New-York tribune., 1902-09-24
FREAKS IN PLANT LIFE
PICTURE" EXHIBITS OF FLOWERS AND
VEGETABLES BY AMERICAN
INSTITUTE.

green rose. a green daha, the Resurrection
cactus. the Venus fytrap cactus and the golden
orchid were among the freaks in plant life which
divided attention with the more prosaic apples
grapes and farm crops at the seventy-hrst an
nual exhibition Of the American Institute OF the
City Of New-York. which opened yesterday after
noon in the Berkeley Lyceur Building, in West
Forty-fourth-st.
That this fair viii compare favorably with any
show OF its size ever held in this country IS the
consensus Of expert horticultural opinion The
smallness Of the hail IN which the exhibition is
held initiates against its effectiveness. yet even
with this drawback The displays are exceedingly
beautiful and interesting There were many visit
on yesterday, among them being Mrs Theodore
4 HaVemeyer and party of women friends from
Hampstead. Long Island
The most interesting display from the human
point Of view is that made by the Manhattan State
Hospital at Central Islp. Long Island This occu-
pies zoo square feet in the Of hail. and IS
IN charge Of William Thompson head gardener at
the hospital Maiden hair ferns and palms serve to
throw into brilliant relief the white celery scarlet
aao yellow tomatoes, green, yellow and scarlet
peppers pearly onions the size of infants head;
mammoth sQuasnes and egg plants. with which the
table is loaded
I tried 10 make it looked like picture" said
Nj Thompson "All these products were raised
py the Insane inmates of the asylum. I have ff-
Teen men under me When give q direction 1 al
ways have 10 follow the if ne carries IT
out because likely not he viii forget IL be-
lore he has gone five yards"
Apropos OF the border OF the table which is
composed Of an artistic arrangement of coxcombs
surnaounted by running peanut vines, Mr.. Thomp-
eoa sald That all the peanuts consumed at the
hospital are raised the farm. the crop reaching
very large dimensions in some years.
aside from this dramatic assembIage Of fruits
and vegetables from the State Hospital the
strength Of the fair les in its dahlia display which
Is Remarkably fine OF this flow there are
almost five thousand varieties on exhibition and
Twelve cases arrived from Philadelphia after all
lhe space was filed and still in the cellar. IN
eseaeo The leading exhibitors are Theodore A.
Haveneyer. Of Hampstead. Long Island, and Z. D.
ADAMS. Of Seabright. y. J.
Although cactus dahlias have been catalogued
Tor several years the display at the American In
sutute's fair will probably introduce this charm
ihS tower 20 the notice Of visitors. In cactus
oahias this exhibition is said TO be the richest ever
ned Departing from the set Journalism OF the
fancy oahla, il approximates to the chrysanthe-
mum type OF flower, the petals running into riot
o. sprawling, curling lines similar to of the
football head species of the chrysanthemun. In
color. however. the cactus dahlia far surpasses
Its neighhor Of the Orient. No description can
describe its wealth and beauty of coloring-the
Velvety sarnets. soft magentas, the burnt orange.
coral. rose and violet of these splendid flowers
The green dahiia part of the exhibit of w H.
s Wood, Of Stamford. Conn Like the green rose
mat Z d. Adams sends IL is a curio of the plant
world. but does not compare artistic beauty
with the glorious blooms about it
Long island City florist is represented by a
large collection Of cacti, among which is the resur-
recuon plant from the plains of Mexico. This lit
tie plant dries up into brown, spongelike sub
stance in The summer, and is easily uprooted and
waited hither and yon by the high winds Ii
quickly takes root again. however, and when the
rains come expands into green plant like a fiat
fern. Among the cacti IS the Venus hytrap with
its rows OF teethlike spines bordering the leaves
Ano alert 70 grip the unwary fly
Inc most interesting of the orchid display by
Mr. Adams is the golden catlea This species
comes rom Costa Rica, and is almost extinct In
DEED, according to Leonard Barron. secretary of
the institute. orchids have been SO hacked TO pieces
IN their natural hebitats that florists are driven
70 oepeIG on the conservatory for the invention OF
new varieties and the perpetuation of the old
Passing 70 the fruits. interest naturally centres
upon the fine display from Northern and Western
New-York- The grapes make a notable showing
and are of the finest quality. Some gigantic
branches Of European muscats are shown bv Mrs
Osborne Eoyt, of Stamford, Conn, and Mrs Joseph
Eastman Of Tarrytown These are the grapes
from which wine is made. They are not hardy in
this climate. and retail the fruiterers at 81 a
pound.
The exhibition also includes the choicest kinds
OF fan vegetables; pears. ounces, peaches ferns,
palms. giadoli and hardy herbaceous flowers.
The fair will be open 10 the public to-day and
tomorrow from 10 a. TO 10 D. m
The following awards have been made: