New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-04-11
FASHIONS IN PALMS.
THE KENTIA is CLAIMED TO BE THE
QUEEN FOR THIS SEASON
MANY RARE AND BEAUTIFUL SPECIMENS WILL
DECORATE THB CHURCHES To-DAY-NoTABLE

MANY RARE AND BEAUTIFUL SPECIMENS WILL
DECORATE THD CHURCHES ro-DAY-NoTABLE
VARIETIES AND ODD VIRTUES
The favorite palm for this season is the kentia' a
magnificent and specimen. In which several
fronds branch UP from a single long s'eh'' WIN
each leaf subdivided into from fifteen 10 twenty
leaflets. according to the age OF the specimen ~
raise this specimen Of the botanical world requires
at least seventeen years Of the most careiu h'"s
ing and watching.
A quarter of q century ago the kentia was not
known In Northern climates 1t being cohsioeIe"
too delicate for cultivation here. There were Jew
specimens in the Conservatives OF mihonares,
which were watched day and night. and exhibited
only occasions of great social events, ana przeo
as highly as any masterpiece of art But the ume
came when the hortculturists began series OF
extraordinary and expensive experiments WIN the
various specimens of the palm. which nave lea u
the establishment OF the great nurseries OF Long
Island where in immense glass houses. hundreas
Of feet in extent, there are raised many OF the
rarest plants In the smaller houses. where the
temperature is kept constantly at 80 degrees inc
seed plants are cared for for two years before they
are placed in the regular hothouses.
The large palms which are used as decorations
are manifestations of the tender care Of score OF
years during which they have gradually put forth
their beauty at the rate of tvs or three leaves
year The Areca which was the rage OF last year
though now the second in choice still hoios hri''
place among fashionable palms This plant grow
ing In the form of a BUSH has stems which branch
from a common base. bearing each from four to six
leaves with each leaf again putting out from
twenty TO thirty leaflets. This specimen held It's
place much for the admiration given the hardi-
hood Of its leaves for the bright golden SHADE OIL
its stem. But the florists decided that there must
be change. the stately Kentia has been pushed
to the front.
Goa IL less Fav han
a house decoration is the Phoenix. which long held
its place a leader Of palms. dazzling the eye py
the peculiar glossy green color and captivating by
its ostrich plumeike appearance.
QUEENS IN THE PLANT WORLD
Although these palms acknowledged the
queens in the plant world for decorative purposes
few. of the wealthy families. possesses
specimens OF them. relying upon the nurseries 10
supply them needed occasions. The idea is preva-
lent that it Is Impossible keep them except under
the most favorable conditions This is the old idea.
and the nurserymen say that II is Iaise o ngi
thrive ordinary atmosphere provided they are
given plenty of light, watered regularly and their
For use in churches especially On Pain sr sun sa
the aSos Tse fanke leaves Of this variety
the. best adapted for drying and preserving eacn
thirty pieces Besides the specimen of the palm
which society has accepted as its especial choice,
many others for which there is regular demand
by those VINO have pretensions TO society and
by those who do not cling TO custom relying rather
on their individual taste. choosing their decorations
rather for striking appea rance wealth OF color and
Among the notable of such varieties Is the
Pteris fernlike palm OF mixed growth the result
of many years of experiment. smooth OF surface on
leaf, and which appears to change under the sun
fe en h S hf the the Sfx
a handsome specimen Of the japanese plant which
Su ne 81 the mo
The leaves spreading out in three directions form
two-thirds oval. and grow in skies and tens from
five centre stems.
AUSTRALIAN TREE PALM
But Of all handsome palms the most remarkable
and the one least outside Of the nurseries, be-
of its rarity and the lack OF space in ordinary
places for such growth is the Australian tree
palm. There only few specimens in this
country, none Of which stand less than eighteen
feet in height, and Of which supposed TO
be less than two hundred and fifty years old. The
specimens of this variety which In this
try have been brought by steamer from their
native growing place at great expense. and at
tended in the bringing by many difficulties. Be-
sides this giant palm there other large
specimens rarely seen and never moved. such as
the royal palm. priced for its elegance OF form.
and the African palm. Cuceffolartu, which is es-
pecally valuable to the botanical world because of
its oddly of structure.
For long time the palm of fashion was the Sage
& an WICK ~hSm Is again
10 the front since the japanese have made SO much
already to large extent crowded the growing
popularity Of the cocoanut palm, and changed the
taste from tho large TO the small leaf in palms.
for the cocoanut palm springs from the main stem
a single broad leaf which often grows 10 a length
OF twenty fee. sub-divding into number Of leaf
let's.
VIRTUES OF THE PLANT.
While IN America the larger palms used only
for decorative purposes, 1t is different In the tropi-
cal lands where these varieties grow wild and