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AN IMPRESSION OF THE GOVERNMENT NURSERY. 



In the February issue of The Plant World, a botanical magazine 

 published at Denver, Colorado, Dr. Pehr Olsson-Seffer opened a 

 series of articles entitled "V^isits to Some Botanic Gardens 

 Abroad" with the following paragraphs in regard to the Govern- 

 ment Nursery, at Honolulu. Dr. Olsson-Seffer's account of his 

 visit to Honolulu is reproduced here as being of interest to the 

 readers of this magazine: 



Honolulu. Who ever heard of a botanic garden in Hono- 

 lulu? There is no garden with that name, it is true, but so far 

 as that goes, the entire city of Honolulu can be considered a 

 botanic garden, and it will easily stand comparison with many in 

 attempt at a botanical garden, with only the name to entitle it to 

 such a rank. 



The government nursery at the corner of King and Keeau- 

 moku streets is a good nucleus to a botanic garden. A number 

 of trees, indigenous and exotic, are planted here, every tree is 

 labeled, and altogether it is a creditable little arboretum. In one 

 corner of the block is the building of the Territorial Board of 

 Commissioners of Agriculture and Forestry, in which are the 

 offices of the divisions of forestry, entomology and animal in- 

 dustry, as well as an excellent little li1)rary of reference books 

 on botany and forestry, with the current periodicals of these 

 sciences. 



The grounds are imder the direction of Mr. Ralph S. Hosmer, 

 the Superintendent of Forestry, formerly of U. S. Department 

 of Agriculture. 



I visited the grounds almost daily for several weeks, and in- 

 spected the nurseries with Mr. Hosmer and his assistant, Mr. 

 David Haughs. There are in the grounds fine specimens of the 

 native screw palm, or "Hala" (Pandaims odoratissimus), of 

 Sabid bUiikbiiriuana, a fan palm, of Calophylliim calaba, the calaba 

 tree. Nephelium litchi, which produces the leechee or litchi fruit, 

 a special favorite with the Chinese, but becoming more and more 

 appreciated by Americans, is represented by a large specimen, 

 and Cuinainoinnin cassia, the ''Lignum vitae'' of Southern China, 

 grows equally well. 



Everywhere in Honolulu the Royal Palm (Oreodoxa regia) is 

 used in forming avenues, and gives a distinct character to the 

 place. Caryota urens, Areca rubra, the Oil Palm (Elaeis guinecn- 

 sis), and Thrinax argentea are commonly cultivated plants here. 

 The Royal Poinciana (P. regia), the Cassias (C. fistula, C. gran- 

 dis, and C. nodosa), Durantas, Caesalpinias and the Pride of In- 

 dia (Melia azedarach) , give color to the tropical green, while in- 

 troduced Casurrinas, Eucalypts, and Grevilleas intermingle in the 

 parks and on the planted hill-sides with the native Ohia Lehua 

 (Mctrosideros polymorpha) , Koa (Acacia koa), and sundry other 

 indigenous trees. 



