Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-03-17

ta,VS$siEH.T,f dens, 70 Star
5syfa 'sViElk;I ~ writer Among them
~ ItxzavdFt1 w the Indian shot VIII
NJ SNxsLNEM be conspicuous. L:
* has big leaves and
large spikes of flow
ers. The name comes from notion
whether true or not l am unable to say
that the Indians formerly used the seeds,
which are extremely hard, in lieu Of lead
shot.
I'VE shall set out great many coral
plants-so called because the big clusters of
flowers they bear look somewhat like red
coral They are very snowy, and grow so
rapidly as to become small trees in the space
of a few months. Another decoration for
the parks this spring will be the towering
tobacco. which has beauliful blossoms in
great spikes. II is a cousin of the we'll
known herb nicoti1n.' but Its leaves are
not SO good to smoke. The var.e.rIted La
mana, with stripes o. red ana white on the
leaves, Will also lie in FAVOR. 1t is 4 freak
of the greenhouse. and became variety
through the gardeners science In truth.
the variegatiOn is a disease. Many PLANTS
priced for the beauty II their foliage owe
their exquisite coioration to u form uf con
sumption encouraged by the horticulturist
1t is consumption of ;he !unss-for the
lungs OF plants are their leaves
''In shady parts of some OF the parks we
shall have good many real tropical plants
various palms pineapples. crotons, the
arrowroot and the dumb cane which SOME
people call the 'mother-in law because a
bit Of the leaf chewed will so swell the
tongue that speech is rendered impossible.
The public is respectfully cautio led not to
Nlrfyr II,
Franklin squares there will be an especially
fine tropical display. as well as handsome
beds of begonias and fuchsias.
Palms and Plants.
THE climate of Washington in summer
is sufficiently tropical to be very healthy
for palms. Those which are set out in the
parks do not suffer at all, save such as are
in vases, where they are apt 20 get dry l
dare say you know that the bronze vases
in Lafayette square. a gift from Mr.. Cor
coran originally. were recast at the navy
yard. The precautlon Of removing the
earth from them in winter was not taken,
and so the expansion of the soil by freezing
cracked them. Now, to prevent repeti-
ton of the accident We put the plants in
galvanized-iron pans, and remove pans and
all from the vases in autumn.
I'VE shall put out half a million plants
in the parks this spring. There will be, to
ent varieties. These are foliage plants, gold
en- and scarlet, very snowy. For bedding
designs We shall use 125UOO !ow-growing
plants of variegated foliage. OF colcus set
down $1,000. Out of fifty varieties of Coleus
We have discarded all but five which are
handsomest and best adapted for the pur-
pose. These are the 'Shylock.' the golden
bedder,' the DR.. Jacobs the 'Verschaef-
Feltu,' and the purple prince The last was
originated in the propasating gardens.
Put down 5000 echeverias, of four
varieties. Most people call them hens and
Chickens from the manner of their re-
production. Of geraniums 25,Oo0-scarlet,
pink and white. We shall have 10000
Indian shot plants, and Of periwinkles
$500 more. To these last. which bear
such pretty red and white blossoms, Inore
attention ought to be paid by flower
lovers. One point about them is that they
do not require any trimming, but take
care of themselves and are always salts
factory. OF 'taro' plants, with big green
we shall have about 1000. a feature will
be made of ornamental grasses, most of
which have been introduced from Europe
Pythian Floral Designs.
II am going to make number of beds
in designs complimentary to the knights
OF Pythias, who are to visit Washington
this summer. They will be emblematic
representing their badges and insignia
Something Of the same sort was done when
the Grand Army came here, you will re-
member. For this purpose the many al
ternanthera will be chiefly utilized.
would not forget to mention aquatic
towering plants of which we shall put
out about twenty kinds in the fountains
None Of these plants will he set out until
the lst of May. The flowers which gre be-
ginning now to beautify the parks from
bulbs. 80. 900 in number, put in the ground
thera, coleus, geranfums, echeverias In
dian shot" periwinkles etc.,ara being prop
agated in immense numbers in the green
houses at the propagating gardens Some
very curious processes for propagation are
practiced at the gardens. One consists n
cutting with a knife a ring around a branch
of a plant One might imagine that the In
tention was to kill the branch. but such Is
by no means the object in view. The cut
having been made, piece Of wet moss is
vra pped and tied around the branch at
that point Beneath this protection tie sap
exudes from the wound. and little rootlets
are developed. After few days the branch
is cut away from the parent stern, being
then itself a complete plant. with roots. all
ready to put in a pot.
This plan is adopted with plants Of slow
growth, because one plant may thus be
split I'D into half dozen or more OF good
size. instead of waiting for seeding or
little slip to develop. modification OF
the same process consists IN piaeinS a
small pot full Of earth around the cut
place on the branch. fastening 1t in posi-
ton When roots have developed the
branch Is cut off just below the pot and
new plant Is produced. If the gardener
chooses to take the trouble, he can make
separate plant out of every bud on a
tree In fact an eminent botanist has said
that every tree Is village, each bud being
an individual.
Some Curious Plants.
One of the curiosities at the propaga tins
gardens is plant Of the ar-owroot family,
each leaf Of which has picture of grow
ing branch on 1t with leaves, painted by
nature to perfection. Young palms are grown
from seed in one of the green houses. In
early youth they look remarkably like
ordinary grass. Mr.. Brown, just for fun,
keeps few sensitive plants. 1t is wonder
fCl to see them shrink and fold their leaves
IL does but touch the pot containing
them. Nobody has ever been able to find
out why they do this, unless it be supposed
that this kind of vegetable actually POS
sesses some sort of nervous system.
Iack-"What did that horse cost you?'
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