40 GARFIELD PARK CONSERVATORY 
Aeroid House; the coconut palm must be kept in the Warm House; 
the vanilla plant in the Fern House. Some plants, such as sugar cane 
and ginger, die down for several months of each year and must have 
especial care during their resting stage. Such plants are kept in the 
propagating houses for a part of each year. A number of plants that 
are among the most valuable of all economic plants—such as the olive, 
fig, pomegranate, and agave—thrive best when grown outdoors in the 
summer and kept in storage during the winter. Such plants are kept 
in the Bay House during the cooler part of the year. A few plants 
find the conditions here so trying that they must be frequently removed 
to the propagating houses for recuperation. NNow and then an ex- 
hibition specimen dies, and its species is unrepresented until another 
specimen can be grown to exhibition size. In the main, however, 
the species described on the following pages are represented in this 
house the year round. 
Aberia caffra, or KE1 APPLE, belongs to the Flacourtiaceae, a family 
that has no local representatives. It is a native of Africa, where, 
because of its spiny growth, it is much used as a hedge plant. The 
fruit of the kei apple is highly valued for pickles and conserves. Efforts 
are being made to grow this species as a fruit tree in California and 
Florida 
Aberia Gardneri is a native of Ceylon. This species is not so valuable 
as the preceding one; but its edible purplish fruit is of economic value in 
Ceylon and southern India. 
Abrus precatorius, or CRAB'’S-EYE VINE, or WEATHER-PLANT, belongs 
to the Leguminosae—the great family to which beans and peas and 
clover and wistaria and locust belong. The vine can be grown only 
in greenhouses here; but is hardy in our Gulf states. The roots furnish 
a poor substitute for licorice. The seeds are extremely poisonous; 
but are much used because of their striking appearance—they are 
bright scarlet with a black spot. In South American countries they are 
known as “‘paternoster beans,” and are used for rosaries. In India 
they are also used for rosaries, as well as for a standard of weight. 
In the West Indies they are much used in bead work. The vine gets 
its name of ‘‘weather-plant’’ from the fact that it closes its leaves and 
“goes to sleep’ during a storm. 
Acacia. The acacias also belong to the Leguminosae. The genus 
comprises about 450 species. One species grows wild as far north as 
Kansas and Missouri. Several species can be grown as shade trees 
as far north as Philadelphia. The genus as a whole, however, is a 
tropical one, known for its quick growth and its incorruptible wood. 
The ancient Egyptians used acacia wood for making coffins for their 
kings. The shittim wood of which the Israelites built the ark and the 
tabernacle is generally held to have been acacia wood. The Conserva- 
tory has a collection of about 12 species, of which the following are of 
most general interest: 
Acacia arabica, or Gum ARABIC TREE. Several species yield gum 
arabic, but this. is the species known throughout India as the gum 
arabic tree. It is a native of Asia and Africa. The gum exudes from 
