THE PLANT DEPARTMENT. 



The above illustration is taken from a photograph of our Exhibit of Palms and Ferns in the Horticultural Building 

 at the World's Fair, Chicago, 1893. Our Exhibits of Gloxinias, Caladiums and Tuberous Begonias in the Hitch- 

 ings' Building, and of Cannas in the beds in front of the Horticultural Building, also attracted much attention and 

 were greatly admired. We have received the highest awards for our exhibits of Cannas. Caladiums, Cinerarias, Glox- 

 inias, Ferns and Primulas. 



IN calling attention to the Plant Department of our business it affords us pleasure to furnish the following 

 information : We are the most extensive growers of decorative plants, such as Palms, Ferns, etc., etc., 

 in the United States, and have a wide reputation for the quality of stock we supply. Aside from these spec- 

 ialties we grow immense quantities of Roses, Cannas, Gloxinias, Caladiums, Tuberous-Rooted Begonias 

 and a general line of all popular plants and bulbs, besides contracting with other growers, both at home 

 and in Europe, for large quantities of such special stock as cannot be produced to advantage at our own 

 nurseries. In many cases we handle the entire production of other growers ; as, for instance, in Azaleas 

 we control the entire product of a large Belgian specialist in this line, and so with many other plants, 

 ■which the limited space of this catalogue prevents us giving in detail. 



Our facilities for growing and handling plants are most complete, comprising forty-four large green- 

 houses, containing 80,000 square feet of glass, and thirty pits or frames, containing 20,000 square feet, or a 

 total of 100,000 square feet of glass. This, together with the packing sheds, which have been recently 

 reconstructed and are the largest and most systematically arranged in the country, cover an area of nearly 

 four acres. 



A storage cellar 25 by 150 feet has been added this season, which gives us facilities for the cold storage of 

 a large quantity of hardy plants, such as Roses, Shrubbery, Small Fruits, Herbaceous Plants, Asparagus 

 Roots, etc., etc., in such a condition as to enable us to fill all orders complete during the most severe 

 winter weather, thereby avoiding delays in the shipment of orders when plants in the open ground cannot 

 be removed. 



These buildings are heated by five large boilers, three steam boilers of 160-horse power and two hot 

 water boilers of 80-horse power, in which 1,283 tons of coal were consumed during the winter of 1892-93. 



A bird's-eye view of part of our Nurseries and an interior view of the packing sheds, showing an every- 

 day scene, will be found on the third cover page of this catalogue. 

 (76) 



