The Show House 
HIS house is used for exhibiting flowering and foliage plants 
throughout the year.. So far as is known, Garfield Park Con- 
servatory was the first conservatory of any size to maintain such 
an exhibition for twelve months of each year. Horticulturists had 
always insisted that such a thing was impossible, and had been satis- 
fied if they managed to maintain a creditable display of flowering plants 
during the cooler months of each year. Here, however, by making 
the most of the plants known to general horticulture, in addition to a 
liberal use of tropical flowering plants and of rare plants that are un- 
known to the general trade, it has been found possible to maintain a 
large display the year round. 
The number of plants exhibited in the Show House annually is 
between 60,000 and 65,000. The specimens represent all the species 
known to the commercial grower, as well as hundreds of species that are 
known only to plant fanciers and collectors During the poorest 
month of the year, the specimens shown represent at least one hundred 
species. Usually the display represents from 200 to 600 species and 
Varieties. 
Each year three large exhibitions are held: one in November, one 
at the Christmas season, and one at the Easter season. These exhibi- 
tions last from two to three weeks. During the weeks they are held, 
the Conservatory is kept open from 8 A. M. to 10 P. M. 
The best attended exhibition is the Chrysanthemum Show, held 
in November of each year. At this show about 4,200 specimens are 
exhibited, representing more than 500 species and horticultural varieties 
of chrysanthemums, including the large-flowered chrysanthemums; the 
reflexed, or Japanese types; the incurved types; the pompoms; the 
pompom anemone—flowered; the Japanese anemone—flowered; the 
anemone—flowered; the decorative; the hairy; the single tubular- 
petaled; and curious chrysanthemums. The specimens shown range 
from small pot plants to great plants 7 feet in diameter, with as many 
as 600 to 800 flowers open at atime. The great chrysanthemum hang- 
ing baskets, measuring 7 feet across and with a thousand or more 
flowers in bloom, are always of especial interest to visitors. The 
Chrysanthemum Show last year was attended by 171,826 people. 
The Christmas Show consists of poinsettias in many shades, together 
with a great variety of plants whose flowers or fruit are red, yellow, 
orange, or white. At this show there is a large display of red begonias, 
winter-flowering tuberous begonias, red and yellow capsicums, cyclamen, 
paper white narcissus, and the like. This show is usually attended by 
about 45,000 people. 
The species displayed in this house are never identical for any two 
months; they are rarely identical for any two weeks. There are 
certain plant genera that are represented in this house the year round, 
but the species shown vary from month to month. There is not a week 
of the year, for example, when begonias are not to be found in bloom 
here; but the species. are never the same for any two months. The 
