ANNIVERSARY ADDRESS. 71 



fail to admire the beautiful and graceful forms of some of these 

 "earth builders" as they have been called, and the richness of 

 their colors. 



Mr. Isaac Buchanan, of Astoria, has furnished a large number 

 of these interesting plants, while the very choice specimens in 

 yonder glass case are from the collection of Dr. Knight, of this 

 city. Ferns are much sought after for conservatories, their 

 varied hues supplying the place of flowers when the season of 

 their blooming is past. 



If you stand for a little while in yonder corner, you may fancy 

 yourself in China, India, or in one of the Islands of the seas ; for 

 in front of you is the tea plant, on your right is the cinnamon, 

 and on your left the clove, while not far off is the caoutchouc, or 

 India rubber plant, the product of which the genius of our own 

 countrymen has made useful in so many varied forms. In fact, 

 within the limits of this hall, there are gathered together speci- 

 mens of the vegetable productions of the whole world, and the 

 admirer of nature may gratify his taste to as great an extent by 

 making the circuit of this room, as he would have been able to 

 do some few years ago by making the circuit of the globe. Here 

 is the enormous apple from Illinois, called " Gloria mundi, " 

 weighing three and one-half pounds, and reminding you of that 

 peculiarly American institution, apple pie; there is one of the 

 largest and most beautiful specimens of the Sago palm from 

 South America, and near it the bristling Aguava Americana, 

 or century plant — in popular tradition said to flower but once in 

 a hundred years ; while in yonder fountain are exhibited the 

 leaves of that wonderful plant, the Victoria Regia, whose reticu- 

 lated structure is said to have suggested to Sir Joseph Parkton, 

 the great idea which runs through the construction of that won- 

 derful building, the Crystal Palace, now standing at Sydenham, 

 in England. 



This beautiful specimen, whoso flowers emit a fragrance which 

 at times perfumes the entire hall, is from the conservatory of Mr. 

 James Dundas, at Philadelphia, a gentleman who is famous for 

 his horticultural pursuits, and has completed, at a very large 

 expense, perhaps the most perfect arrangements to be found any 

 where in the country, for the care and management of this and 

 similar plants. 



There are several varieties of the Victoria Regia, and, in fact, 

 it is considered by some naturalists to be a distinct genus of 



