CHAPTER VII.

HORTICULTURAL BUILDING.

The Grandest and Completest Structure Ever Erected for a Horticultural Exhibit — It Contains
89,000 Square Feet of Space More than the Combined Areas of the Buildings used for a
Similar Purpose at Paris, the Centennial and New Orleans — Sketch of J. M. Samuels,
Chief of the Department of Horticulture.

ORTICULTURAL Building is altogether the largest,
grandest and completest structure ever erected for a hor-
ticultural exhibition. It contains about 89,000 square
feet more of floor space than the combined floor areas of
the buildings used for a similar purpose at the Centen-
nial, New Orleans and Paris. It is 1,000 feet long by an
extreme width of 287 feet. The dome is 187 feet in diam-
eter and has an altitude of 113 feet on the inside, thus
--»•«•»'- giving room for the largest palms, bamboos, tree-ferns,

p "v giant cacti, etc. The basso and alto relievo ornamenta-

tion, in a frieze extending along the front and sides of the
building, is especially attractive and, in connection with statuary
and fountains, possesses an unusually pleasing effect, aside from
the plant decoration, which harmonizes with the general ideal of the building.

The plan is a central glass dome, connected by front and rear curtains, with
two end pavilions, forming two interior courts, each 88 by 270 feet. In these courts
are placed bearing orange trees and other semi-tropical fruits from California and
Florida, to illustrate the manner of growing and cultivating the orchards and groves
in those states. The front curtains have glass roofs and are each 270 by 69 feet.
These are used for the tender plants. The rear curtains are each 346 by 46 feet,
and, while designed to give an abundance of light, are not entirely covered with
glass. They are adapted to fruit and other exhibits that require a comparatively
cool temperature. The first stories of the pavilions are each 117 by 250 feet, and
are intended for the extension of the fruit display and for the viticultural exhibit in
one, and horticultural appliances, seeds, etc., in the other. The principal part of the
second story in each is used for elegant and commodious restaurants; the remainder,
in the form of galleries, for garden seats, vases, preserved fruits, etc. Forming a
circle inside the dome there is a broad promenade gallery from which visitors look
down upon the plant and floral decorations. This gallery is sufficiently extensive
for promenade and for many miscellaneous exhibits.

Horticulture, technically and separately did not cut much of a figure, and
was represented by the orange and lemon trees in the north court and by about two

19

JQ2

HISTORY OF THE WORLD'S FAIR.

acres of nursery trees in the Midway Plaisance. These were under the supervision
of J. M. Samuels, Chief of the Department, who was born February 26, 1845, at
Berksville, Cumberland County, Ky. He was educated at Clinton Academy and
at the Kentucky University. His father owned the Mississippi Valley Nurseries, in
which Mr. Samuels learned the business. He was appointed Chief of the Depart-
ment of Horticulture, in August 1891, which up to that time had been in charge of
James Allison. He is first Vice President of the American Horticultural Society,
which also takes in Canada and Mexico, and he is also a charter member of the
Chicago Horticultural Society.

The Horticultural, unlike every other department, is divided, the divisions
being known as Floriculture, Viticulture and Pomology, each of which was in
charge of a subordinate chief or superintendent, until in April, 1893, when Flori-
culture was officially and entirely eliminated from the Department of Horticulture
on account of the tremendous importance and proportions of the realm of flowers
and the necessity of having Floriculture in direct touch with the Director-General
and for a multiplicity of other reasons not necessary to enumerate, and John Thorpe,
its superintendent, was given independent control, with instructions to assume the
methods and authority of other departmental officers. Mr. Samuels retained super-
vision of the other divisions until the close, however, at least in a negative way. as
each was in charge of an active and competent officer.

CHIEF SAMUELS.

HISTORY OF THE WORLD'S FAIR, 293