The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-03-23

lie Observation-Disclosures About the
Greenhouses-The Propagation of
Flowers by Landscape Gardener
Balrny breezes, sunshine and moist,
warm rains Of April will shortly carpet
the earth with verdUre. and the early
spring flowers will soon be in fun glory.
Everywhere the amateur gardener is
sharpening his lawn moweE and getting
out his garden tools. preparatory to
commencement of the spring campaign
Already the urban front-yard horticul-
turiSts with spade and rake, are turning
the earth in their garden plots, making
ready for spring planting
/ On the public spaces in the city wher-
/ ever patch Of earth appears, the work
/ Of preparation is in progress. Squads of
men are clearing up the parks, and ralx-
! ing the compost from the lawns Flower
/ plots are being put into shape, although
/ some time Will Vet eIapse before any but
/ the hardest plants are set out
/ IN the city there are 302 reservations
/ scattered in all parts of the town. OF
/ these reservations les are kept in the
( highest state of Improvement, and 81 We're
last year partially improved. All the
/ public reservations are within the juris-
diction of Colonel Bingham. Superintend-
I I
All the Improvements and cultivation
I within the public spaces are under his
direction Colonel Bingham states that it
/ is the rule of his Office TO add about
half dozen reservations annually to the
number under Improvement There were
last year but 143 reservations not i'm
proved, and these were all small and far
from residential centres.
Remote from the thoroughfares of daily
! travel, and almost inaccessible behind
| the Monument Grounds, are the green
houses Of the Office of Public Buildings
and Grounds. Seldom visited and almost
unknown to the citizens of the city, a
most extensive and exceuenuy equipped
greenhouse and nursery is found Land
scape Gardener George H. Brown presides
over the greenhouses. directs the process
es of the garden. and plans the beautitica-
tion of the public reservations
From these greenhouses barely 'ess than
million plants viii during the coming
year be distributed among the various
reservations Congress recently made an
appropriation providing for the care of
the gardens of the department buildings
and making them charges of the Office OF
Public Buildings and Grounds
Landscape Gardener Browns green
houses are known 10 florists and foricul-
turists all over the country for the vari-
ETY. Of plants which have originated un-
der his skill and for his collection Of
Cannass plants. which is the finest IN
] the United States. Mr. Brown is the ef-
fcient chief Of his department, and is
extensively read in horticulture He has
: had the practical experience Of many
years in the business. II is under Mr
Browns direction that workmen are now
| engaged in putting in order the public
reserve fiTv1s g Icrr+ tho oif
From now until the first leaf growth
commences, about a month, diciduous
trees and Towering shrubs viii be plant
: ed, while the roots are IN q dormant
state At such a time setting out or trans
planting trees is effected with the least
danger Of their death. The season for
planting evergreens- is later in the month.
/ The roots OF evergreens, unlike other
; plants. are never entirely at rest, or in a
: dormant period From the beginning OF
= April until the end Of May IS the time
that in the city reservations it is con-
p sidered most safe to transplant ever
greens. Evergreens in the fall should
. be planted from September TO October.
: again later than diciduous plants
The flower beds and borders everywhere
are being prepared for planting This
work consists of spading and fertilizing,
and when the planting season arrives a
second spading VIII be necessary
Succeeding the tree and shrub planting,
) there VIII be little setting out done until
= May l. II is not considered desirable 10
bed plants before that time, and the work
for the summer display viii be completed
by the last week in June. When all the
. bedding IS completed, the work is not Yet
done Eternal vigilance must be observ-
ed, and the plants must be cared for and
: / trimmed and shaped all through the sum
mer- The sUnnle- force is continually
I employed. going from one park TO another
. The work Is largely specialized. Men who
- care for the plants do little else. and a
separate squad attends TO the moving Of
( the lawns About twenty nei and few
Z boys viii bed all the plants within six
weeks Another force is required at the
yards 10 handle the plants and IN haul
, There are about thirty men constantly
, employed in the greenhouses. and The
gardeners and other wOrkmen outside
number about one hundred during the
busy season
Trees and shru5bery are being over
/ hauled everywhere, and the requisite
pruning done. Ia the city reservations
these suffer much from VandalS. mostly
boys. Such trees as have been dam
aged or permanently defaced are being
replaced.
T The bulb beds were planted late last
-hyacinZh. and all The spring Towering
I bulbs Will in q very short time make
| their appearances in full dress 4 little
warm sunshine. and they viii burst forth
IN all their early glory
/ The work Of propagating plants for
idly at the greenhouses. he landsca De
gardener has prepared schedule for