Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1922-02-18
Planned to Make Washington
Flower Center of the World

modern conservatory will afford them
an opportunity of making seasonal dis.
plays Of these achievements In plant and
flower culture to the American public.
** k*
Nestled at the foot Of Capitol Hill
Is the National Botanic Garden, the
outgrowth Of the Wilkes exploring
expedition in 1S38-42. In the naval
appropriation act Of 1886 the Presi-
dent. was authorized to. send out a
surveying and Exploring expedition
to the Pacific and South seas in gov
eminent vessels. A horticulturist and
botanist named w. d. Breckenridge
brought back a large collection OF
natural history specimens. From this
mas mas grG r;ah the present Botanic CAR r.
plant life of every variety that can
be forced to grow in this climate.
This garden Is sending out. through
members Of Congress and by direct
shipment to state agencies, schools
roots. cuttings and young plants to
encourage their production In the
parts OF the country where they can
best be grown.
The Botanic Gardens main conserv-
atory Is fifty-five years old and In
every way out-of-date and made
quate for che work. George w. Hess,
the director Of the garden, has sew
eral times made statements at con-
gressional hearings that 1t IL his am
bition to have a part in making this
the finest botanic garden in the world,
with great arboretum in connection.
It has been repeatedly tried to move
the Botanic GARDEN to KoSk Creek a,sa
where 1t would have room for de-
velOpment. The will Of Congress that
an exhibition conservatory should be
maintained at the present site of the
garden, easy of access for tourists,
has been pretty well shown.
y X
Elliott Woods, architect Of the
Capitol. has recently proposed to
Congress an artistic scenic develop
ment Of the grounds about the Capt.
toll which includes a. suggestion that
a large tract Of ground on the shore
Of the Potomac river. south Of the
Capitol. and between the Washington
navy yard and the Army War College.
should be given over to the Botanic
Garden. To this proposition. Director
Hess has given his earnest support.
|Niembers Of Congress-. including Rep
resentative John w. Langley of Ken
lucky, chairman of the committee on
public buildings v and grou Wnaa and nd
Indiana. one of the most active mem
bers of the appropriations committee.
are working on legislation in sup
port of Architect Woods plan.
Then, too, the propagating gardens,
vide flowers and decorations for the
White House and to grow the hum
dreds of thousands Of bedding plants
for the Washington parks. has also a
very Interesting exhibition which
n Washington annually have an OPP
portunity to see. These greenhouses
contain one Of the best collections of
orchids to be found anywhere in this
country. This, in itself, would be a
country IL opened to the public in the
proposed big exhibition conservatory.
All this is but a smattering Of the
work that is being done by the gov
eminent in flower and plant develop
ment. in which the people are all in
terested. These facts have been cited
to show that, with the relatively in
significant outlay for an exhibition
conservatory Uncle Sam is prepared
% stage many flower shows Of un-
rivaled excellence each year.
1t would be entirely unfair not to
mention the efforts of various or
ganizations of fower-growers, for ex-
ample the Rosarians, In making this
the capital Of fiowerdom. In the
American Rose Societys garden here
d systematic record is kept of the be-
havior of the roses originated in the
American trade, in order that those
who are interested in the extension Of
rose culture may have information re-
garding the ability of the various
sorts to Withstand climatic conditions.
This work is co-ordinated with that
of other test gardens throughout the
United States and is of great value to
the rose breeders and rose prOpaEa-
tors of the country.
Enough has been shown to prove
that Washington is already the gar
den spot Of the country. that 1t is
spreading the gospel OF love Of flowers
and the cult of flower growing
Throughout the land, and that the De-
partment of Agriculture and the Bo-
tanic Garden are both shipping out
to make the whole country bloom.
This work without general public
recognition has been growing for
decades. The time has come when a
fitting place should be provided IN
which to exhibit the results OF these
rnany years of work. The Washing
ron flower shows, with Uncle Sam
inviting the other nations to see his
botanical and horticultural achieve
ments, ought soon to be quite q spec
tacle for people OF the United states,
and the world besides.