The times., 1897-07-04


flowers and plants 10 don fun summer
attire. There are cOlors dull and colors
rla:nboyant, laughing in wilderness OF
vcrdarcy. Green ever eTywhere-Ereeni in the
sward undeIfoot, green in the trees and
green in the long, palm-lined avenues.
Tropical plants, which are slower to risk
ttfe yi,isStudes of Washington weather,
have Only a few weeks past been taken
from theiI winter homes to adOrn the
nam walt where one can now interview
400 aristocrats Of the vegetable king
dom and learn from them their value,
both fron, aneoonomic and botanical stand
point. Supt. smith has obtained manyfne
specimens OF various kinds during this
year and has put in practice new ideas,
which have improved the stock already IN
hand AMI made the gardens a paradise
OF floveiiness one OF his latest schemes
was TO lower the temperature of the
tropical greenhouses. The leading thought
vas - make the plants flounSh-in the
Writer season, of course-with as little
artificial heat as possible. In this, he has
been successful. and the results have fully
verified his Judgment. Notonly have many
tropical gems been made TO existin cooler
quarters. but they have profited by the
change and obtained quite az luXunanta a
growth
out in the north end OF the grounds the
barr.ap;ouSly arranged beds Of ppoE!cS
aud roses form pleasing spectacle
large collection II the former were pre-"
scuted bv Alr Vanderbilt, ana attracted
much attention fIUm sight reers- On one
small rJsched there are 500 varieties OF
the queen OF flowers one of the most
perfect IL the Lion de Combat, rich
crimson beauty. with compact center and
border petals that spread ont aud expose
10 view surfaces smoother than the SntteSt
satin. Tin Ieyvcst conner IS tie Crimson
Rambler. a tiny blossom somewhat larger
tlan tie end of ones thumb and crinkIed
like a small bunch OF crepe 1t grows ia
clusters and has rich foliage ii II
destined TO Toe the peoples rose ard l. he-
coming quite popular Mother Flower
destined to he a favorite of tue people is
the Came Il is brilliant for decorative
purposes and il the near future any care
ful cultivator vii be able 70 raise il in
abundance The great variety OF Canuas
Is due H. the french hybriiizeT, Mr CrCzy,
and his sons and followers TINS plant
VIII. ~ tI5ae, decorate nearly all the homes
of the industrial orders wherever room can
Be spared In some countries people have
been known to use its seeds as a substitute
for coffee Near th- center OF the gardeus
there are forty kinds of the plant in
various tones Of red and yellow They
grow IN a small bed surrounded by box
hedge
Among the historic collection of trees
PLANTED ty statesmen and Others who haTq
worn the Laurel Of fame and which are 10
well knor~n 70 the public that it is not
worth while 10 eniuerate them are several
not hitherto noted. One is The tTce planted
hy Join c CIiitenden, TO confederate
his unsuccessful efforts to save The coUn-
try flom war. 1t flouTishes Iuxurianilv
not far from the east front, and It's de-
pendants are cherished throughout the
length aud breadth Of the land. Near II is
the Washington elm, planted and pI0pa-
gated fIom a cutting by Senator Beck,
Who married the nearest living relative
OF Washington. A notable member of the
tIee genus is the lofty specimen brought
DveT when a runy infant by the J3 pancsc
wien they came 10 buy the Confederate
Ian StOnewal Jackson. 1t is called the
SaHisl.uTia. OF naidenhairtree. The leaves
-Ifthetl aidenhaiTfeTn a r itsleavesin in n,iUia-
tune. one specimen, eighty years old, ma Y
lie seen on AnaloStan Island. The sexes
are on separate trees. No seeds We're OBJ
faiued from the first tree. which came
pver. and it took two years 60 propagate
Huurhel fIun n root cutting. There are
two specimens. which cost a large sun II
uacy, in front Of the British legation.
nGing Governor Shepherds term in office,
Nj Smith, as chairman OF the parking com
mission was IoDking fDr trees with which
10 adorr. the city He found the Sallisburia,
mn uaC0nmeTCial waif in the nursery at
TestCl ester Pa. lie purchased 40O and
planted them on sever al Of our city streets.
Tuey are doing particularly well on Pierce
place, and Wilson be d common tTee. They
tear quantities Of seed and tie wCod is
valuable No insect ever attacks them
The seeds brought by MT Branch from
Nort Carolina have evolved q splendid
c1Iumn eighty feet high II is a graceful
cypress and was raIsed ia a flower pot
thrty-five years ago. The seeds Of the
Monterey cypress, the branches Of which
resemble ,,edar, We're presented to the gar
deus 10y Mrs. Jefferson Davis The tree
was first illustrated in the Pacific Rail
road reports during Mr. Davis incum-
bcncF at the seatof war2 The two ccdars
OF Lebanon, planted by Senator Hoar and
his cousin, ex-senator Evarts, are small,
but perfect trees Their foliage is sparse
and clulrIy defined, rather than dense and
CunGlotaerated, and their willowy branches
are very graceful. The Albert Pike cacia
is beautifu! at this season Of the year 1t il
back or tie large greenhouses in the gar
dens. Two OF it, kind are in front of the
Scottish Rite Masonic Temple Near this
tree are two rare specimens Of CYPRESS.
both grown from seeds planted in MI Ed
Wit Forests garden on Broad street. PhiIa-
dclphia one was given by the great ira
EeGian himself; the other 10y his friend.
John W Forney, editor of two famous
newspapers. the Washington Chronicle,
which still flOurShes like the cypreSs-a
memento Of its editor.
Besides the beautiful garden, which is
open ali day 10 the public, there is a large
space Of ground on Maryland avenue par
tally covered with houses and dsheds These
serve as the workshop. nursery and even
hospital for plants Hundreds Of them are
being packed to send over the country
This : branch of work in which Supt
Smith takes special interest He delights
O. send new specimens to real lovers of
plants 7nj 70 spread the knowledge of
their culture, which knowledge he consid-
pTS not only of inaSfinaabIa r-sit,n ,,ra..t