266 



The Weekly Florists^ Review, 



Jaxiakv 6. 1898. 



ing and park plaiiliiig appear insignifi- 

 cant in comparison Iherewilh. Here tlie 

 hemlock, the noblest evergreen of the 

 eastern states, is indeed at home, clothing 

 the rocky escarjjments and carrying its 

 spiny pinnacles skyward and casting heavy 

 shadows on the eaith, its hnge columnar 

 stems supporting a dense canopy over- 



Siberian dogwoods, aye, and even the 

 Norway spiuce. These have their merits, 

 but why obtrude them here. It was bet- 

 ter far to let the Wissahickon drive retain 

 its own distinctive charm and preserve it 

 as showing a little bit of nature's Pennsyl- 

 vania, easily accessible and recreative to 

 the toiling millions nearby. 



Stumpp's. 



readers know, are the chief production 

 here and they will lose nothing by com- 

 parison with the best anywhere else, 

 which is equivalent to saying they are as 

 good as they can be. The stock of pan- 

 danus here in all sizes is enormous, num- 

 bering many thousands and for all this 

 the market is waiting just as soon 'as the 

 stock is fit. Pandanus Veitchii in excel- 

 lent color fills whole houses, another 

 house contains P. utilis in a variety of 

 sizes, whilst P. Forsteriana and P. Ker- 

 choviana I noted in good specimens, both 

 distinct and handsome species that will 

 doubtless become prominent in commer- 

 cial business later on when obtainable in 

 quantity. 



The variegated pineapple is largely 

 grown and brought to a fine degree of 

 color richness beneath those plate glass 

 roofs; and speaking of the plate glass re- 

 calls the azaleas flowering beneath it. 

 Whether attributable to the .glass or not I 

 never saw before such magnificent Christ- 

 mas azaleas, the flowers so large and full 

 as though opened in their natural season. 

 There was a grand house of them, the vari- 

 eties Deutsche Perle, Simon Mardner 

 and Vervaseneana. Mr. Harris is evident- 

 ly convinced that there is a commercial 

 future for the new Dracrena Sanderiana, 

 at least that appears the only logical con- 

 clusion to be drawn from the appearance 

 of several thousands here in healthy 

 growing condition. Draciena fragrans, 

 too, is quite a specialty, while the sight 

 of rubbers bv the thousand leads one to 



head, through which the light rays come 

 subdued and suggestive of restfulness and 

 peace. Thus it is on either side, whilst 

 awaj" a little below the road, but always 

 in view, at times peaceful, at others tem- 

 pestuous, the waters of the creek pursue 

 their tortuous course over the rocky bed. 

 I say again this drive is a boon to 

 city residents, and is likewise a lasting 

 monument to the wisdom and foresight of 

 those who projected it, and thus itiay 

 it remain is the sentiment of the ma- 

 jority. The park board, or whatever 

 authority' controls it, appearto think other- 

 wise for already I note improvements (?) 

 are under wav. Along the drive, 

 between it and the creek, is a strip, of 

 varv-ing width, clothed thinly with 

 natural trees as the tulip, willow, oak, red 

 birch and others, and undergrowth of vi- 

 burnum and witch hazel, with here an<l 

 there, probably all gone now, delightful 

 tangles of wild vine which has raised it- 

 self to the tops of the tallest trees and the 

 stems hang loosely like ropes. A little 

 force of "vandals" were liusy clearing out 

 this undergrowth, tearing down the vines, 

 and a trail of ashes marked the great ex- 

 tent of their operations in this direction. 

 Why ? These erstwhile creeper-clad trees 

 were not extraordinary specimens of their 

 kind, in fact, not a few of them look very 

 mean when shorn of their drapery, and 

 the average mind wonders wherein the 

 necessity for thus clearing up a pretty 

 bit of nature. Possibly some develop- 

 ments are planned, .some ornamental (?l 

 planting, and I am led to infer this, for as 

 I neared Fairmount Park, I observed that 

 the van of the ornamental planters' ami}' 

 was within the gates, so to speak; some 

 California privets, Chinese forsythias and 



Siebrecht & Son's. 

 NEW YORK STORES AT CHRISTiVIAS. 



A Visit to W. K. Harris. 



To W. K. Harris' I made my way on 

 the following daj- and found an estab- 

 lishment that in its simplicity of arrange- 

 ment, both for heating and working 

 might well be called a model in every 

 respect, while if j'ou w'ould question its 

 efficiency you find a ready answer and 

 evidence incontrovertible in the quality 

 of the stock. Plants, as doubtless most 



reflect what becomes of them all, and yet 

 they all go as fast as ready. 



Otaheite oranges are well done here; 

 a house of them in profuse fruit was be- 

 ing rapidly emptied for filling Christmas 

 orders, and there were others, too; one 

 large house of plants to fruit for next 

 Christmas, a front bench of another house 

 filled entirelv with young stock for the 

 Christmas after that.' When the "Psalm- 

 ist'' of old wrote "Take no thought for 



