Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-10-26
The Change Of Season and Its Effect
on the Public Grounds.
FLOWER BEDS IN THEIR AUTUMN DRESS
Setting Out Chrysanthemums and
Hardy Bulbs.
THE PROPAGATING GARDENS

perceptible than in the many beautiful pub
lie parks that add SO much to the attract
iveness of the I:atoral capital This
change is specially apparent at the pres
ent time, when autumn is swiftly advance
ing to meet the fast approaching winter.
In the parks the somber hued green of the
foliage of many kinds of trees and shrubs
IS giving way to variety of colors, in
which yellow strongly predominates. In a
few Instances. however rotably in scarlet
oak and maple, sCmach, dogwood and
spindle tree, the changing foliage assumes
all the brilliant foliage of a painters pa
iette and rivals in beauty the richest tints
of the summer flowers
The short days and lowered temperature
which are responsible for this display, pro-
duce other effects, however, tending to off
set this arboreal adornment. the most no.
ticeable of which is that the erstwhile
sward loses its coat of velvet green and
dons less becoming garment of light
brown. and the bright-hued summer flower
ing and foliage beds fade away into I'M
sightliness With view of prolonging the
floral attractions of the parks as much as
possible, Col. ]. NJ. Wilson, corps of en-
gincers, and his chief assistant in the work
MIR. George H. Brown, have arranged a
plan that is sure to meet with popular
faded Towering and foliage plants in the
early fall and the replanting of the beds
with the ever popular chrysanthemum, the
queen of autumn flowers, which blooms
until the severe frostS of December DESTROY
all growing plants.
Putting Out Chrysnnthemumx.
During the present month over ten thou
sand chrysanthenum plants of various col
ored flowers have been planted in the pub
lie parks, and workmen are now engaged
in planting hardy bulbs in the principal
flower beds. These bulbs make a root
growth Only during the winter months, but
in the earliest warm days of the spring
they push their stems and pretty flowers
above the ground. During the present sea-
sen about sixty-five thousand of these
bulbs viii be planted in the public parks
consisting mainly of hyacinths tulips and
crocus. in their many varieties.
The question is often asked as to what
becomes of these myriad plants and bulbs
after they have served their special pur-
pose of adorning the parks. In order to be
able 10 answer it intelligently, Star re-
porter applied directly to Mr.. Brown, the
public gardener. and got the facts in the
matter. Early in the autumn, before there
is any danger of frost, the gardeners take
up all the tender tropical plants-palms,
marantas, crotons, etc-and store them in
the propaGating gardens, where there are
extensive green houses and every facility
for the care of plants. Then the park flow
er beds are gone over carefully, and strong
young cuttings are taken of the soft wood
ed Towering and foliage plants, such as
seranium-, coleus. iresenes, etc. that are
desired foT propagation for planting in the
following season. Later in the year. when
it is certain that the constant fIosts will
utterly destroy the sghtliness of the
plants. the park watchmen receive informal
instructions to permit persons desiring to
do so to take cuttings from the plants re-
N he he'd in met
the plants themselves. Permission to re-
move the plants is never given however
until the last moment and not until il is
certain that they can no longer serve their
purpose in the characterization of the park.
Applications are frequently made for per-
mission to remove the plants early in the
fall. but they have to be denied, for the
reason that it is designed to leave the
paintings for park ornamentation undis-
turbed as long as practicable. After the
flower beds have been denuded by the gar
deners and the public they are mulched for
the winter with a layer of four inches OF
manure, and cleared and Spaded for an
other seasons planting.
The bulbs are usually grown two sea-
sens. When they are removed from the
flower beds after the spring bloom they
are replanted in the propagating gardens
and in the ensuing autumn they are taken
up and the weak and spent bulbs culled
out and thrown away. The others, to-
gether with new ones purchased from bulb
importers. are used for the regular plant
ings in the parks.
The PropaEatinE Gardens.
The government propagating gardens are
Lot we'll known to the public as they
should be. They are located on the Wash
ington monument grounds. just west of the
bureau of engraving and printing, and con-
tain a most extensive and valuable collec-
ton of exotic plants of all kinds. There
are gems of the floral world there that
cannot be found anywhere else in this vi
entity. and in some respects the collection
Of plants is the finest in this country. The
gardens are open to the public from S
o'clock am. until 430 o'clock pm, and
Will well repay visit from persons inter
estad in Horticulture and horticulture. AT
present the chief attraction certers in the
chrysanthemum house, where there is an
especially fine collection of that plant, in
Guiding nearly all the Leading varieties.
They are now blooming in all their glory.
and will well repay visit from all lovers
CT this popular autumn flower.
In the propagating green houses n num-
Der of skilled gardeners are engaged in the
general care of an extensive collection of
plants of all kinds. and others are busy in
propagating and pottins young plants for
future use. About forty thousand foliage
and Towering plants recently transferred
from the propa eating beds to the beaches,
Will be multiplied tenfold by April next,
when the work of propagation usually
these plants to the parks Will begin about
May l, and will continue until early in
June, when the summer planting usually
ends.
Nandals and dogs have done great dam
age to the flower beds in the parks, and
the authorities have repeatedly shown the
absolute necessity Of additional watchmen
to guard the parks, but to no effect. An
other effort Will be made, however. to in
duce Congress to provide better illumina-
ton and better protection generally for the
parks. and it is to be hoped that it will be
successful.