shoot straight upwards. The dense cluster of these upward- 
pointing, long, narrow leaves is a unique sight among ferns. 
On the east bench of the house is a collection of those ferns 
most likely to be found in the flower shops, arranged to give the 
visitor an opportunity to study what seems to best meet his fern 
needs. Among these are the tropical Maiden-hairs and Asplenium 
Nidus , the well-named Bird’s-nest Fern. 
The raised bench in the center contains larger ferns, two of 
the finest being Davallia Fijiensis and Davallia Fijiensis 
plumosa , both unexcelled for the delicacy and fine texture of 
their foliage. 
House 8— Tropical monocotyledons, plants related in stem 
structure to corn and bamboo and grass, are found in this house, 
among them being the palms. On the west bench only small 
plants of our Sabal palmetto , the only native American palm to 
reach the frost area (North Carolina) , are grown. Close by is 
the beautiful Cocos Weddelliaua from Brazil, much sold by the 
florists, and probably the most beautiful relative of the cocoa- 
nut palm. Further down on the west bench is the Spider-lily, 
Jjymenocallis expansa, with huge but finely divided white flowers, 
which flourishes in tropical America. Near this is the Flax Lily, 
Dianella coerulea, from southeastern Australia, with beautiful 
blue flowers in mid-winter. Related to the ginger, of fragrant 
memory, is Brachychilus Hot sfieldii , a stout herb from Java, and 
not far from the Flax Lily. Just beyond is Schizocapsa pla?itagi?iea 
from China, a representative of the family Taccaceae, an Old 
World group of plants of small numbers but curious flowers, 
which apparently replaces some of its flower-parts by delicate 
thread-like streamers. The last group on this west bench are 
tropical relatives of our Jack-in-the-Pulpit, among the most in- 
teresting of which is the Dumb Can e, Dieffe?ibachia costaia , from 
Peru. The natives of that country make a decoction from the 
juice, the effects of which, while not permanent, are said to be 
terrifying to the talkative. Also from South America is the 
beautiful Anthurium Aiidreanum , whose odd scarlet flowers 
have made it a greenhouse favorite for years. Many of the plants 
of this Arum family climb over trees in the tropics; nearly all 
contain an acrid juice, and a few are poisonous, but not to the 
touch. 
On the east side of the house are the bow-string hemps, used 
as fiber by the natives in New Zealand and Africa; also the beau- 
tiful red-leaved Cordyline terminalis, belonging to the lily family. 
Related to it is Dracaena Godseffia?/a , from tropical Africa, whose 
spotted yellow-green-gold leaves have not inappropriately led to 
its name of Gold-Dust Dracaena . Nearer the door, and occupy- 
ing at least two-third^ of the east bench, are members of the pine- 
apple family, including the edible variety of our markets, all 
natives of tropical America and containing some of the most 
beautiful foliage plants known. Marbled, spotted, banded and 
all-over colors of green, yellow, purple, bronze and copper are to 
be found in the collection, nearly all of which naturally grew 
epiphvticallv upon trees and even telegraph wires in the tropical 
American regions. Some of them, particularly the purple-banded 
Vriesia splendens and Guzma?mia nntsaica , are the finest of 
foliage plants. Most of the plants of this family, Bromeliaceae, 
produce verv showv spikes of highly colored flowers and bracts, 
so that thev are most worth while in any greenhouse. Of this 
family, and hanging in the air, is a specimen of Florida Moss 
