The evening times., 1900-03-10
WHITE HOUSE FLOWERS.
The beginning and Growth of the
Presidents ConspryntorN


CHeny Phster, in the New York Heraid1
The history of the present conservatory
Of the Executive Mansion dates from the
( first winter Of President Johnson's Admin
( istration Those who were connected with
( the conservatory before 1871 when / first
took charge OF it, tell me that the winter
OF 1856 was a very cold one and that the
} old conservatory was set afre through the
1verheating Of the pipes which supplied
I II with warm air. The building was en-
tirely consumed and practically every
one OF the plants contained in it was de-
stTOyed
During the year after the fire the main
! portion Of the present conservatory was
built. Once or twice since that time il has
/ been almost completely remodeled But
as the needs of the Presidents for flowers
have increased the general policy has been
to build additional greenhouses rather
than TO enlarge the present conservatory.
I This has gone on until at present the
PRESIDENTS conservatory, greenhouses. and
frames cover about an acre of ground.
For many years the conservatory of the
Executive Mansion was the finest in the
whole OF America. From year to year and
/ from Administration TO Administration
and as the country has grown greater and
| richer, 1t has been enlarged and improved
and It is better stocked equipped. and
| supplied today than ii has ever been. Bat
/ the appropriations which have been avail
| able for its further extension and improve
ment have not been sufficiently large IN
enable it to keep its former position. and
there are now number of conservatories
throughout the United States owned bv
private individuals which surpass the one
owned by the nation.
AS is well known from exterior views of
the Executive Mansion, the main conser,-
atory is attached to the west wing of the
building. 1t is two stories in height The
lower story being used for the storing of
tools, flower pots potting soils, for the
keeping of cut flowers in refrigerators. and
for the preservation during the winte-
months of hardy plants and bulbs. which
serve in milder weather to adorn the
grounds.
Down here is room in which are kent
the wire and other designs which serve
when covered with flowers to decorate the
rooms and tables at state dinners or on
extraordinary occasions. Here, too. is the
skeleton of the wedding bell which hung
in the Blue Room when Miss Emily Plat
the niece of President Hayes. was married
to Gen. Russell Hastings There are also
some of the decorative designs which wers
used at the wedding of President and Mrs
Cleveland. They did not however. desire
a wedding bell, so the old wedding bell
has hung on its peg ever since the time
when ii was first used.
The upper floor, or the main conserva-
tory, is rooted, as is customary. with
glass. On branches running down either
side of the aisles are collections of ferns
small foliage plants, azaleas and other
towering plants. At this season of the
year the begonias, the hyacinths. and the
tulips are either Towering or coming into
bloom. 1t is attempted to have always
blooming plants along these benches
These as a rule, are now a little ahead of
the ordinary season. Shortly some Of the
present flowers will be replaced by lilies.
and so on in rotation. On the inside of
the benches, and running entirely around
the inner bed, are the paths. In the center
of the conservatory is the main exhibit.
Here are the palms-seveDty or seventy
five varieties in all-taking in all of the
more beautiful as well as all of the better
known varieties, and embracing few very
rare ones.
The palms vary in age from eighteen
months on the one hand to over 150 years
on the other The oldest plant in the con-
servatory is the true sago palm, or Cyca
reyoluta one of the three first specimens
of this variety ever brought to this coun-
try . 1t was imported somewhere about
177O, and was purchased in Baltimore fof