August io, 1892.] 



Garden and Forest. 



383 



hand-bouquets, althoucjh many species with short stems were 

 seen in addition. The hantl-bouquets of Heatlier and Tliistics 

 were very numerous, and i'ornieci a pleasing- feature of tlic ex- 

 liibition. It was evident tliat this group appealed most strongly 

 to the nationality of tlie greater portion of tlie visitors, antl this 

 section of tlie spacious hall was crowded during the whole pe- 

 riod of the exhibition. The native Scotchman lingcj'ed proudly 

 among these characteristic plants of " bonnie " Scotland. The 

 bouquets of wild grasses formed another large exhibit, there 

 being upward of 250 entries in this class. The Yorkshire Fog 

 is the common name of a species very largely represented, but 

 in addition to this I observed many tastefully arranged collec- 

 tions consisting in part of Timothy, Red-top, Crab Grass, 

 Meadow Fox-tail, Oat Grass, Orchard Grass, English Blue 

 Grass, Rye Grass, Sheep's Fescue, Couch Grass, Sweet Vernal 

 Grass, etc. The boards of dried leaves of the common British 

 trees formed one of the smaller, but quite attractive, exhibits. 

 It served to corroborate what I had already observed — 

 namely, the comparatively limited number of native species of 

 British trees. The competitors in this class, however, had 

 taken unusual pains with their collections, and they attracted 

 a full measure of attention. In the wild Fern competition the 

 first prize-winner had over thirty species on exhibition. These 

 included several species each of Polypodium, Asplenium, Aspi- 

 dium, Woodsia, Scolopendrium and other well-known genera. 



The exhibit of window flower-boxes did not come up to my 

 expectations, and was, I judge, a disappointment, as far as 

 number of entries was concerned, to the promoters of the ex- 

 hibition. In varieties, condition and general arrangement the 

 exhibits in this class did credit to the competitors. Among the 

 special exhibits were a small collection of semi-aquatic plants, 

 growing very thriftily in bottles. There was also exhibited a 

 branch of the Fortingall Yew, which is now over 200 years old, 

 and a large collection of home-made rustic flower boxes and 

 stands, some of which were of elaborate design and exquisite 

 workmanship. 



The exhibition continued during the afternoons and even- 

 ings of two days, the visitors numbering' between four and five 

 thousand. The admittance was only six cents, and the total 

 receipts, including the sale of the exhibits at the close, was 

 over $1,200. 



Nearly all the flowers were sold, as those present were glad to 

 purchase some little floral souvenir of the occasion, and knew 

 this to be a simple but effectual method of aiding a cause 

 whose needs are great and whose claims on general sympathy 

 are strong. The expenses of the exhibition vi'ere paid by the 

 proprietors of the People s Friend, so that every penny that was 

 paid for flowers or at the door went to the hospital. 



Edinburgh, Scotland. William R. Lazeiiby. 



A Tropical Plant-house. 



To the Editor of Garden and Forest : 



Sir, — Forty-two years ago, M. H. Simpson, Esq., of Sax- 

 onville, Massachusetts, who died a few years ago, built the 

 first greenhouse in this vicinity. Like the one built by H. H. 

 Hunnewell, Esq., of Wellesley, Massachusetts, it was clevoted 

 to the culture of grapes. Greenhouses were novelties in 

 those days, and luxuries which very few could afford. Both 

 these houses are of the same pattern, having curved iron 

 roofs, the materials for which were imported from England. 

 Sir Joseph Paxton was in the zenith of his fame then, and these 

 curved iron roofs after his designs were very common. While 

 very substantial, the main objection to setting glass in iron 

 base is the unequal contraction : hence the glass can never be 

 kept close and secure against cold. The original Grape-vines 

 at Saxonville, and at Wellesley too, are yet in bearing. The 

 varieties are nearly the same at both places, and comprise 

 Black Hamburg, Black Prince, White Fontignan, Black Fon- 

 tignan, Buckland's Sweetwater and Muscat of Alexandria. 



A tropical plant-house was the conception of the son, F. E. 

 Simpson, Esq., and was built in 1886, by converting a lean-to 

 Peach-house into a span roof, and adding an ornamental cir- 

 cidar end. It is nearly one hundred feet long by thirty wide, 

 with a twenty-feet ridge. The plan is to show tropical plants 

 to the best advantage. Small specimens are grown on low 

 benches along the sides, which allovv's the use of the entire 

 centre for large specimens. Such an arrangement permits of 

 the disposal of unsightly tubs and pots by plunging them in 

 the ground, while many specimens are planted out entirely, 

 thus giving an opportunity for the proper development of 

 many species which do well in no other way. 



