The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-11-14
BOTANIC GARDEN
At THE CAPITAL
BIG ATTRACTION
Tourists Visiting Washington
In the Fall Never Fail to See
Wonders That the Govern
ment Displays There.
RARE PLANTS SHOW>
At THE WONDER SPOT
Choice Egyptian Plant, the
Leaves of Which Are Used
In Manufacture of Cigarette
Papers Attracts the Crowd.
(By Jonathan Dinfield.)

" dSAIuStoA, NOV. Io.-One OF me
most celebrated places of interest TO
, the tourist who visits Washington
during the fall months. is the Botanic
Garden. one of the best institutions of
its kind in the United States
William r. Smith, superintendent of
| the garden. in speaking of its work -
| an American News Service reporter,
said:
There are 1000 or more object les
Ions in botany here, arranged scien-
tifically and geographically, inside and
outside of the building. This is a
garden where the public can study the
best living specimens of botany that
can be obtained. Anyone with an or
binary knowledge of botany, may walk
through these gardens with a text book
and readily recognize any of the plants
and trees"
A Curious Display.
There are many curious and rare
plants flourishing in the big garden
This years exhibits Superintendent
Smith considers the best and most
| complete, from scientific standpoint.
in many years.
through the wonderful garden. Ac-
companied by Superintendent Smith
visit was made to every nook and cor
ner of the big grounds, and the botan-
ical construction. the habitat, and the
history OF many specimens examined
and explained. He is an enthusiast
| in his work, and often he found him
self in the depths of a scientific de.
scription of some rare flower or plant
| beyond the comprehension of the lay
| man.
The first part of the garden visited
was a large circular bed. 100 feet III
circumference, to the southwest of the
main greenhouse, where are planted
twenty specimens of ornamental grass
es. ranging from the most delicate
specimens to the coarsest of jungle
| blades from the tropics. In the mid
die of the bed was a magnificent spec
linen of the Abyssinian cabbage ba-
mana. 1t is light green in color and
has a delicious flavor. President
Roosevelt has probably tasted it dur
ing his African expedition. No at
tempt has been made to grow it in the
United States. although it would flour
ish in Florida, and would prove a val
liable addition to our list Of common
garden vegetables.
Abbyssinian Cabbage.
One of the rarest and most curious
plants growing near the Abbyssinian
cabbage, is a gigantic red-leafed and
highly ornamental looking plant called
the Acalapera Wilski. discovered and
presented to the garden a number of
years ago by the Wilkes exploring ex-
petition in forests in the southermost
point of South America. If propagat-
ed, this plant would soon become one
of the chief flowers for ornamental
| purposes in American gardens.
Another rare and curious plant is
the zebra plant" so called because
its long, narrow, green blades are
crossed diagonally with thin yellow
! stripes. giving it an appearance SINH
lar to the animal of that name.
Nearby, in small bed. surrounded
by hardy mountain plants. stands a
flourishfng specimen of the papyrus
plant. Similar plants were used 1000
years ago in Egypt to make paper. Its
! leaves are used in Egypt today in the
manufacture of the finer grades of Gig
arctic paper.
A Very Snowy Palm.
Probably the most snowy and varied
exhibit in the garden is that of the
palms. They are arranged on either
side of the long central walk running
through the garden. More than 200
specimens are represented. out of a
| total of nearly 800 known varieties.
A rare and curious shrub. called the
mate" or Paraguyan tree, was pointed
out next The Paraguyans dry the
leaves of this tree, and from them brew
a tea that tastes like strong brandy,
| and which has the same Intoxicating
effect There are only two specimens
of the plant in this country, both in
the Botanic garden here.
/! The monster delicioso. from Central
America is nearby. This tree bears
delicious tropical fruit. 1t is light yell
low in color, and somewhat resembles
an American peach.
| In a corner of the garden there is
still flourishing Japanese maple.
nearly 100 years old. 1t was sent to
America from the south of Japan in
1873, and has been in the garden ever
since, with one exception. when 1t was
placed on exhibition at the Philadel-
phia centennial in 1876.
Next week Superintendent Smith in
tends taking up all the tropical plants
and transferring them to their winter
quarters under glass. When this is
done he will begin to plan for next
years annual display.