Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-05-18
brown The next day they are set with emer-
aid turf and enameled with pr imroses. daffodils
and tulips

brown The next day they are set with emer-
AID turf and enameled with primroses, daffodils
and tulips.
HOW THEY ARE TENDED.
For Conservatives such as those described
there are no gardeners. They are stocked and
tended by some city florist One of the most
prominent orchid growers and florists who
does great deal Of this sort of thing says:
"A rich man concludes he wants conserva-
tory. He comes to me and tells me the sort OF
| enect he wants to produce. 1 go to see his
place. we compare ideas. talk 1t over and the
rest Is left to me, agreeing to take charge OF
1t for so much a month. The plants l own; my
client probably doesn't know their names. So
often week my men visit ii, water. wash and
look after the health and welfare of the plants.
The only thing my client is responsible for is
| frost. He has the heating of the conservatory,
can't control that If he allows the plants to
be killed by too low temperature he has to
pay for them. for l own them, and so
| to speak rent them to him, the rent being in
Guided In the gross sum paid to me monthly.
There are fashions in plants as in everything.
| At present the basis of every conservatory is
tropical foliage. These we get mainly in palms
and ferns, of which there are endless varieties.
These are not transpanted, but stand i'll tubs
| that may be hidden if desired in costly jars.
Those We do not furnish. In their season We
| furnish plants in bloom. and when the period
of bloom is over we take them away and sub
n
in great demand. Again it is rhododendrons.
At present orange trees in bloom are the object
OF everybody's desire"
''Surely the craze of all crazes is orchids"
ABOUT ORCHIDS.
''You remember when everybody had rustic
baskets swinging from the ceiling? Well, that
craze has passed and now we have orchids
Orchids are more curious. A bit of wood sus-
pended from thread alive with strange shapes
of wondrous color"
Are they not difficult to cultivate?"
They are difficult to start and REQUIRE the
closest care. This is done in our country fore
lighthouses. But when once they started they can
be transferred to city conservatory, and re-
quire no more care than do the ferns and
palms,
Then there are no private orchid fanciers
in town?'
There have been but two to my knowledge.
Mr. Jay Gould has fine collection. but those
are IN his glass-houses at Tarrytown. The
only orchid grower in town is Mr. Arnold. He
has collection to be compared with that of
Mr. Gould and of Mr.. Chadwick of Albany.
whose orchids are Probably tine finest in the
country"
MRS. MoRGAN's ORCHID HOUSE.
The other orchid grower to which the florist
referred was the late opulent Mary Jane Nor
gan. Mrs. Morgan's orchid house was a plain
but extensive glass affair over her stables. Her
ambition was to have the most comprehensive
collection IN the country, and her -. 500 orchid
out of the Duke of Devonshire's sale Of du-
pllcates is a matter of orchid history. The
schoolmistress element always remained in
lively force i'll Mrs. Morgan's nature. As she
took up one fancy or another she acquainted
herself thoroughly with it, and library of
specialties was the result. In this case her en-
thusiasm Is embalmed in an orchid morganien-
sis. named for her by orchid growers.
Nothing about city conservatories would be
complete without an allusion to the winter gar
dens of some of the hospitals. The New York
hospital has a spacious glass house on its roof
with center of palms aud tropical foliage, and
about 1t wide promenade where GONZALES
cents are wheeled IN rolling chairs and may lie
and luxuriate In the health-giving sun.
MARY GAY HUMPHREYS