Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-12-01
LIKE A TROPICAL FOREST
Recent Additions to the Pension Office
Court.
Palms and Other Trees Transferred
From the White House
Conservatory.

Palms. pandanus and other tropical trees
and plants of immense size and beautiful
appearance have recently been removed
from the White House conservatory and
taken to the pension office, where they Will
find shelter for the winter. The pension
building court now presents the appearance
OF some great botanical garden, or, rather,
a corner in an East Indian forest,
The object of removing so many trees
from the White House conservatory is to
make room for the Marine Band, which.
during receptions to be held during the win
ter. will be stationed in that part of the
conservatory which adjoins the Executive
Mansion. About twenty-five of the finest
specimens have been sent to the pension
Office. which will leave ample room to &C.
commodate the band. The space formerly
occupied by the musicians will be utilized
as nat room during receptions. The state
dining room vas formerly used for that
purpose. This. 1t is thought, will be a de-
cided improvement over the former ar
rangement. Not only will it provide more
room for the visiting public but the music
VIII be softened and better modulated
coming from the conservatory than when
the band played in the former location,
where the close walls MADE the reverbera-
ton at times quite harsh and unpleasant
to the average ear.
Some of the palms are rapidly outgrow-
ing the White House conservatory, and
plans have been made to accommodate
them. Congress will be asked. during the
coming session, to appropriate funds for
larger greenhouse, among other needed I'M
provements to the Executive Mansion. The
plans include the construction of dome
in the center of the conservatory, forty
feet high. of oval form, and fifty feet
long. This is considered Of quite moderate
dimensions. in view of the fact that some
OF the palms have spread of nearly thirty
feet. and are growing faster now than
ever before during their existence.
There will. of course, be no lack of room
for these trees to spread in the pension
office. The task of keeping them watered
and otherwise properly groomed and cared
for during their stay there will De attended
to by experts in the employ of Col. Bing-
ham. Mr.. PGster. the head gardener of the
White House. who is well versed in the
difficult science of indoor culture of palms.
new colony of trees in person, and it IS be-
lieved that they will safely pull through
until next spring, when they will Re re-
turred to their old quarters.
Once Owned by Washington.
Among the trees sent over to the pension
office is one of great historic interest 1t
is a sage PALM botanically known as Cycas
revoluta, and has the distinction of having
once been in the possession of George
Washington. Although the tree is only
about ten feet in height, 1t is over 200
years old. and its great age is plainly
shown by its appearance. Mr.. PfiSter has
tried to get complete history of this
cradle relic. but has only succeeded in de-
termining that it was presented to Wash
ington by wealthy merchant of Balti-
more. 1t came from the Island of Cuba
and was already very old tree when
brought over by the merchant. who owned
a vessel plying between Havana and Balti-
more. 1t is not known when 1t was brought
over, nor is the name of the merchant now
known. The tree stood at Mount Vernon
for many years. and again found it's way
back to Baltimore, Washington having pre-
scented it to lady living in that city.
There 1t remained unit! about fifty years
ago, when the last owner of it died. At
the sale of the owners estate the Wash
ington sagO was bought by the head gar
dener of the White House, and it has stood
in the green house there ever since. 1t is
one of the most interesting relics of the
great Washington, and bids fair to survive
several generations to come. Although
handled with extreme care during it's re-
moval. several of the beautiful feathery
leaves Were accidentally broken off from
its already thin crown. This, however will
probably not injure the tree to any serious
extent. Care will be taken. however that
visitors who are sure to come to see the
tree when they know where it is will not
be allowed to handle even touch the
precious relic while it is in the care of the
pension office, and all the watchmen there
have received strict instructions to that eff
feet
Other Trees Needing Protection.
There are other trees that might properly
be labeled hands Off. One is a large Gin
namon tree, whose fragrant leaves would
soon fall prey to public curiosity were
they not protected. Probably the finest
specimen of all is a magnificent palm
known Sabal umbraculifera. a native of
South America. This tree resembles the
palmetto of the south. but is much hand
somer than is often seen in the open forest
there.
Superintendent Barnes now has an op-
portunity to exercise his artistic skill in ar
ranging the various trees and plants around
the basin in the great court. and it is be-
lieved that when he and Commissioner
Evans carry out their plans the pension
office will be one of the favorite, and GER
tainly one of the most attractive places for
visitors during the winter