Southwest-sentinel. [volume] (Silver City, N.M.) 1883-189?, 1893-12-19
UNCLE SAM, FLORIST.
a GLIMPSE or THE BOTANICAL GAR
DEN m WASHINGTON.

Finest Collection % Palms In the world.
The Victoria Reeia, a lilly which WIN
Hold Up chiid-Piants Included Among
Congressional Perquisites.
Uncle Sans botanical garden In Wash
ington occupies a tract Of between eight
and nine acres Of land almost In the
shadow Of the capitol.
If you arc q newly elected member Of
congress and have not been initiated
into the fun scope OF your perquisites,
you will probably receive within a short
time after your arrival n letter from
some person you never knew and never
heard Of, asking you for an order on tho
superintendent for some choice ferns,
palms OF hanging baskets to be filed Mt
their own suggegtioB. Perhaps the let
ter cOmcs from some resident Of Wash.
ingtOn, for there are many here who arc
on the outlook for new members Of con.
grcss, especially those who do not bring
their families with them, or II may como
from one Of your own constituents. who
Is well versed in all the congressional
rcrquisites. SO It will not be long be-
fore you learn that there is a vast vari-
city Of things beside seeds and congress
eional reports, which only await your
order informing the custodians where
tie articles may he sent.
Each member Of congressis entitled to
a certain amount fromthe botanical gar
den each year, the kind and the amount
being Of course subject to the rules Of
tho superintendent. II senator should
enWI FOE ma 80 Al. 49,. a..s---
palms or cactuses, II is very doubtful
about the request being honored. The
last specimen Of q rare plant would not
be given mp under any circumstances.
Tho most or the orders sent in are for
roses, %geraniums and blooming plants.
Of which there is n great supply. If the
representative or senator prefers to have
his quota Of plants sent 10 his green
house in his native town or city, no is
furnished by tho clerk Of the house Of
representative with a wooden shipping
box, in which the plants are securely
packed and shipped by express to their
proper destination.
Upon entering the botanical garden
by the west gate you will notice on each
side Of tho broad walk an endless va
Tiety Of c@actuses, in all of the varied con-
ditionsof growth and scratchiness. Some
seem to grow after ideas peculiarly their
own, as il their chief charm lay in their
scrawny ugliEess. Others are very pref
T. and would help wonderfully to adorn
any conservatory or bay window. This
avenue extends for about ESQ feet, when
tho decorations Of the avenue change,
and you find yourself amid an avenue OF
palms.
You may have hurried by the great va
riety Of c~actuses, but You will certainly
loiter along among the choice collection
OF palms gathered from every quarter Of
the globe where Isllms grow.
The largest Of all the Conservatives is
the palulhouse, with its immense dome
shaped roof. The building has to be a
large "a to accommodate some of tho
immense palms which it contains, nan
Of which are 30 feet high. Here you win
find palms from Mexico, Brazil, Central
America, South America New Caledonia,
Australia and the South Sea islands;
palms with long trunks, palms with thin
leaves, with broad leaves, with long
names and with short names. that you
read and forget with an ease that is won
derful, so that the most you carry away
with you Is a memory that you have seen
the largest variety Of palms in the world.
In the large basin. 90 feet in diameter,
Sc the Bartholdi fountain, which was
purchased ut the Centennial exposition
Of 1876 by the library committee for the
Botanical garden. The fountain is Of
cast iron and cost $1,000. In the basin
Of the fountain growsthe Victoria Regia,
the largest species Of water lily in the
world. The lily is an annual, and asthe
season in Washington is too brief for the
lily TO reach its maturity, the seed has to
DO imported each year. The plant is a
native Of Brazil, and the seeds are i'm
ported in water, fer if they were kept
dry during tho length Of time which
would be required for transportation
the seeds would be worthless. IN Az
gust the Victoria Regia is In it's full
glory, and it is during this month that
the amateur photographer delights him
self by posing a small child upon ono
Of the immense leaves. BY this novel
experiment we are better able TO judge
of tho size Of this g%iantess Of tho lily
Among tho other wonders Of tho Boz
tanical garden Is alarge bed Of elephant
grass. which grows to the height Of IS
or 20 feet. AS a rapid growing plant
this grass seems to be the first in It's
class, but during the winter season st
dies down 10 the roots. When In bios
som, the bed looks like a small section
of the jungle transplanted 10 American
soil.
The trees in the botanical garden have
been selected more with a view to their
adaptabiity 10 the soil and climate and
10 their worth as shade trees rather
than TO illustrate peculiar kinds OF varie.
ties Of trees, and altogether the general
effect Of tie tree planting has been very
successful, in that the requisite amount
Of shade has been secured as well as q
harmonious touch Of general embelish.
msnt Of the garden.-Boston Herald.
Gas Excepted.
Ministers sometimes play good jokes
upon themselves. Rev. Thomas X.
Beeoher tells tho following;