The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-09-28
PECULIAR PLANTS
That Are to Be Seen in the Con-
seryat0ry of the White House.

Curious plants abound il, the White House
conservatory, and the history Of some OF
them is decidedly interesting to visitors
who are permitted to inspect this attachment
to the Executive Mansion at Washington,
says the New YORK Sun. Probably the
plant to which the gardeners are most at
iached is the big sage palm, the age OF
which is fixed at 80 years. 1t was from
time immemorial one of the attractions of
Washington's conservatory at Mount Yer
non, ard before his death he presented it to
friend in Baltimore, who made specially
of collecting palms. Upon the death OF the
Baltm0rean his estate was settled, and
a gardener from the White House received
the precious sage palm. For upward OF
forty years it has been located between the
doors leading into the State dining-room
and the private corridor at the base OF the
stairway used by the family OF the White
House, and il is usually the trSt object
to greet the visitors going from the
mansion. One peculiarly to be noticed
about the plant is that one year II
will throw ont crown of leaves, prob
ably fifty or sixty in number, and the sue
ceeding year it will content itself with flower
ing When the foliage is full, as at present,
the plant measures Il feet IN diameter, ana
the trunk has diameter OF IA inches. Al
NEST at the base of the big square box
containing the sage is q large earthen pot.
from which springs a beautiful ana novel
cluster of leaves Known as the Australian
birds nest fern, the leaves being from 3
to feet long and attaining width OF to
10 inches. As its name implies, this fern
is fayorite with birds who do not care to
be troubled about gathering materials for
their nests, but find an agreeable substitute
already formed of the hirSute attachment
froK: which the leaves appear to spring. In
this soft, hairy bed eggs are deposited, and
when Matched the brood leaves for other
quarters and the nest only awaits another
occupant.
Several wears ago Gardener Pfster re-
ceiyed from a friend in Brazil rare spec
linen of the orchid family, which he treated
with the attention it deserved. Upon OPEN
ing the package he discovered seedllns OF
some sort astray, and lie took personal
charge of it, and was abundanty recon-
pensed for his trouble. 1t turned out to be
a magnificent lily, the botanic name being
anthurium ventric0sum, and 1t thrlved re-
markedly under the course OF treatment
prescribed by the White House gardener.
Subsequently it was ascersained that only
one other specimen of this lily IS owned out
side of Brazil, and that is by the Kew Gar
den of London, England. BOtansts and
those who make a specially OF rare plants
value the plant at upward OF $1,000 and the
flower, which is creamy white. spotted at
the base with maroon, has a fragrant door,
not unlike that OF magnolia grand flora.
II Is now in q pot sixteen inches III diameter,
and the beautiful green leaves are at least
five feet in diameter. Half dozen shoots or
seedlings have been taken from the parent
lily. and one of them is being cultivated at
the Government Botanic Garden, adjacent
TO the Capitol building, on the avenue.
Probably a plant that attracts as much
attention as any In the w hlte House con-
seryatory is a small red one, which is named
the artillery plant, from peculiar haDlt
~. lrns 1,oi, taI
ing small red buds, if dampened in water
will cause a swelling and bursting, the
pollen popping into the air like the
smoke puffs from cannon. Alter all the
buds have burst the plant looks as II fine
white snow had fallen upon the blooms,
which are shared not unlike small Maltese
crosses.
Clinging closely TO the brick walls OF the
orchid house, which is ON the west OF the
big conservatory, there is curious looking
running plant, the leaves OF which appear
to have been pasted against the walls and
smoothed out. This Is the famous shlngls a
plant, native of the West Indies, and said
to possess diuretic qualities. It's leaves are
a deep green and egg-Shaped, and 1t Justly
ranks as one of the curioSltles OF the Vrge-
table kingdom when its tendency is shown
to interested spectators.
From South Cardinals lowlands a con-
trihution has been made which is known as
the Venus fly-trap, from the fact that 1t first
imprisons and then kills flies, only opening
when the victim is dead. 1t is formed not
unlike a shell, and the edges have hlrsute
growth which possess a remarkable faScna-
ton for iiies. They will crawl into the soft
material and endeavor to suck the sweets De
low, but the plant closes over them. and
when it unfolds the unwary flies fall off one
side dead.
There are also many varieties Of pitcher
plants in these greenhouses. which are
termed ipsectiverous from the fact that they
are very destructive to the lives of their VS.
itors. These plants can be found all the
way from South Carolina to New jersey on
the Atlantic Coast. and many Of the vari-
cites are common in California. Among the
insectiverous plants at the White House
probably the rarest is the nepenteS, native
of the East Indies, ard which is said to con-
tain pepsin in its pitcher-like cell. French
seyants are conducting series OF expert
ments now with these pants, and it Is stated
that their contents will be found highly ben
eficial to dysreptics. Usually the pitcher IN
The nepentes is found at the end OF tue leaf,
and il a cream color and very pretty.