El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-05-15
Robert A. Harris Demon
strates What Can Be
Grown in FL Paso.

WEAR by year, the beauty Of E
PasO is increased with the added
= work in Horticulture and borti-
culture in the yards and homse Of E
Paso. Each year a wider variety OF
plants is crown here, and the posi-
bilities OF civic Identification IS thus
increased From a small beginning q
few years ago when everybody doubted
the ability 20 grow much at anything
in FL paSO. the work has grown until
today the yards of FL PasO contain prac-
Lically everything except the dec1duous
plants Of the semi-tropical regions. and
the winters are rather too severe 1Or
these. year in and year out However,
It has been demonstrated that I-alms
can be grown successfully here in the
open, and this was something which a
few years ago would have been consld-
cred beyond possibility
Some Examples
The above pictures show scenes AT
the nome OF FORMER PARK colliLlllssl homer
Robert A Harris near the north en-
trance TO Washington park It con-
tains one of the finest collections OF
flowers, shrubbery and trees IN che en-
tire southwest, and, without question
the largest collection Of varieties N II
Paso Mr.. Harris has planted and titled
with the idea Of showing what can be
grown in FL PaSO- Much OF the stuff
growing in his yard was brought here
and proved by him for the first time IN
FL PasO- He has many shrubs and flow
ers Of the common varieties. but u great
many are rare plants and shrubs.
Protected From Wind
Much of mis- success in growing these
plants is probably due TO the winibrake
shown in the picture on the left at
the bottom. This hedge Of cedars IS
planted across the west side OF his lot
and was put out to serve purely as a
Windbrake. 10 protect the roses and
less hardy plants from the vigorous
wind so often damaging TO plants in
this 'sectiOn- The house protects the
plants from the north side A palm is
shown in the picture and this itself is
an example of the value of the wind
brake, for the palm is growing on the
east side of the trees and it continued
green throughout the winter
The first picture shows a rose bush
that is not yet five years old. yet S
running over the top of the house and
loaded with rosebuds- This is a very
large rose, not one Of the cOmmoner Of
the running varieties with small bios
SONS.
Rose Bushes Cover House.
The picture on the right at the bot
tom shows two other running rose
bushes that produce large flowers
These are on the east end of the front
porch and are loaded with large bios
SONS and buds one IS a big pink rose
and the other is a red, almost q purple
The top picture on the right shows
the hedge in front Of the Harris nome
While Mr. Harris has an iron fence IN
front OF the mousse ms neuge IS planted
just behind il and is now thick enough
to serve the place Of a fence. The hedge
belongs TO the haW family and is now in
full bloom, having a beautiful white
blossom 1t has thOrns on il, which adds
much to its effectiveness as a hedge.
in fail and winter, beautiful red berries
having much the appearance Of the
holly berry, cover the stems Of the
bushes.
Many Specimens Are Found.
The pictures show but feEv u the
varieties Of plants TO be found in Mr..
Harris s yard, both Mr. Aiarris and Mrs
Harris being enthusiasts in the culti-
walton OF their plants and lovers Of the
work, especially that of pioneering.
Two beautiful specimens Of the poplar
tree add much TO the beauty OF one
corner OF the yard a weeping null
berry Is another attractive plant in the
ara A collection Of cacti, some Of them
the ordinary desert species, some Of
section of the yard
Crepe myrtle. dahlias. asters golden
glow, mint, spearmint. hedge roses.
Japanese bamboo, myrtle, nasturtiuns.
mac bushes, Shasta daisies trtimDet
vine honeysuckle Of several varieties.
cannas, iris, verbenas, sweet peas. Span
ism broom, vIolets. hedges of several !
kinds all find place in the yard Of Mr..
ana Mrs Harris besides their several
dozen very fine roses and wide yarietv
OF trees They have over $50 varieties !
Of roses alone.
FertiIizinE the Soil.
In their rich adobe soil, they have |