The Portland daily press., 1899-11-30
(From the Washington Post.)


(From the Washington Post.)
Each mistress Of the white House has
ha d her favoIite flower. except Mira
Mckinley, who expresses little preferences,
except an AVERSION to yellow lowers, and
q great love OF the blus ones. In which
the PRECEDENT joins her. A largo bunch
OF flowers IL out from the conservatory
every morning and sent to adorn the
Presidents tabls. while others 90 to Mrs.
MeKinley's apartments. The plants that
adorn the domes 10 part OF the White
House are frequently changed, to give
her the benefit Of the rare and beautiful
variety that fills the oonservatories. All
Of the fnost plantI share her admiration,
sach for az long time rs IL can stiDd to
DO kept from real hot house atmosphere.
Neither Mrs. Mckinley nor tse Presi-
dent visits the conservatories regularly,
though before the busy Gays Of the war
were thrust upon him, they both loved
the cgre and cultivation Ct plant life.
Now, the President has no time to watch
the gentle unfolding OF nature PLACED
u0utE tue WV "tra ktnse " Wv
west OF the White House.
The rose house is always riotors In
bloom, and at any ascn affords ample
cuttings Tor tina home part Of the White
House life, while that part filled with
violsts Is redolsnt with perfume that
watts to meet you with the opening and
closing of the dollhouse doors. Long
rows Of primroMs lie along one side, pre-
pairing for midw Ia ter, blossoms, and
tho ugh the Prsident's chry santhem ums
are suffering from q rust that has bseet
particular family of plant life tiis fall.
til ere 10 large corner OF one of the
houses filled with rare specimens OF these
Haunting beauties.
Hundreds OF beautiful fernr, several
houses of them, as we'll as OF the deilcai Q
tr ailing asparaguf. tell the story OF The
ex quisits displays Ct flowers and ferns
that bank the ms ntel pieces and table on
arps occasions, like public receptions.
Cabinet dinners and similar fuuctionf.
Each mantsl has box made to Ut IL. and
the firms are loossnsd from ths edge o.
the pots aud slipret In the moist earth
that fills the boxes. Roses and other
flowers are thrust In here and there.
making the gorgeous floral displays that
ara read OF and talked OF In all parts Of
the country. just az soon as possible
after an affair the flowers are taken out
aud the terms are carefully put hack In
the old pots and returned +, the hothouss
for future use. Thus the same ones mBy
be used for all the receptions Of winter.
There are few oco isions on which even
these great conssrvatories re;u!e to give
I'D enough blossoms for the decorations
Then florists outside are called ION to
supply whatever IL needful.
Just now tho flowers are being taken
up from outdoors. and one house 10 en-
tirsly given up for cuttings for next
prinx . display. The houses are filled with
the farsst specimens Of tropical q IRA and
florists oil over the country via with one
another In sending some rare specimen
to this White HOUSE ccnssrvatoIi,s, while
oar officers, travelling to remote parts OF
earth. often ship curious and rare plnnts.
Tue lofty glass domes added to enc side
Of tho censsrvatoi les are filled with such.
and one might well imagine being In
an African jungle, SO luxufiant and thrift
" have the plants beoome.
About the newest arrival Is o repressn.
tstive Of the Philippines. 1t 10 known
as the "Dswey plant" It occupies
conspicuous place In the White House
oonseryatcries aud In close proximity to
the myrisds of ferns that adcrnd the table
and dining room ut the great Dewey din
Fer. Ihsse were intsrspstssd with
beautiful profusion of orchids that also
claim the Islands as their home.
Tlsre Is something decidedly symbolic
and startling TO anti-expansionists In TIE
way fora OF The Philippines ttrives in
this country, even when forced 10 1t.
The "Dewey rlan's,' that add 80 much
to tbs riotoUs tropical beauty OF the
islands. are there known AS the "Acaly-
pha sands rianA." and wfrs dubbed ty
Philadelphia florist the dewey plant.
1he White House specimens. of which
there are s,varsl, stand not more than
twelve or fourtsen inches in heiaht, with
rich. dark green foliage, from which de-
rend long, graceful, sraylng tasseis OF
brilliant rose color. las s)fs and line es
chenille. ana not unlike it.
There ara many rare varieties OF orchids
from the Philippines, where they glow
mcst lux uriantly as we'll as snowy tropi-
cal plants OF unpronounceable namts.
that, when com cined vita the gorgeous
birds and flowers Of that country. make
II n veritabls glimpse OF fairyiand.
In one OF the tropical hoGsg are pine
apples in fruit, ami also oranges and LEM
ons and other tTor ioal fruits. 10 SONS OF
permit Il. the fish that I'LL the great bas
In the lower part of this Wits Hor s.,
grounds as well as those In the basin OF
the Treasury, are brought In, and adj
much to the beauty o! the SURROUNDINGS
The markings of the goldfish rs most
varied and p;onounosd, especi.llJ the va
riety brought from Japan, In which coun.
try they form livsly round in tie world
Of sport. The spotted fellow s-Io two
have marks alike-arc named. The
players then gather around the glass
aquarium nad each selscts his hsh.
Then u piece of meat tied 60 the end OF a
string Is lowered among the fish. Pfeyi-
GUS 60 this the bookmaksr pays lively
part, >and money is placed opposite the
names OF the favorites. The nah that
gets the morsel of meat 10 ths winner.
Some uf the spotted beaatie, succnmbsd
to the mistaken kindness OF the invasion
of youngsters during tbs concerts given
In the White House grounds during the
summer, and, refusing TO flourish on the
CONNECTIONS given them by the childies,
gave Up the ghost and turned food for
the other tishes. Bormsrly they served