Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-21
WORLDS GREATEST
CONSERVATORY TO
BEGIN HERE SOON
Bids Will Be Opened We'd
neSday for Dominant Struc-
ture of Botanic Gardens.
LECTURES TO FEATURE
EDUCATIONAL PURPOSE
Electrical Ventilators and Large
Rejecting Pool Are Among
Attractions.

BlQS VIII De opened next wednesday
for the most modern conservatory in
the world as part of the Capitol area
development. This model conservatory.
dominating the new Botanic Garden, is
intended to be the center of botanical
education for people from all parts of
the country and from foreign countries,
with special exhibits of plant life
nowhere else available In this country
and with a series of lectures on botan-
ical subjects.
The bids are to be opened in the Of
fee of the architect OF the Capitol One
hundred and thirty copies of the plans
and specifications have been taken out
by the bidders.
The conservatory will have aluminium
ribs, ventilators electrically controlled
and large. incIosed rejecting pool.
The main conservatory building is to
be located on the corner of Maryland
avenue and First street southwest.
directly southwest OF the Capitol
Grounds and south of the present Bo-
tanic Gardens which are to be improved
into Union Square," between the Capt.
tol Grounds and the Mall Triangle. The
conservatory is to be approximately 800
feet in length, 200 feet in width and one
story in height, with the principal 'front.'
ange on Maryland avenue.
Building Will Cover Square.
Practically the entire square will be
covered by this building project. There
will be an east court and a west court.
The main front of the building will be
OF stone and approximately 40 feet in
height, so that the conservatory fea-
lures, such as the glass roof, will not
be seen on account OF the height Of
this main front. This frontage will be
pierced by II openings and the IL doors
Will be OF sufficient size so that plants
which occupy the subtropicsl portions
OF the conservatory can be brought out
In the Summertime on the terrace and
thus form an interesting exhibit of
plant life on the north side of the build
ing.
This rectangular-shaped building.
covering nearly the entire area Of
square, 300 by 200 feet. facing north.
VIII form on its outer edge a series OF
rooms or sections encircling the entire
area OF the square devoted to buildings.
In some OF the buildings the tempera-
ture Will be not less at any time than
40 degrees, but in the great palm house,
which occupies the central portion of
the square and is fanked on the east
and west side by an open court the
temperature will be kept up to 10 de-
grees.
George w Hess. director of the b.
tanic Garden, Is planning a series OF
lectures TO be given by authorities on
various phases of plant life. Mr.. Hess
today explained some of the improve
ments in the layout Of the garden.
To enter the palm house visitors will
pass down flight Of steps, as the floor
OF the palm house is depressed below
the adjoining floor levels of any other
portion of the building. The height
VIII be 30 feet, but as a portion of
this Is below the poor levels of other
buildings the roof OF the palm house
will not be observed from the street.
This simple projection of the palm
house Is octangular in shape, and of
course. wider at the base, MI. Hess
pointed out. The glass roof affords
ample light for the large palms which
win occupy this house. several of which
actually broke their way through the
roof of the old conservatory.
Suggestion for Birds.
1t is proposed that tropical birds be
placed in the palm house 50 that the
visitor upon entering it not only will
see the foliage of the tropics, but will
also hear and see the tropical birds
where palms grow out of doors. Visit
ors will also near the sound OF small
cascades and see the foliage reflected
In placid pools.
The encircling rooms. or sections. will
be devoted to various purposes. one
section being named the Bay Tree
House, another the Subtropical House.
the Orangery, Fern House, Tropical
Fruit House. Succulent House, Display
House and the Lecture Hall, besides a
number of service rooms.
Visitors will be able to see to a much
better advantage than ever before. Mr..
Hess promises, all of the steps in the
plant life which are only to be found
in visiting the different countries in
which these plants have their native
habitat, or by visiting some of the
worlds most famous Conservatives. The
entire building will be heated and ven
tilated by apparatus OF the latest i'm
proved methods.
In the northwest corner of the con-
seryatory large hall will be dedicated
TO lecture purposes.
THE relocated Botanic Garden" said
Hess, will afford an opportu-
nifty for students interested in the SUBJ
jects TO which the garden will be de-
voted far better than any other OPP
portunity existing in this Capital City
for such study, If not In the entire
Unitsd States. In addition to its utiI-
ity, this conservatory building archi-
tecturally will commend itself and form
a pleasing note in this section OF the
city to those whose larger interests may
be in architectural expression"
Outdoor Plant Space.
The square to the south of the new
between First and Sec
ond streets, B and Canal streets, for
merly occupied by stone yard, COL
ored school and a score or more of
dwellings, will be laid out for the out
door propagation of plant and for land
seaping with the famous Bartholdi
now in storage, in the center
Of the square. At the southeast corner
will be a new residence for the director
Of the Botanic Garden.
The relocation of the Botanic Gar
den makes possible an improvement
that has long been contemplated by,
giving to the Capitol Building an i'm
pressive setting on its western outlook,
with a large area Of ramshackle build
ines wiped out. The entire western
front of the Capitol will be occupied by
the Botanic Garden, the Mall and
Union SQUARE, and the area reclaimed
bv the extension Of Constitution avenue
along the north side of the Capitol
grounds. so that there will be no private
enterprise adjoining the Capitol
grounds on the west.
The relocation OF the Botanic Gar
den is being carried out under au-,