ORNAMENTAL HORTICULTURE AT THE WORLD'S FAIR. 197 



triumphs of architecture as they were — would have lost much of 

 their impressiveuess. It was the magic of our great landscape 

 architect that made the setting for all those jewels ; that brought 

 them into harmony and united them with subtle skill into one great 

 and almost perfect whole. I say " almost perfect" for one could 

 not help regretting that while Horticulture was recognized in part, 

 to the extent of beautiful lawns, yet in the planting the finishing 

 touches were missing, and it was evident that some one had 

 forgotten that floral adornmeut is just as necessary in such a 

 picture as green lawns and picturesque lagoons. This omission 

 was painfully apparent in that otherwise charming feature, the 

 Wooded Island. The design and conception of the rose garden 

 here was a grand thing, and the geileral planning of beds and 

 paths good, but in the ti'eatment of its shores, color was the one 

 thing lacking. There are schools of painting that indulge in 

 absence of color ; nevertheless color has a place in art. It exists 

 in Nature and is always pleasing in the landscape. But whatever 

 individual preferences may be, it is not too much to claim that in 

 a World's Fair all schools of gardening should have had an oppor- 

 tunity. The decoration of the Wooded Island with colored lanterns 

 at night was in questionable taste. The best that can be said of it 

 is, that its artificial effect suited well for holiday purposes, and 

 made an impression by appealing to the love of the spectacular. 



Horticultural Hall next claims our attention. An ill-appointed 

 structure, unsuited for the purpose it was supposed to serve, its 

 principal claim to notice was that it was the biggest thing of the 

 kind on earth. This building should not have been constructed 

 without the best horticultural advice obtainable. In any event its 

 central apartment should never have been allotted to competitive 

 exhibits, but its decoration and furnishing should have been done 

 and paid for under Department control as a part of the general 

 adornment, in the same manner as the landscaping, lighting, or 

 painting. 



The management, having disregarded the oft-repeated warnings 

 and entreaties of practical horticulturists regarding the necessity 

 for giving to this section a full year's start ahead of the other 

 departments of the Fair, found themselves confronted with an 

 immense buildiug and little to put in it. A loud appeal for help 

 was then made. Massachusetts helped a little, but it was mainly 

 through the efforts of New York and Pennsylvania that a present- 



