PALMS. 
In the main Palm House, the toAvering Pahns, Bamboos and 
tropical Evergreen Trees ; the confusing drapery of Lianes or 
Creepers mounting the branchless Palm stems ; the tufted masses 
of Orchids and Bromeliads clinging to the forking limbs; the 
strange net Avork of aerial roots sent tUnvn from Il\e giant Rul)])er 
Trees; the undergrowth of Coffee Trees, Bananas and Arilisias; 
and the carpeting of tender Ferns and Amarjilids; all reproduce 
marvellously a tropical forest scene. It is an idealized lanil- 
scape in the torrid zone, since the tropics of the world are repre- 
sented in its vegetation, and such unrestrained luxuriance of 
growth can be seen only in sheltered spots luider the eciuator. 
Of especial interest are the large Date Palms (Phoenix) 
from Africa. The numerous slender Seaforthias (Archonto- 
])hcenix) from Australia and the giant Oil Palm (Attalea) from 
Honduras. 
Commercially palms supply the world with Cocoanuts, Sago, 
Palm Oil and Dates, also with Vegetable Ivory, Rattan and valu- 
able fibres. Palm flowers are inconspicuous individually, but 
are borne in enormous c[iiantities on graceful branching inflores- 
cences and the seeds vary from the size of a pea to that of a 
football. The various families are never widely scattered. 
Thus Calamus, Licuala, and Areca are all confined to the East- 
ern tropics; Geonoma. Bactris and Chamaedorea to the 
Americas; and the HoAveas (Kentias) to Lord Howe's Island, 
a dot of land in the Pacific. The Cocoanut Palm alone has 
been distributed through both hemispheres. 
Only the larger specimen Palms will be found in llie main 
house. The majority of the others listed are in the Trojiical 
Houses Nos. 1. and 2. 