Among the many fine specimens the following Palms are 

 noteworthy : Areca lutescens, Cocos Weddeliana, Geonoma 

 gracils, Sabal umbraculifera, Pritchardi? filamentosa and 



Ptychospcrma Cinininghamiana. There was a well-developed 

 specimen about six feet high of thehandsomefoliagedSpluero- 

 gyiic latifolia, with leaves twenty Ijy fdfeen inches, and also 

 a smaller specimen of its lovely companion, Cynophyllum mag- 

 nilicum. it is admitted by most gardeners as difficult to keep 

 the foliage of these spendid stove-plants free from injury; 

 these under Mr. Hemenway's care, however, are models of 

 perfection. Drac;i;nas are evidently more at home here than 

 I have had the fortune to find them elsewhere. Whether (he 

 soil, or the water, or the conditions under which they are 

 grown, is the main element of success is a question. Mr. 

 Hemenway thinks it is all owing to a pecifliar kind of com- 

 pressed bog turf, which, it must be admitted, he uses with 

 considerable success with a great variety of plants, including 

 Orchids. A specimen of Cypripedium Laurencianum, well in 

 bloom, was exceptionally thrifty. The roots were thoroughly 

 matted through — ample evidence that the plant was at home 

 in the material in which it was growing. Whether it is the 

 soil or not, the conditions for the culture of Dracasnas were 

 perfect in every other particular — plenty of shade and mois- 

 ture, equable temperature, all possible in a large struc- 

 ture. DracEEna fragrans happened to be in bloom at the 

 time of my visit. The odor filled the house. It resembles 

 Orange-blossom, but is more agreeable, more delicate. This 

 is one of the easiest and quickest growing species and makes 

 elegant specimens up to ten feet, having long, broad, graceful 

 leaves. 



D. Knerkii, evidently a variety of D. Draco, the Dragon-tree 

 of the Canary Isles, make fine specimens with leaves touching 

 the ground on a specimen eight feet high. D. Rumpfii is 

 another which is very distinct ; the leaves turn abruptly 

 downward very shortly after being matured. The elegantly 

 variegated form of D. fragrans, named Lindeni, was in fine 

 condition, the coloring' being- exceptional for so large a speci- 

 men, as it is well known this variety goes "green" after 

 it grows two to three feet high. The collection of Cordylines, 

 mostly varieties of C. terminalis, is very bright ; with the in- 

 troduction of so many new varieties, many of them scarcely 

 distinguishable from the older sorts, it is difficult to keep them 

 correctly named. 



Marantas are perfectly at home here. M. Zebrina, one of 

 the oldest and best, measured five feet high from the ground, 

 more than five feet in diameter, with leaves more than two 

 feet long. Other gorgeous specimens were M. princeps, a 

 very distinct-looking variety growing about three feet high, 

 with a lighter stripe of green along each side of the midrib. 

 M. Massangeana, M. Makoyana, M. pulchella, M. Vander 

 Heckii and M. virginalis were among others. M. Veitchii, a 

 comparatively rare species, may be compared to a giant M. 

 Makoyana, having the same peculiar oblong markings of pale 

 green, showing very distinctly through the dark green and 

 purple shades of the body of the leaf. There were several 

 handsome Aroids, among them an unusually fine specimen 

 of Phyllotcenium Lindeni, its large brightly variegated foliage 

 being in marked contrast with the fine, darkly shining leaves 

 of Alocasia metallica. Anthurium Crystallinum and A. War- 

 ocqueana were among the collection. Fittonia Verschaffeltia, 

 with green leaves and a violet-colored network of veins, and 

 variety argyroneura, white, with green network, both in large 

 masses alongside of the paths, made a very appropriate edg- 

 ing, with here and there a pan of Hoffmannia refulgens, a cu- 

 rious Rubiaceous plant from South America, with short-jointed 

 creeping stems, thickly clothed with beautifully ribbed brown- 

 ish egg-shaped leaves about two inches long, which are 

 covered with shining transparent hairs, giving it a peculiar 

 lustre. Scattered among the Palms and other large specimens 

 are many fine tree-ferns, notably Alsophila australis and Ci- 

 botium regale, and also dwarfer-growing species, including 

 Adiantum formosum, A. macrophyllum, A. Farleyense and 

 A. trapeziforme. A wall, about ten feet high, on the north 

 side of the tropical plant-house, which separates it from a 

 fernery, is clothed with the common Ficus repens, and set in 

 this are elegant brackets for suitable plants and drooping 

 Ferns, and a very pretty eftect they make. The wall on the 

 fernery side is covered with a mixture of rough peat and 

 Sphagnum naoss held in place with galvanized wire netting. 

 In this are planted various Ferns, Selaginellas and numerous 

 Begonias, principally belonging to the Rex family. Tlie 

 necessary moisture is obtained through a perforated pipe 

 carried along the top, and a very pretty effect it makes. In 

 the house itself is a collection of many species and varieties 

 of Adiantums, mostly allied or related to A. cuneatum. A. 

 helium, a native of Bermuda, is worthy a special note, its 

 handsome crested foliage being especially striking. 



Wellesley, Mass. T. D. Hatfield. 



