264 



The Weekly Florists^ Review* 



Januarv 6, 1898. 



house. First as to the house itself. It 

 was built by Mr. Roebling. and built to 

 stand as may be gathered from the fact 

 that it is of iron, has over twenty tons of 

 iron in its roof alone, yet does not look 

 unduly heavy. It is glazed with a 

 special ground glass that obviates the 

 need of .artificial. shading and the appear- 

 ance of the plants testifies to the fullest 

 extent that they feel at home there. 

 There are no benches whatever in the 

 house but a central rockery wilh path 

 around and rockwork again along the 

 sides and ends. Some 500 tons of rock 

 were used, though one would not realize 

 this so admirable is the disposition of it 

 and so completely is it all clothed with 

 suitable vegetation. It was a fine oppor- 

 tunity for skillful di.splay and Mr. Clinka- 

 berry embraced it thoroughly. Through- 

 out the house fine specimens adorn all the 

 salient points, have the desired isolation 

 sufficient to bring out their individuality, 

 yet at the same time they form but parts 

 of and blend into a most artistic arrange- 

 ment of plants stamped with originality 

 anil manifesting a complete break away 

 from conventional lines or methods. 



Phrenix Roeblini though compara- 

 tively new if represented by a beautiful 

 piece, and cculd this palm only be offered 

 in (|uantitv it would soon take a place on 

 the market. So light and graceful it 

 would make a formidable rival to Cocos 

 Weddeliana, which is saying a great 

 deal, and in the larger sizes it would sur- 

 pass the cocos as it suckers freely at the 

 base, therefore shows no naked stem 

 growth . 



Guilielma speciosa, another uncommon 

 palm from tropical .\merica, was noted in 

 fine size and condition, tall and graceful, 

 the leaves pinnate, the terminal pair of 

 leaflets much wider than the rest, and 

 having long spines on the under sides of 

 the leaves. 



In kentias, besides the ordinary commer- 

 cial kinds, I noted K. Lindeni a grand 

 piece with four leaves, the last unfolding 

 leaf shining bro«n with a coppery lustre, 

 the mature leaves having about thirteen 

 pairs of leaflets eighteen inches long and 

 lour to five inches broad in their centers, 

 but constricted at their point of attachment 

 to the midrib and tapering gradually to 

 a point at their tips. Quite opposite in 

 character was Kenlia Mc.'\rthuri. which 

 has broad leaflets terminating abrupth- 

 and almost or quite as wide at their tips 

 as in any portion; tall in growth with a 

 hand.sonie main stem, but disposed to 

 sucker freely from the base. 



Calamus Lewisianus is another noble 

 palm, the plant here having a dark spiny 

 stem and elegant aiching leaves of great 

 length. The leaflets are one foot in 

 length, about two-thirds of an inch wide, 

 somewhat toothed along their edges, 

 and I counted 100 pairs upon one ma- 

 tured leaf, while the plant had several 

 such magnificent leaves. 



V'et another palm and one quite unique 

 in its peculiar distinctive leaf growth is 

 Areca Madagascarensis. The plant here 

 had four fine leaves, each leaf^nearly si.x 

 feet in length. The leaflets are distributed 

 in groups of from three to five, and most 

 irregularly disposed, some standing up 

 erect, others spreading horizontally, and 

 others quite deflexed. The leaflets are 



Erica Fragrans in celluloid Basket, dressed with red Ribbon. 

 CHRISTMAS PLANTS IN THE NEW YORK STORES. 



about fifteen inches long, one inch broad, 

 tapering to a point, of a soft gray-green 

 color, and their disposition gives to the 

 plant a light plumy appearance quite un- 

 like that of any other palm. 



A splendid plant of Thrinax argentea 

 stands at one corner of the center bed, 

 having a clear stem of eight feet, sur- 

 mounted by a head of fourteen broad, 

 graceful fan-like leaves, and all this 

 growth has been made within the past 

 year. 



On the opposite corner is one of the 

 best pieces of Rliapis flabelliformis I 

 ever saw, a marvel of excellent cultiva- 

 tion. The plant grows on a rocky mound 

 of about two feet in elevation, is just 

 one dense mass of luxuriant leafage from 

 top to bottom, and measures about five 

 feet in diameter. 



Dion edule in fruit was noted, its cori- 

 aceous leaves steel-like in texture and 

 sharpness, as those know only too well 

 who have had to handle it nmch. Cycas 



revoluta was in fruit and C. circinalis was 

 seen equally well grown. An immense 

 plant of Caladium violaceum is a j rotni- 

 nent feature in this house. It stands 

 upon a ledge of the side rockwork, its 

 leaves towering well above one's head. 

 It has leaf stems of great thickness, sev- 

 eral feet in length and colored dark vio- 

 let. The leaves are three feet long, two 

 feet wide, of an intense deep green, the 

 midrib and transverse leaf veins es- 

 pecially prominent, while the smaller 

 veins are visible throughout the body of 

 the leaf, and altogether the leaf affords a 

 wonderful study in venation. 



So much for the major features, but I 

 am a long way from exhausting the 

 treasures of the house. Beneath the 

 umbrageous spread of the already men- 

 tioned plants are hosts of lovely things 

 of lowly growth as dieffenbachias, uia- 

 rantas, the best to date including a good 

 piece of M. Sanderiana. Heliconias, in 

 which special mention must be made of 



