THE COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION. 



121 



were unique. They were all connected with individual build- 

 ings — one with the State Building of Pennsylvania, another 

 with that of New York, a third with that of Massachusetts, 

 and a fourth with the Convent of La Rabida. These four gar- 

 den-pieces were so unlike each other in effect that they cannot 

 be compared. They were all singularly well adapted to the 

 general effect of the buildings which they supported. The 

 Pennsylvania Building was characterized by a freedom and 

 hospitality of style which seemed to demand a warmth of 

 cheer and welcome in the planting. This color was well sup- 

 plied by a bank of glowing Madame Crozy cannas which stood 

 against the high front of the sweeping porches. This planting 

 was probably the best individual mass of color in the Fair. 

 The most important and novel lawn piece about this building 

 was a large bed of mixed crotons, from Mr. George Huster, of 

 Girard College. Mr. Huster seems to have the credit of intro- 

 ducing these plants into color-beds. When the plants are 

 short and stocky, not exceeding one to three feet in height, 

 they are capable of very satisfactory use upon lawns. A few 

 good individual specimens of palms and hibiscus completed the 

 features of this decoration. The planting was in the hands of 

 Robert Craig of Philadelphia. 



What the Pennsylvania Building gained by the profuse 

 use of color, its neighbor, the New York Building, secured by 

 stove plants and other rather formal specimens. The archi- 

 tecture was formal and pretentious, and any mere isolated 

 color-masses upon the lawn would have appeared trivial in the 

 comparison. The foliage effects were produced by temporary 

 plants massed into the angles about the steps and wings. 

 Some of the plants which were used with excellent effect in 

 this manner, were Ficus variegata, araucarias, crotons, dracsenas, 

 box, Salix rosmarini folia. The entrance itself was re-enforced 

 by excellent large tub specimens of sweet bay (Laurus nobilis), 

 and various palms ; and upon either side, the antique fountains 

 and mosaic were dressed with papyrus, aspidistras, eichornia 

 and monstera. About the corridors and porches were many 

 good specimens of palms, comprising Areca Verschaffeltii, Sea- 

 forthia elegans, Phoenix rupicola and P. reclinata and Kentia Bel- 

 moreana. The roof parapets were adorned with sweet bays in 

 antique vases. Siebrecht & Wadley had charge of the embel- 

 lishment of this building. 



The most notable plant in flower during the first and 

 second weeks in September stood upon the lawn of the New 

 York Building. It was a magnificent specimen of Furcrcea 

 gigantea, better known as fourcroya, which stood in an immense 

 vase on the sod. The flower stalk was over thirty feet high, 



