Evening star., 1923-06-10

ing the spring knew that it was due
10 the efforts of two men who are
devoting their lives to government
service. and back Of that statement
is a story that shows the love that
some men have for flowers
Back in 1872, Edward NJ. Byrnes. a
young Philadelphian, came to Wash
inGton and enrolled under the BAN
ner OF Uncle Sam. He had been in
tereSted, even at an early age. in
flower and plant culture. He entered
the government service because lie
haE 4 vision that the officials oi the
country would some day, realize the
Importance of this line OF human en-
deavov He worked faithfully. and
twenty-five years ago was made su-
perintendent of greenhouses, Il posi-
tion which he now holds.
He has lived with his plants and
flowers and has brought the ;ttten-
ton of the entire world to the fact
that the government is vitality in
tereStcd in the work of aiding the
people vino are Interested III this
subject. He made the suggestion
Years ago that there snouid he shows
Il this city that Wouid enable the
people 20 view just what the govern
jcent is du:ng. and from the time The
doors Were tirst opened t. the public
until now there has been an eve"-
growing interest OH the part Of the
citizens oi the nation.
Not Only lasStls interest been dts
played by those wEo make flower and
plant life u business, but hundreds
OF those who formerly only looked
with casual glance at flowers have
caken Il real and al active part in
the raising OF them. The result has
neer that from the humble beginning
by the department. at the suggestion
OF Supt. Byrnes, there are now hun
dreds all over the country that are
nu the mailing list of the department,
SO that whenever discovery is made
they arc at once Informed OF Il.
:: x !; x
TuERE IS another thing that the
J. public does not realize. and that is
that the wizard OF the greenhouses has
ror years been tnstructing another man
IN the art OF growing things OF beauty
ind usefulness-a man that the super
:ntendent hopes some day will step into
his official shoes and carry on the work
mat has been SO dear to his heart.
Ryrnes IS rather proud OF his under
study, and the latter not only officially
has great admiration for his instructor,
but is also very proud OF him personally
The younger man Is j. Wise Byrnes'
and If
want to see a pair of eyes glfsten with
pride. you should speak well OF the
father II you desire to see loving
glances, you should observe the elder
man watch the son as he goes about his
duties in the greenhouses.
II is not often that the government is
fortunate enough to have CHIEF OF
something that takes both an official
interest and also personal and pater-
nal one. The composite interest means
that when the present superintendent
retfres the work will not be interrupted
for an instant. ]. Wise Byrnes knows
every nook and turn in the thirty-two
greenhouses, and one may go further
and say that he knows every inch OF
outdoor space that comes under the
jurisdiction of the Department Of Agri-
culture.
rfGonstant application and intensive
study make for efficiency, then the
elder Byrnes has prepared for the fu-
ture Of the greenhouses, for every day
YOU can see father and son working at
the problems Of their life work. They
no not content themselves with merely
% no
both have practical skill in this great
profession.
When you enter the office OF the su-
perintendent of the greenhouses you see
on the walls of the small but business
ike place pictures and photographs OF
flowers and plants. The nuns thus
portrayed are beautifully cciored, as are
the amaryllis subjects. The others on
the walls denote the intense fondness OF
rather and son for the things among
rrl7ich they spend their long working
hours, for one must not imagine that
these men are content to work from
.'ciock to 4:30. Plants and flowers have
r law unto themselves that does not
AXE office hours into consideration.
There may be something of interest In
the "wee sma' hours" something may
happen that calls for personal attention
IN Sundays and holidays, and then you
see these men and their assistants at
work. 1t should be mentioned that all
the employees of this section of the de-
,1artment have the same spirit as that
Of the Byrnes, father and son.
y x X x
THE greenhouses are devoted TO
i the following work: Inspection
and fumigation of plants. The great
est care must be exercised as to pests
Of different characters, for IL the
destroyers Of plant and flower life
are permitted to gain a foothold, it
means that thousands and thousands
nf dollars worth Of flowers and plants
would be destroyed. The greatest
care is taken that all plants that are
shipped into this country are inspect
ed, and inspection, in the language
Of the department, means inspection
in capitals. Nothing is left TO chance.
This inspection is not only carried
on in the department, but many of
the states have corps of inspectors
who examine every bit of plant or
flower life that comes to their
borders.
The work OF propagation of blue
berries and evergreen sh-:ubs is in
teresting as carried on at the green
houses. This line of activity means
much to the people Of the country,
and ever since the department started
il nurserymen alI over the land have