AT'GI'ST IG, 1!)00. 



The Weekly Florists' Review. 



305 



View of Mr, Manda's Residence. 

 THE UNIVERSAL HORTICULTURAL ESTABLISHMENT, SOUTH ORANGE, N. J. 



sensation when put on the market; 

 they are large growing plants, com- 

 bining the character and the richest 

 color of the class, and will fill the 

 long felt want for large highly col- 

 ored foliage plants; the markings and 

 shadings of this particular set of 

 seedlings are magnificent — claret, 

 plum, chocolate, bronze, and all the 

 shades from cream to green are com- 

 bined in some. Plant experts who have 

 seen them pronounced them superb. 



Several very beautiful new varieties 

 of Rex begonias are to be sent out 

 next spring, and besides these there 

 are all the other sorts to select from. 

 It would require a whole paper to 

 describe the thousand and one differ- 

 ent beauties to be seen here. The 

 desirable flowering plants alone are 

 in legions and they are of the new- 

 est and the oldest of the old-fash- 

 ioned kinds, such as Aphelandra Roez- 

 lii, fine scarlet flowers which can eas- 

 ily be had for Christmas; aeschin- 

 anthus, achimines, genistas, gesneras, 

 gardenias, stephanotis. etc., etc. 



The houses are arranged in two sep- 

 arate groups. They are heated by 

 Weathered boilers, 2-inch pipes, and 

 natural pressure system. A great feat- 

 ure is that all the houses are open 

 one into the other, giving perfect cir- 



culation between and above the 

 benches which is conducive to clean 

 and healthy growth. Large numbers 

 of frames are also used which give 

 shelter and hardy growth to young 

 palms, ferns and other such plants 

 during the summer, and in winter to 

 roses and other hardy stock that is 

 needed for early shipment. Every 

 inch of space is utilized in the most 

 advantageous and economical way. 



The main object seems to have been 

 to arrange everything to show to best 

 advantage and create favorable im- 

 pressions on all visitors. Even the 

 boiler room and entrance to same, 

 which is generally an eye-sore on a 

 florist's place, is here made a beauti- 

 ful cave with logs and rocks artis- 

 tically piled up and planted with a 

 choice assortment of mosses and 

 fe;'ns, among the latter being some 

 fine plants of the rare Todea superba, 

 one of the finest ferns in existence. 



From the original plot of four acres 

 the place has grown to an establish- 

 ment of over twenty acres, with a 

 frontage on several of the principal 

 public drives. The shipping facilities 

 are unexcelled, as the freight cars are 

 stationed across the road any order 

 can be sent at the shortest notice. Olr 

 several acres of newly acquired land 



on one side of which runs the trolley- 

 line from Newark to Maplewood. and 

 on the other the South Orange depot 

 of the D., L. & w. R. R., there are 

 splendid opportunities to display nurs- 

 ery stock. The east branch of the 

 Rahway River, which runs through 

 and adds picturesque beauty to the 

 place, is being made use of by throw- 

 ing across it rustic bridges and plant- 

 ing along its banks suitable flowers. 



As we have stated elsewhere, Mr. 

 Manda is gradually developing into 

 shape what will be one of the finest 

 located and charmingly planned 

 places in the country. All is done 

 which tends to make a nursery attrac- 

 tive and instructive to visiting horti- 

 culturists and amateurs. There are 

 many fine old trees on the place which 

 add to its beauty and shelter many 

 tender plants in the days of severity. 

 A well appointed and cosy office 

 stands near the greenhouses and here 

 also are the immense seed and bull) 

 sheds which are often filled to over- 

 flowing as required to furnish the 

 large trade in that line, and openin.g 

 from the rear of the office is a hou.se 

 everyone wants to visit. Here are all 

 the new gems— the novelties on trial 

 and for distribution next season. 



Last but not least is Mr. Manda's 



