The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-08-01

WASHINGTON, July 31.-Under the
palms, not in Southern Florida, nor In
tropical islands, but in the botanic
garden at Washington. Here is an ave-
nue. Of palms, reaching from the main
entrance at the foot of Capitol hill be-
yond the great conservatory. The
palms stand in immense tubs on each
SIDE OF the walk, varying in height
from six to twenty-five feet. Above
them tower twenty-five different kinds
OF trees. All are umbra geous, and the
palms flourish in their shade, whereas
the heat of the sun would injure them.
The first along the walk is a cocoa
palm from Brazil. It has been dragged
from Its tub and lies upon it's side.
The roots are exposed like the roots
OF a tree blown down by storm. Palm
roots In tubs are condensed like press
ed corn beef-matted and intertWined
so closely that water will hardly pene-
tfate them. This plant is being dis
rooted; from its confinement in the
tub the old roots have become caked
and matted. Two negroes are hard at
work upon it. One raises the tree to
a perpendicular position, while the
The roots are torn apart and trimmed
until at least half Of them are removed;
then the palm is lifted into a great
tub of fresh water where it remains
several hours. All this time bubbles
OF air arise from the roots until they
| become thoroughly saturated 1t is
| next placed In fresh earth in a new
tub, and retains its constant hue Of
green. William r. Smith, superinten-
| dent of the garden oversees the opera
| ton. He says that this root-trimmirg
| process is done. every year in the b.
tanical gardens at st. Petersburg. The
plants are afterward placed in hot
beds, where they regain a thrifty con-
dition. Here in Washington, however,
| the rays Of the sun are sufficient, when
| tempered by the shade of overhanging
| trees.
Near this cocoa palm tree there is 6.
fan palm from the isle of Bourbon.
There is nothing particularly remark
able about 1t. In fact, it is hardly
as handsome as the native palmetto
Of Florida. Forty three years ago,
however, it was a great curiosity. There
were only six Of them on the North
! kAIleIlCdH CONTINENT Inc SuDOrlnIonQ-
ent says that today there are $1,000 900
Of them in the United States in pots
| alone. 1t first fruited in the Botanic
| garden, and from the seed was dis
| seminated throughout the country.
| This is the plant from which the PALM
| leaf fan is made.
Opposite the fan palm is a palm Of
remarkable thrift and beauty. 1t came
from Lord Howe's island, off the coast OF
Australia. The leaves are long, slen-
der and delicate in appearance. They
are of a dark green, and arise like
water from a fountain, swinging grace
fully over the pathway This fountain
like appearance gives it the name of
the fountain palm.
Beneath a messy over-cup oak, plant
ed by John ]. Crittenden at the out
break of the war, stands a dwarf date
palm from India, and near it some
Japanese rattans, small and large. The
gem of this group, however, is a female
date palm from the Cape of Good Hope.
1t is now in flower, with no hope of
propagation, owing to the absence OF
males Of the same species. Here on
the left is a beautiful palm from Bra
zil. 1t is called the plume palm. and
is one of the most thrifty specimens
along the walk. Near it waves
feathery phoenix from the same coun-
try, and two from the Canary islands
One Of the two was raised in the bo-
tanic garden from seed sent from the
Canares.
The next plant is a curiosity It is
not particularly attractive IN appear
ance, but it is the genuine date palm
| from the Sahara desert. Thirty-fiVe
years ago Superintendent Smith bought
some dates at fruit store on Pennsyl-
vania avenue. They gave him the
toothache. One of the seeds fell into his
| coat pocket. Finding it there on his
return to the garden, he planted it,
and this date palm is the result. You
see near it the honey palm from South
America. Palm honey is sweet and
palatable. When the palm IS cut, the
honey runs out. 1t is of a pale, amber
! color, and is greatly relished by tho
natives. At it's side stands wax palm
from South America 1t produces a
| white wax, used in the cathedrals
| along the Spanish main. A tall palm
near it comes from southern China 1t
! is known as the hemp palm. The trunk
seems to be covered with a mating
of coarse black hair. This mating,
| however, is part of the palm. 1t
gives it a commercial value, although
ii detracts from rather than adds to
the beauty of the specimen.
Another palm standing near Is the
attain palm. 1t has been in the garden
for many years, and Superintendent
Smith says he is going to cut it into
pieces and scatter it through the south,
where it will grow to perfection and
prove of some value. Its companion is
called chamaerops tomentosa. It Is
similar to the Chinese hemp, and
fourished in Mexico when Montezuma
was emperor. A lace-like fiber clings
to the tree like woven cloth. The
Aztecs utilized it by making it into
tunics and robes. 1t takes a dye, and
is readily woven into garments.
So much for the palms. There are
sixty varieties Of them on this walk
alone. Hundreds Of people pass be-