CHAPTER VIII.

IN THE REALM OF RARE FLOWERS AND PLANTS.

A Ramble Among Rare and Aristocratic Plants — More than Half a Million Dollars' Worth from Green-
land's Icy Mountain to India's Coral Strand — North and South America, Mexico, Cuba, Europe,
Central America, China, Japan, Australia, and the Hawaiian and South Sea Islands Represented—
Enchantresses from the Amazon and the Nile — Modest Inhabitants from the Alps, the Appenines,
the Sierra Nevada, and the Mountains of the Moon — Wonderful Ferns and Palms from New South
Wales and the Cape of Good Hope — Tens of Thousands of Miscellaneous Herbaceous Flowers and
Flowering Shrubs— More than a Half Million Orchids, Roses, Carnations, Lilies, Pansies, Cannas,
Fuschias and Petunias— Magnificent Exhibits by Australia, Canada, Trinidad, New York, Penn-
sylvania, Germany, Belgium, Mexico and Japan — Australian Tree Ferns Six Hundred Years Old
— Staghorn and Bird's Nest Ferns of Wonderful Size and Beauty — Splendid Collections of the
Cereus Gigantea— Great Display of Rhododendrons — Splendid Collections of Ferns and Palms
from Toronto Conservatories— Dwarf Trees in the Japanese Garden Over a Hundred Years Old
— Pitcher and Manda's Wonderful Display of Seven Thousand Costly Plants— Enormous Bam-
boos from Trinidad — Two Century Plants in Bloom— The Atmosphere of the Horticultural
Building Freighted with Aromatic Sweets.

HE most prominent feature of the Horticultural Building is
the floral collection, which exceeds in wonder and magnifi-
cence anything of the kind ever before seen at any public or
private conservatory, and is the result of the work of John
Thorpe, of New York, chief of the Department of Floricul-
ture, who is believed to be the most eminent floriculturist
that has ever lived. His was one of the earliest appoint-
ments, and his genius and aptitude gave the public, among
other things, the procession of winter and spring hot-house
plants among which were primulas, cyclamens, cinerarias
and calceolarias, which drew nearly a million people to
Jackson Park before the formal coining. There is no land
that does not grow more or less varieties of plants and flowers. This statement
was spectacularly emphasized upon the first day of May last, when the contribu-
tions from the floral kingdoms of all nations were seen on dress parade at the Hor-
ticultural building. There were palms and ferns and bays and acacias from Aus-
tralia, Japan and California; cacti from Mexico, New Mexico and Arizona, and
many stately plants of massive foliage from Mexico, Cuba, New Zealand, Central
and South America and the Cape of Good Hope. There were also to be seen
roses in pots, calceolarias, azaleas, rhododendrons, begonias, cycads, crotons, dra-
csenas, ariods, marantas, pelargoniums (geraniums) and miscellaneous stove and
greenhouse plants in flower and foliage. Among cut flowers there were orchids,

HISTORY OF THE WORLD'S FAIR.

roses, carnations, lilies, pansies and miscellaneous hardy and tender kinds. There
were also a very great variety of flowers outside of the Horticultural building —
principally pansies, tulips, hyacinths, narcissus and miscellaneous bulbous and herb-
aceous flowers and flowering shrubs upon the opening day.

During June there were seen indoors, in addition to a number of those
exhibited in May, fuschias, petunias, cannas and nepenthe, and among the cut
flowers, peonies and some others. The additional outdoor plants included camp-
anulas and aquilegias.

Among the indoor plants for July were orchids, tuberous begonias, orna-
mental leafed begonias, shrubby begonias irt flower, gloxinias, achimenes, gesan-
iaceous plants and caladiums; and among cut flowers, cannas, lillies, tuberous
begonias, sweet peas, hollyhocks, tea roses and various annuals. Out doors were
seen various annuals, clematis, lilies, sweet peas, tea roses and miscellaneous herb-
aceous plants.

The cut flowers for July included orchids, roses, carnations, dianthus, gladiolus,
herbaceous and and annual phlox, asters, sweet peas, tall and dwarf zinnias and
miscellaneous annuals — herbaceous and flowering shrubs.

August was the coronation month of Flora, for upon the grounds were seen
carnations, dianthus, dahlias, gladiolus, cannas, asters, annual and hardy phlox,
clematis, hollyhock, hydrangeas, tuberous begonias, cacti, hardy and tender
aquatics, roses, sweet peas, verbenas, ornamental grasses, palms, ferns and many
others too numerous to mention.

Inside during September, besides the palms and ferns, were orchids, tuberous
begonias, asters in pots, and miscellaneous stove and greenhouse plants in flowers
and foliage. Among the cut flowers there were carnations, tea roses, dahlias, glad-
iolus, cannas, petunias, asters, hardy and annual phlox, zinnias and miscellaneous
hardy herbaceous flowers. Out of doors were seen roses, carnations, dahlias, cannas,
tuberous begonias, petunias, asters, zinnias, verbenas and miscellaneous herbaceous
plants and annuals.

October, the closing month, there were on exhibition inside the building
palms, ferns, orchids, chrysanthemums, pelargoniums, tuberous begonias, cannas,
cosmos and some others. Among the cut flowers were dahlias, chrysanthemums,
cannas, roses, carnations, begonias, pansies and miscellaneous hardy and tender
plants. The procession of the months now found but few flowers upon the grounds,
except that the chrysanthemums were in all their glory. There were also a few
miscellaneous hardy plants.

