The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1896-11-03

NkSSSSsSaE S@330
time is their own, Is by steamboat
along the Thames, when an excellent
opportunity Is afforded for a survey of
the traffic on the river and the smiling
beauty Of it's banks above the shipping.
The gardens are always under the
care Of a director, distinguished bot
anist. Sir Joseph D. Hooker and Sir
William T. Hooker have both occupied
this position, while the present direc-
tor is DR.. w. T. Thistleton Dyer. They
are open daily from noon until sunset,
and in one important respect differ
from most sights English, as no charge
is made to enter, the only restriction
placed upon visitors being that they
are not allowed to bring eatables into
the gardens or pluck even the wild
flowers. Unfortunately these restric-
tions are not always observed to the
letter, as few Americans passing along
one or the other of the secluded ave-
nues in various sections of the gardens,
can resist the temptation of plucking
d leaf or flower to take home as a me-
mento of this very charming place.
Although Kew is largely the result
of very careful landscape gardening,
one of the most attractive features of
the place is that it presents on every
hand pictures of such natural beauty
that it seems almost incredible that the
trees and flowers and shrubbery were
planted in this place and in that, with
the ultimate objects in view of arriv-
ing at the very wild and natural eff
feet, which you are bound to admire.
Trees and plants from all over the
world are to be seen in the beautiful
gardens of Kew and it is doubtful if
such complete collection, in such
high and perfect state of perfection,
can be found anywhere else. All over
the grounds the trees and shrubs from
the various parts Of the globe which
can stand the English climate are to
be seen growing in their natural beau
ty, while in the numerous lighthouses
the more delicate plants, such as ferns,
orchids, palms and other tropical
plants are carefully nurtured and
taken care Of, The FARMHOUSE is per-
haps one of the largest of its kind in
the world 1t is 1862 feet long by 100
lt6t plOdu anu w lCCL hlsSh lSltoi0
are allowed to ascend the spiral stair
case in the center of this house and
look down upon the mass of verdant
tropical greenery beneath. The pic
ture presented is a marvel of beauty,
and we'll worth the tiresome climb re-
| quired to view it.
Some of the palms in this house are
of gigantic size and were it not for the
constant pruning and attention of the
gardeners they would overstep all
4 bounds and thrust their upper branch
! es through the fragile glass roof which
so well protects them from the frost
and damp of an English winter. An
I even temperature of 80 degrees Fahren-
heit is always maintained in this
! house which is little too warm for
the comfort of the visitors, particularly
as the moisture arising from the plants,
when combined with the atmosphere,
makes breathing very oppressive. A
step out of this building is always re-
lief, even in the heart of winter.
One of the most interesting sights to
be viewed in the glass houses at Kew
Is the water lily pond, where all varie-
ties can be seen. from the ugly spatter-
dock to the magnificent Victoria Rega,
plant which has Recently been sue
cessfully cultivated In America.
The Arborteum of the Kew gardens,
converting an area of IT'S acres, and ex-
tending down to the Thames. intersect-
ed in every direction by shady walks
and avenues, suggests in some of It's
most picturesque hooks. even TO the
most matter-O fact mind glimpges of
fairyland and OF midnight revels UNI
| der the trees and in leafy bowers, such
as Shakespeare tells of In his Mid
| summer Nights Dream" AT the ex-
| treme southern portion OF the Arbore-
tum a very conspicuous object to be
| seen from every part of the garden is a
| Chinese pagoda, rising ten stories 10
! the height of i65 feet From the sum
NIT of this pagods. when the weather
is clear. "a view of the environs OF Lon
| don for thirty miles around can be had.
| Unfortunately. the average visitor to
/ Kew Is not admitted 10 this quaint
structure. which contains other Orient
al attractions, az IN Its vicinity are to
/ be seen growing many trees from the
I Orient. such. for instance. as the eedars
! of Lebanon. a variety Of tree frequent
, ~ mentioned I'm the Bible
| In the northern part OF the A.'borte-
| um. Americans feel very much at home
| Ia IA small American garden. planted
with maguolias. naples and other
trees. natives OF the United States. ana
| fine azaleas and other dlstinctively
/ American blossoms
I