The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-08-06
CENTRAL PARKS CONSERVATORY.
The New Buildings TO lie Opened in Novem-
Der mud Their Ises.

A new conservatory which has been In course
Of construction In Central Park for some
months is now approaching completion. 1t Is
situated in the hollow south Of the Harlem
Mere and some 300 feet south OF the East
Tooth street entrance. II may be said OF this
entrance that 1t has hitherto led to the only
spot In the Park good to avoid. The hollow
was a dumping ground full OF refuse and ma
larla. the latter long and well established and
the former the accumulation OF many years.
In It were hotbouses ofthe most primitive de-
scription and.long lines Of hotbeds. the whole
diGnined by the title OF the Central Park nur.
series. II is no more than fair to say, how
ever. that from these poor surroundih ~ and
worse facilities came the thousands Of plants
used in decorating tho more favored parts OF
the PARK.
All this Is now changed. The low land has
been raised considerably above tho level OF the
mere and divided by broad pathways into
lawns which are giving promise OF future beau
" In thick Erowths OF young grass. Thanked
by these lawns. which are to be further deco
rated with ornamental shrubs and broken
here and there with flower beds and cluinps Of
foliage plants, the palm house. the central fca-
ture Of the range Of conservatory buildings.
rises in graceful curves to II height Of forty
eight feet. 1t is 100 feet by 30 feet in size.
Following tho japanese style Of decorative eff
fects in horticulture. rockerles will be estab.
lished In the palm house. md tree ferns and
tall tro pical palms will bend over clear streams
OF running water and cascades az tIue:to ma
ture as knowledge and art can make them.
Moses. ferns and flowers will cover the soil.
built w until the capacity OF the house will be
a least three times greater than indicated by
The floor area. Trailing plants will cover rocks
and rafters and vines of more sturdy habit
fAl t, "a "a nllnu nd Fff.f- = tran
Reaching out from either side OF the palm
house for distance of sixty feet are two low
These are to be filled with rare eXotics. Tho
row terminates at each end In house 40 feet
by 80 feet H. 10 S feHt hgh one Of these end
used for the more tender tropical plants. while
the other is to be devoted to more hardy plants
range has a frontage OF 80 feet facing Fifth
avenue. Running back from each end house
are low houses sc feet long and 30 feet wide,
terminating in tall structures of the same di.
mensions as those in front, A vine clad, semi.
circular wall OF brick divides an opcn court
turcsnue background to the buildings Event
ually two other low houses SO feet long and 20
court 100 feet By 91 feet viii be- ea mS out IN
ornamental beds and further ornamcnted with
Towering shrubs and vines. The whole plan
perintendent n. JGnssen Rose '~0 ~ -''N
Lack OF facilities for their cultivation has
palms or tree Terms. but the curator Of the bo-
TAM cal gardens at Jamaica. who visited Cen
trial Park recently promised Mr. Rose a large
shipment of tree ferns for the palm house The
extent and beauty of the display in the new
houses this year will OF necessity depend large
" on the generosity of patrons. particularly AS
to palms and plants OF like slow growth.
The taller greenhouses will he devoted ~ the
gro with OF towering plants. such IA the ncacigs.
camellins. azaleas and the like. and the display
OF climbing roses, lilies ch.ysanthcmums and
the like. in their season. The connecting
houses of the front range will lie used for or
chids. ferns and other eXotics. while the re-
manning houses OF the range will bc used for
the prcpagatio of bedding plants, Nc., for the
parks OF Manhattan borough.
Meantime the unSlehtly rows OF worn ont
propagatinR houses which have SO long been
MI. Rose = main If not only dependence for the
floral decoration OF the parks. will lie removed
ms rapidly as POSSIBLE and the grounds they en-
cumber. south of the conservatory. be graded
and beautiled.as BELTS their picturesque sur
rouudings.
The conservatory cost S55.OOO 1t will he
thrown open to the public early in November
The event is to be siGnalized lay n chrysan the
mum display OF rare magnitude and beauty.
| In nreparaton for the event Frank Hamilton
| the head gardener. has Mt least 300 plants
| COMPRISING some seventy-two varieties, al.
| ready in an advanced stage Of cultivation. |,
| Is intended that such special flower shows
ty pical Oh the various species Of the most orna
| mental plants shall be given as nearly each
| week as possible.
The conservatory will form an especially
| important feature of the Park in winter. when
| the natural attractions are necessarily lin
| tied by the season,