO
know Klunder's I'm such matters readily
imagine on each side of the main entrance are two
pyramids Of growing and other flowers. towering
hign as tho second tier OF BOXES, ana IIr sur
mounted the one with graceful paln'
At a little distance from these stand two enormous
palms. specially procured from south America for TINS
exhibition Their tall slender, dark trunks, capped with
l. immense feathery green leaves, present striking
appearance. Not far away from there are the principal
two twisted aud gnarled oaktrunks. draped so as
TO be almost hidden from view with dropping gray gray
swamp-moss. This serves an effective fOl Tor Tue
odd looking blossoms OF an eccentrlcty In FORM ana
buns brassias of infinite variety
mingled with dozens of other species are here growing
reaching for air this way and that way. Nearly
two hundred distinct varieties are represented
some by many specimens All are IN u blossom ana IN
perfect condition To make up this exhibit the cunserra
tories OF OF the besRnOwu collectors of the erratc
has seldom had better chance OF studying these rare
and fascinating plants Next to the oTen9s III Popun
Klunder shows astonishing variety both OF plants
flowers, the latter Deng tdsleIuly uSuoseu III
handsome porcelain vases. Hyprids, INCLUDING the
famous "Her MAJESTY" six and half inches in
diameter. tea roses and Bourbons are shown
in their various varieties, in all about
hundreds Of ferns adantums, aspenums ana other Tess
known species there also large variety some OF inc
first named maiden hairs being especially hne. Ca
eas, begOnias azaleas rhOdOdendrOns hydran-
geas and vOcts but few out OF ths wealth OF bos
sOmng pons which crowd the stand and line the benches
round the auditorium
Not only were the eye and here greatly pleased
Yesterday, but another sense WAS not forgotten
Perched In the bacOny Walter DamrOsch's orchestra
led by himself played through the programmes both al
evening which attractive ana well ar
ranged They ranged from Wagnenan selections to
the visitors may added that the Opera-houss was
crowded from the opening in the morning until evening
and least eight thousand people are estimated
to have passed the doors. -
Among those present were Mr.. and Mrs W. K Wander
bilt, Mrs Elliott +. Shepard Mrs Cornelius Vanderbilt
Mrs Paran Stevens, MrsJ. b. Cutting, Mrs. X J. Cut
ting Mrs John Jacob AstOr. Mr. and Mrs. john Jay Mr
and Mrs. Belmont, Mrs. Robert j. Remsen the
Misses Remsen, Mrs. Louis c. Hameriey, Mrs b. HON
man. Mrs W. NJ. Bliss Mrs. Edward Cooper, Mr. and Mrs
George H. Warren. Miss Catherine Wolfe, Mr.
ana Mrs. ogden Goeet, Mr. and Ms. William A. Kings
land, Mrs Mortimer Livlngton. Mrs Robert Minturn,
Mrs h. Randolph Robinson, Mr. and Mrs Adrian lselln
Boston Mr. and Mrs. Erastus Corning. OF Albany the
iisnry isni G, ' Marqnand @ Miss MSrqaand, Mr.: and
Mrs. r. c. sloane, Mr.. and Mrs. J. W. Sloane
Mr.. and Mrs T. Martin Mr.. and Mrs. 5. 5. Rowland,
Mrs. Alfred Young, Mrs j. Kennedy Tod. Mrs Robbins,
Mr.. and Mrs. Wetherbee and Mrs Creighton Webb.
The exhibition will continue to-day, tomorrow and
perform twice daily, beginning at 2 and o'clock