Evening star., 1934-05-27

has to be closely watched and the blind
head nipped of in order to encourage
the plant to grow flowers and not leaves.
The ferns, which include every known
variety, are interesting, and consider
able space has been allotted them The
cibotium, akin to wild fern, is graceful
and ladylike in appearance and often
grows several feet in height. The
glorioSo ferns, used oftentimeS with
Orchids have a charm and beauty all
their own. The gardener in charge of
the ferns said that he was in the same
predicament as that of the housewife
who never catches up with her work
that there was really never rest period
for those who worked with the ferns
as with some of the other flowers.
INCIDENTALLY he explained, one
night at the White House is very
trying on hot house plants due to the
steam heat and tobacco smoke. For
tunately, the President and Mrs. Roose-
welt do not care for much heat, which
is decidedly in favor Of the flowers. The
ferns get badly bruised and broken in
their trips to and from the Executive
Mansion. Often the only alternative
is to cut them down, separate and repot
them.
Several Of the men at the greenhouses
who have been continuously employed
for over a quarter of a century have
seen many First Ladies come and go,
and their "reminiscences of bygone ad-
ministrations have a distinct charm and
appeal.
Garden veterans who have since re-
tired recalled that Mrs. Grover Cleve-
land was one of the most popular First
Ladies that ever graced the White
House Perhaps the fact that she came
as a schoolgirl in company with her
mother to visit President Cleveland and
his sister at the White House, and later
the romance which followed and cul-
minated in her marriage to the Presi-
dent, may lend glamour to this par
ticular First Lady. However, it is
known fact that she was tremendously
fond of flowers and was held in great
where she frequently went to watch the
progress Of the plants. Later she loved
to roam with her children in the con-
servatory, which was at that time 10
Gated on the present site of the west
terrace. Her favorite flowers, according
to the memoirs of the late Irwin H.
("Ike'O Hoover, were the pansy and
jonquil.
Mrs. Mckinley is said to have favored
roses, any variety, while President
McKinley's passion for the carnation
will always be remembered.
The Theodore Roosevelts were lavish
entertainers and the gardeners during
their regime were kept unusually busy
supplying the White House with flowers
According to the man who has had
charge of the arrangement of flowers
at the White House for the past 80
years, the White House floral staff was
taxed to capacity when Princess"
Alice became the bride of Represent
ative Nicholas Longworth. He also said
that he and his assistants never worked
harder than on the three days and
nights preceding the ball which marked
the debut of Miss Ethel Roosevelt. It
Aiao OocA previously ocCiueo ny MiS
Roosevelt and her daughter that each
feminine guest was to have a favor
comprised Of violets, carnations, roses
and gerbera made into a flower ball to
be worn on a ribbon suspended from
the wrist. Around 800 of these flower
souvenirs were prepared for the event.
The floral staff recalls that President
Taft was very fond of flowers on his
desk and that Mrs Taft planted manu-