The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-05-05
WHERE PALMS COME FROM
Southern Swamps Furnish a Large
Observation-Disclosures Them.
Wa shinpton Pos

Washington Post.
'The fact is not generally known" re-
marked a well-known Washington florist
on Saturday as he superintended the
loading of huge wagon with palms of all
sizes and varieties, 'that practically all
the palms used on Palm Sunday in the
churches of this city are grown in the
United States. The common impression
seems to be that the plants come from
foreign climes. This, however, is a mis-
take. Ten years ago they die, but since
that time immense nurseries have BEEN
established in Philadelphia and about
New York, where they are grown from
seeds secured from Arabia and other
tropical countries
How about the little sprigs of palms
that are distributed to the congregations
in the Catholic and several of the higher
Episcopal churches?" was asked.
"Oh, they are native to this country
was the reply. They are strippings
from the palmetto trees found so plenti-
fully in the gulf states. The process
of gathering them is somewhat interest
ing, too,' the florist continued, after see
ing that an immense plant with large
and spreading leaves was properly placed
On; the wagon. 1.-THE work of gathering
the sprigs for Palm Sunday throughout
the United States has grown to large pro-
portions, and many hundreds of people
annually make harvest out of it.
| found in the dense swamps and hayous.
| Only the young leaves that are as yet
| curled UP and not spread are selected and
| plucked. AS there are not many on one,
plant, it necessitates considerable work.
| to gather a large quantity. Those coled-
up leaves are nearly white. They are
packed in crates and shipped-to New
York, Philadelphia and western dealers,
where the small sprigs to be given out
to the congregations are selected. For
merly the Washington florists acted as an
intermediate agent between the dealers
and the churches Now, however, many
churches buy their supply direct from the
wholesalers
ttThe palm growing industry con-
tinued the florist. has been rapidly built
up in the United States within the past
few years Belgium formerly had al
most monopoly of the trade both in
Europe and this country. Eenterprising
America could not be overdone, however,
and palm nurseries were soon estab-
lished here. Seeds of the best varieties
were secured, and in due course of time
the expensive methods of shipping plants
across the Atlantic were largely dis
placed.
There is one peculiar difference, be-
tween the European and American grown
palms The former are generally raised
in a very small space, so that the small
shoots grow up close together, forming
q single bunch of stems, from which the
leaves jut out. American florists. on the
| contrary, give the young plants plenty. Of
| room, and when the shoots come up they
are slight distance apart. This gives
the palm wider spread, which seems to
| be better suited to the domestic trade"
| A few palm trees grow wild in the
United States, but their number is hard
ly large enough to be utilized for business
| purposes. At Palmetto, Fla, there is
large grove of cocoanut palms. These
came there in peculiar manner. In 1870
ship loaded with cocoanuts was wrecked
off the Florida coast. The cocoanuts
washed ashore, and from them the pres
ent grove of trees is declared to have
sprung up. The nuts have a peculiar,
| habit of dropping at intervals. SO that
visitors to the grove at Palmetto are very
careful in sitting down under the trees
! to secure positions where siesta will not
be suddenly broken off by blow on the
head from one of the heavy though tooth
some and milky fruit Of the cocoa palm.