The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-08-17
.,oNa PLANTS AND FLOWERS.
r,a wonderful Collection in the Botan-
icaI Gardens.

..The botanical gardens were never in
ensr condition than now" said Supcrintend-
ant VIM. R. Smith to reporter the other
sar "The reason is" be continued, that
30 are now up to grade, that is we have
hoon elevated II feet within the last few
years"
: Care YOU increasing the size of the
mo: but we are constantly adding new
srecies and varieties of plants"
a little to the right of the Third street en-
.rance Mr.. Smith called the reporters at
t tpatCS to his great pride, the 'Rock Gar
~ y Thousands of stones of various quail
t ties and shapes, placed in such manner as
20 form over 1900 pockets, from which
swing various plants, constitute the gar
den. .'f- :, ~ ~ -,
s.ore from the Theological collection which
mas at the centennial of 1872
Here the student could pass hours with
,ie hammer and microscope, so extensive is
+he collection This section of the country
l. we'll represented in marble and gold bear
ing quartz from the upper Potomac. A
terrace formed of brain coral is made strik-
;pg by the great varieties of cactus that
spring from the top.
GARF1ELD'S TREE.
aThis is Garfield's tree,n said Mr.. Smith,
Wanting 10 a beautiful acacia. when
Garfield died the tree was stripped, and its
leaves sent to be entwlned about his coffin.
Won will notice that every shoot the tree
makes forms triangle, the symbol of Ma
sonrv. That is Albert Pixies tree" contin-
ned Mr.. Smith, pointing to a similar tree
not 50 feet distant. "You see we have the
north and south we'll represented, but no
feeling exists. for their roots are interviews
en-. as we found some time ago when dig
rinq lid the walk. Gen. Pike will be down
~ few days TO trim his tree"
The interior of the huge dollhouse to
which the reporter was conducted is so ar
ranged as to form geographical distribu-
zion of plants In other words, the tropics are
in the center house, and there can be found
the plants of that climate, while the two
wings represent respectively the sections
north and south of the equator, with their
plants we'll represented on ali sides.
THE CENTURY PLANT.
Here is the so-called century plant"
said Mr.. Smith, pointing to tall, ungainly
looking plant With pretty flowers at the top.
as it true that these plants bloom but
once III a century?' ask the reporter.
Eyes and no. The truth of the matter is.
,
it blooms but once in century. This plant
is lust II years old and this is its Arst at
tempt. You see it is already commencing to
die"
Here we are in the tropics" said Mr..
Smith.
The reporter was fully convinced that
this was so. The heat was very great and
the air very dry. A party of Italians pass
ing through stopped in front of a banana
tree, and one of the party was heard to ex-
claim:
"LoOKEE THE BANAN."
The tall bamboo, the stately palm. the
pine apple and even the monkey frisking
around, added to the tropical features of the
place.
"You can see the immense power of the
bamboo" said Mr.. Smith, 'if you come this
way.n
In the cepter OF the house four large slabs
Of stone, bound together by iron, formed
the pot A couple of young shoots
Swinging from between the earth and the
stone had broken the iron binders and dis
placed the stone, which weiged over 100
pounds, several inches.
This plant is the greatest grower know
Of" be continued Had left those shoots
aone in six weeks they would have been
through the roof"
DO you propagate orchids to any great
extent9'
I'VE have three houses of them. Nearly
500 varieties. Come, I'll show them to you. -
AMONG THE ORCHIDS.
The first house visited was occupied by
several ladies, sketching the different flow
ers, and Mr.. Smith explained that such
visits were frequent. The high school used
10 come with their teacher of botany, he
said, and stay sometimes all day. He hoped
after awhile to be able to arrange matters
so as to have lectures once a week.
The orchids were found growing in small
boxes suspended from the roof by wires,
TIE wood from which the boxes are made
is especially selected with regard to its dur
ability, and locust, teak wood and cork are
mostly used.
PRINCESS BEATRICE's FLOWER.
This is the flower Queen Victoria's
daughter, Beatrice, wore in preference to
We crown jewels when she married Prince
Louis of Battenberg. 1t is called the Aerides
!odorata," said Mr.. Smith, pointing to a
beautiful cluster of flowers, land this is the
famous Ell Dorado, with its golden center.
Here is the most expensive orchid | know of.
tits called the Anectichylus, and is worth
about 800 leaf. The shoe of Venus is the
name of this one, and these" pointing to a
number of plants bearing tiny flowers"
ARE species of the butterfly family. Here's
plant that in its. present condition required
twenty years careful study to bring it up.
Ills hover is the famous Wanda sanderi-
ana. Morgan's sale had one catalougued and
1t brought $1,000 In trip from New
Rochelle to New York it was caught in the
blizzard and persisted the same day Roscoe
Conkling died.
AN UNLICENSED BARRooM.
Il want to call your attention to the I'M
licensed barrooms you will notice in this
mouse, said Mr.. Smith, as he entered anoth-
er house near by,
here flowers resembling small red bananas
could be seen. They were hollow and
open at the top, and contained a LIQUID.
These were the unlicensed barrooms.
Break one Off and opening it, it was filed
with small red ants.
=, lhey come and drink the liquor" said
Dir. Smith. "get drunk and die happy"
Here is the cock-roach barroom," he
continued, land here the spiders. An ant
VIII not drink any of the roach or spider
hquor and vice versa
Near the door beautiful plant with
creamy white leaves was labeled T'con-
sumption plant"
q. Whence the namem asked the reporter,
Is tne plant diseased?"
d, Yes it really has the consumption" was
Sne reply, land where these leaves are tinted
creamy white they are diseased lungs.
!; lou Know that a plant breathes through
beauty"
THE FLY-TRAP FLOWER.
;, "a large pot near by hundreds Of tiny
vnIck leaves resembling semi-circllar jaws
yshaovlued with small, sharp teeth, attracted
tle rennrtal.ia afko,, Ian