Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-07-03
THE BOTANICAL GARDENS
Some of the Treasures That superin-
tendent Smith Prizes Highly.
Vegetation From the Tropics, the
Valuable Collection.

Smith as guide one will get a closer
view OF this paradisical region than
could possibly be taken by the su-
perficial sightseer, who rlshes pell nell
through the place, with a long look at the
glttering Bartholdi fountain, a few abs
and obs over the orchids. and an unseeing
glance at the conglomeration of trees and
plants.
In the original plan of Washington the
garden had no part: and 1t was not until
about ITO that George Washington, who
then had time to leave purely material
things. selected its present site, there to
cultivate the nations aesthetic tastes.
The spot remained a swamp until near
lS2O. when the Botanical Society took a
small corner in hand. and, with rural zeal
planted a few trees of native growth.
Between 1910 and 1880 fence was placed
around the Enclosure, and in 1852 a great
boom was given the enterprise In the shape
Of the Wilkes exploring expedition plants
Prof. Baird Of the Smithsonian Institu-
ton declared this expedition TO be the most
government.
The First Man in Charge.
The first man to have charge OF the gar
den was Mr.. VIM. Breckenridge. the assist
ant botanlst and horticulturalist of the ex-
pedition. He was a very prominent man,
though II is not recorded that his oratorical
powers were sufficient to gain for him the
somewhat undesirable epthet, Silver
Tongue"
In 1853 Mr.. VIM. r. Smith, also a Scotch
man, took charge of the garden, and IL is
chiefly to him that We are indebted for the
wonderful transformation OF a swamp TO a
work OF art. When this gentleman became
superintendent the ground now occupied by
his picturesque cottage was adorned with
one non-weather-proof room, so damp and
enticing to the ANNA, Kingdom that Il be-
came rendezvous for 81 in
Quisitive snakes journeying from Tiber
creek. At last Mr.. Smith got rid of the
reptiles. or got some one else to rid him OF
them, and from that time TO the pres
ent the growth OF the garden has been phe-
nomenal
Mr.. Smith has not only collected plants
from every region on the globe but he dis
seminates them to persons who are like
himself interested in horticulture
small numbers OF plants are annually
given to members of Congress and Senator's
who care to have them. The giving away
of cut flowers Mr.. Smith regards merely as
trifiing incident. never an object. Trees
are his delight, and their dissemination is
the chief Joy of his work; for him the body
OF a tree. It's branches and budding leaves
have the same interest and a much more
disinterested interest, than our bodies and
various organs have for learned physicians
HO! for the Equatorial Regions.
We VIII leave America and journey to
the miniature tropics. which are condensed
In four greenhouses. each Of different tenn
perature.
We step from the outer world into this
Enclosure. which registers 35. 40 degrees, and.
presto! change! behold an Australian jun
gle.
Overhead the dense foliage OF trees which
attain improbable heights cast sinister sha-
dows on the soaked soil and thick growth
of shrubs below. One trembles in fear of
an apparition In shape Of a panther. and
listens intently. conjuring the soft sound
OF his football in each rustic of a leaf
After this first impression fades and the
eye becomes accustomed to the conglomer-
ated mass. one is usually seized with the
spirit OF Investigation and individual liza ton
So / began to question Mr.. Smith about
the long trunk and thick leaves of the
Bunya Bunya, grown at Moreton Bay
Australia. Among other qualities II pos
sesses." he answered. the most important
Is its utility; the natives make bread of its
seeds. and hand the tree down as an heir
loom from father to son. Observe too
this beautiful American Excelsa, SHAPED
Ike chinese pagoda; ii is said that when
Capt Cook SEW IT from the deck Of his
vessel he feared to land, thinking IL to be
heather temple"
The areca sapida and areca robusta of
New Zealand are a species of cabbage palm
the leaves are shaped like a colossal feather
and l can rather imagine the natives
adorned with one of them, in COMPANY with
his war paint, rather than connecting IL
with the name OF a commonplace vegetable
III these TWO plants are placed In a cline
warmer than 35.4 degrees they would soon
be covered with tiny insects
of course in this mountainous tropical
region We find palms of many varieties
reveling in the delights OF this isolated tun-
gle.
/ was somewhat staggered when T lef,
the small varieties and looked up at a tan
stalk which bore the name "Archontophoe-
lN Elesans. While i leaned against the
trunk OF the tree 10 recover from the shock
my instructor came forward and removing
the esoteric awesomeness surrounding the
name exposed the fact that il was only
common palms / breathed easier ana
thought Of an old darkey in the backwoods
OF Tennessee, who named HIS orrsprinp
George Washington Napoleon Ronaparte
Jones and called him Buster for short
On the Plains.
1t is but step from the mountainous
regions to the plains with a rise in tenn
perature from 35.4o to a.Go
Part or the canopy shielding us from the
heat or an imaginary sun is the labyrinth
OF Bagnonia Chamberlain vine native tn
Brazil. but which has been transplanted
to cooler regions.
Ana now the coffee plant reminds us that
a cup OF Its beverage would not be unvel-
come. ard the sight OF huge clusters of
bananas sets the inner man to gnawinr
furiously. But our hunger Is driven away
bv soul-saudening spectacle. Near a large
mass OF picturesque rocks is a growth Of
bushes, iull or long, green. egg-shaped Guns
The appearance or these cups is peaceful
enough: there Is no sound of ribaldy within
them, but to my horror I learn that they
are veritable saloons where fin de steele
youths OF the insect genus sip their iuleps
and fancy concoctiCns from its walls, and
then fall dead drunk.
Close 10 the Equator.
We have left the southern tropics and are
just entering the region above the equator.
That" said my instructor lis the
Pandanis Utilis Varigata; II is the
rarest known plant / gazed admiringly
at its long, slender points. shading from
pale green to the palest yellow, and wind
ing round and round, cornucopia shape.
then spreading out like fan toward the
top.
Some distance from here staggers the
whisky plant, which intoxicates more ma
tives or India than are made drunk by the
beverages with which We are familiar.
Next, we came to a plant growing a love-
prong in the center. This is an Anthuriun
and to the same family belong the speci.
mems known as Down I'm the Mouth
Plant" and the 'Mother-in-law Plant" The
latter really resembles the much abused
traditional mother-in-law. 1t is green with
envy and has a speckled taundiced face
The oil palm OF Africa fourishes In this
temperature Eight million dollars worth
of its seeds are sent annually to Great
Britain to be used in lubricating machiner,
and for other