The Weekly Florists^ Review, 



7J7 



Central Feature of Easter Window Display by P. J. Hauswirth, Chicago. 



abundant in flower; but what a disap- 

 pointment when judged by the standard 

 of those we have in this country. While 

 appreciating the gravity of the asser- 

 tion, still it must be " asserted every 

 carnation seen here was absolutely 

 worthless for tlie American market. Al- 

 most all were bursters, and the major- 

 ity of them variegated in color, in hues 

 often by no means pleasing. The houses 

 are cheaply constructed, and the only 

 provision for heating was a little stove 

 standing about the center of the house, 

 in which a small wood fire is lighted for 

 a few hours when occasion requires. The 

 plants are set in the ground in rows 

 about two feet apart. Doubtless our fine 

 carnations would grow as well there, 

 for they would have the same bright 

 sunshine with solar instead of artificial 

 heat. Roses were very well done. An 

 immense block of glass approximating 

 an acre was planted entirely with Mare- 

 chal Niel rose trained to transverse 

 trellises. The earliest batch was just 

 commencing to bloom, slight artificial 

 heat being used ; but solar heat suffices 

 for the two batches that follow. Hy- 

 brid perpetual roses are forced in im- 

 mense quantities. They are first estab- 



lished in the open ground and the house 

 erected over them when strong enough 

 to force. A large block of smilax (myr- 

 siphyllura) was growing in an open slat 

 house, and thcre'was a 'splendid lot; but 

 M. Cariat said even grown thus he 

 could not compete with northern culti- 

 vators. At the time of our visit he was 

 doubling the size of his establishment, 

 a six-acre tract being graded into a 

 series of four immense terraces, solely 

 for roses and carnations. 



The Villa Thuret, at Antibes, was vis- 

 ited next. It is a public garden of great 

 botanical interest, the collection con- 

 sisting of everything known to be hardy 

 along the Riviera. This garden con- 

 tains the first eucalyptus planted in the 

 south of France, and it is a fine tree, 

 though not equal in dimensions to the 

 one previously noted at Hyeres. Tlie 

 first Jubtea spectabilis planted in the 

 south is here also, and a magnificent 

 specimen, having an immense stem, 

 girthing about 12 feet, is 20 feet or 

 more in height, with a proportionate 

 crown of Icnvp-. Titfn-porums, acacias 

 and other llM^^,■lin- -limbs and trees are 

 represented in uiimI \:iiietv. 



The Cap .1' Aiitil;. - is a bold, clive- 



ibid promontory, jutting far out into 

 the .sea, and at its extremity is the 

 \illa Kilen-Roc. En route we pass by 

 a number of little flower farms where 

 violets, anemones, ranunculus and nar- 

 lissus are being gathered, bunched and 

 li:u;ked for northern markets; notice also 

 ;i row of great agaves by the roadside, 

 nf which a dozen had recently flowered, 

 ricinus of tree dimensions and other 

 fniuiliar plants large in stature and 

 luxuriance of growth. A long, rocky 

 luieshore constitutes the garden of the 

 \ ilia Eilen-Roc, and hours might be 

 profitably spent there enjoying its 

 wealth of plant beauty— the aloes, 

 ;i'_'aves, opuntias, crassulas, mesembry- 

 iiMthemums and hosts of graceful foliage 

 niid flowering plants that have been 

 naturalized in a real rock garden. The 

 congenial conditions may be realized, 

 for on the lawn above stand immense 

 trees of Ficus macrophylla and Oreopa- 

 uax dactylifolium, while the flower beds 

 are filled with Chinese primulas and 

 Persian cyclamen, and aspidistra and 

 begonia Rex were an undergrowth and 

 2 round cover, among groups of pitto- 

 sporums. 



Nice 

 though popular as a resort, is horticul- 

 turally far behind its neighboring plac- 

 es. It has a town garden, however, along 

 the soa front that will be better with 

 age, and which must have involved enor- 

 mous expense in the making, as it is 

 built over the broad estuary of a river 

 that flows into the sea at this point. 

 The broad "Promenade des Anglais," 

 too, is planted with Phoenix, and has 

 many flower beds. A short stay suffices 

 here and we hasten on to 



Monte Carlo 



to see the magnificent gardens that 

 surround the Casino. They are a 

 revelation of beauty, and planted with 

 such a variety of things one hardly 

 knows what to single out for special men- 

 tion. Having climbed the steps that lead 

 up to the Casino from the railway station 

 we were first astonished by a great mass 

 of Aloe ferox in flower, a hundred spikes 

 of fiery crimson, vividly effective. We 

 pass round, however, to the town side, 

 and note first the formal garden, which 

 is in reality a long vista, terminated by 

 the Casino. The garden is slightly de- 

 pressed, and the vista has been formed 

 by a fine piece of planting. An avenue of 

 washingtonias alone would be effective, 

 but this has been made lighter in effect 

 and doubly beautiful by alternating each 

 palm with an Australian tree, Brachy- 

 chiton populifolium, a tree of singular 

 grace and distinctiveness, having _ a 

 smooth stem, of pyramidal tapering 

 growth, and gray-green leaves; in fact, 

 it might be called an evergreen aspen. 

 This is the only piece of formal garden- 

 ing; elsewhere natural arrangements pre- 

 vail, and the gardens teem with rare and 

 choice specimens and groups planted to 

 the best advantage. Among palms we 

 noted Thrinax Chuco, a rare species with 

 a spiny stem; Pritchardia nobilis, truly 

 noble Cocos australis in many fine speci- 

 mens; Brahea Roezli here as elsewhere 

 wonderful in color; Chamserops filifera, 

 with leaves cut into narrow segments; 

 C. Martiana, a rare and distinetspecies; 

 Cocos Blumenavi, stately, tall and grace- 

 ful; C. cycadifolia, with a slender 30- 

 foot stem and a heavy head of cycaslike 

 leaves: Corypha australis. Phoenix spi- 

 rrosa, Latania borbonica, while an excep- 

 tionally tall date palm gave support to a 