The lover of rare plants had an opportunity to regale himself to his heart's
content, and to acquire an information that would have taken him years to have
obtained from travels and books. He could gaze upon the Cereus gigantea, which
only grows wildly between the Colorado and the Rio Grande, and which Humboldt
declared was worth a trip across two continents to see. He could feast his eyes
on the wondrous fern trees from Australia and palms from Mexico, the Windward
Islands, Arabia, Palestine, and the Cape of Good Hope, and he saw acacias from
Swan River, Mexico, California and New South Wales.

296 HISTORY OF THE WORLD'S FAIR.

In all civilized countries the cultivation of flowers has become a passion, and
the rich and the poor indulge themselves in it according to their means. So
constant is the demand for new species and varieties that the earth is ransacked by
experts for something that has never been seen before.

Reaching from the ground high up in the dome was a mountain of selected
palms and ferns and many other varieties of tree plants. Underneath this moun-
tain was a second edition of Aladdin's Cave — a subterranean mansion of many
chambers, tapestried and wainscoted with translucent crystals, and brilliantly and
artistically illuminated. Through tjiis gem-like cavern the water was filtered
through crystals in the midst of incandescents, the effect of which was gorgeous
and spectacular.

The southeast curtain was radiant with flowers, Illinois occupying space at
the extreme end, and showing a pretty collection. Near by was a cactus patch
representing some of the dreary spots that abound in New Mexico, and comprising
many varieties of cacti, the creamy-flowering yucca, the Spanish bayonet, meschal,
chulla, tuna, and some others. Massachusetts directly opposite contributed a
number of fine ferns, one of which has remarkable spreading fronds. Missouri
also made a creditable display, and California exhibited a few cactaeceous plants.
The place of honor in the southeast curtain was held by Pitcher & Manda, of Short
Hills, N. J., who at the request of Chief Thorpe, loaned their collection, which,
including their orchids, is valued at $50,000. These occupied a large space running
down the middle of the curtain, 1,500 square feet, and two sections west, about
1,000 feet. They also had 2,000 square feet in the corner on the right, as the
central door is entered from the west, and 7,300 square feet or one-third of the
space between the main promenade and base of the mountain. These comprised,
beside palms and ferns, many other stove and greenhouse plants, among which
were eighteen Australian tree palms, believed to be from 400 to 600 years old; a
large number of selected crotons of red and yellow; many varieties of dracaenas
and some superb anthuriums in foliage and flower. The latter is a native of South
America. Then there were a splendid collection of marantas, with their great
luxuriant, zebra-striped leaves.

There were a great many varieties of ferns that are seldom seen outside of
a conservatory, among which was the golden fern, a native of Peru. This is unlike
any other, and from its leaves impression may be made upon a coat sleeve, or
Other cloths, such as cassimere and the like, which would be mistaken for engrav-
ings. There were many exquisite ferns unknown to but a few, one of the rarest
being the crested-sword fern, a native of South America; golden maiden-hair fern,
tongue fern, and adianlum Farleyeuse, a variegated spurt of maiden hair, very
scarce.

Among other rare plants in this collection were the heliconia aureo stuata,
with broad spreading leaves with golden stripes, an umbrageous plant, standing six
feet; aspidiastia, vivid in green and variegated colors; eighteen begonias rex, and
several varieties of selaginelled, or club moss, natives of the East Indies, collec-
tions of bird's nests and stag horn ferns from Australia; more club moss, of a bronze-

HISTORY OF THE WORLD'S FAIR.

297

metallic color; Davalla Mooreana, a native of the South Pacific Islands; Pteris
Wallichianu, a native of Japan, the largest fern in the collection, being eight feet
across, and which was set out in three-inch pots three years ago; Pteris Victoria,
named after the Queen of of England, a native of the East Indies and Southern
Africa.

The collection also included Davalla Fijensis, a native of the Fejee Islands; a
superb fern known as Harefoot; pyramids of fern asparagus of many varieties;
flowering anthuriums in gaudy blossom and rich foliage; a large collection of flow-
ering genista; 100 azaleas in orange, red and crimson flowers, the same number of
hydrangeas, abundant of blossom. There were also eighty-four varieties of pine-
apple plants; 150 varieties of palms, thirty-two of Sago palms, or cycads, the largest
of which was presented by Dom Pedro to Mr. Van Alen, of Newport, seventeen
years ago, and which was secured by Mr. Manda for the Exposition. Also thirty-
two varieties of Norfolk pine and more than a hundred cocoanut palms nine feet in
height, growing out of the nuts— quite a novelty.

In the northeast curtain Australia divides the honors between Canada and
Japan, Australia is represented by more than a score of tree ferns, hundreds of
years old, and a large number of birds' nests ferns and stag horns, among which'
have been planted more than 2,000 plants, including eighteen varieties of tearoses,
several hundreds of tuberous begonias and marantas and other enlivening flow-
ering plants.

The Ontario (Canada) exhibit, the first on the right as the northeast curtain

is entered, is from public and private conservatories
of Toronto, and comprises some fine palms and fancy
crotons, cacti, and eucalyptus. Next comes the Japan-
ese garden, unique and interesting in all details. There
is sweetness and seeming simplicity in well, curb,
streamlet, tree, bush and flower. It was in complete
order on the opening day, and has ever since at-
tracted much attention. The narrow paths separate
little trees and plants — parterres — which are not much
bigger than table napkins and structures that might
be taken for toys. Even the gardeners who made
these were short and slender, but they gave a good
account of themselves, nevertheless, and of the work
that they were sent here to accomplish. Most of the
Japanese plants came to Jackson Park all the way
from Yokohama in chalet-like boxes of salmon-col-
ored cedar wood, which were pierced with windows

and covered with wire net work. Some of these plants suffered much during
the voyage, and quite a number of them were killed outright and many others
had to go into the nursery, with a special note of recommendation to the doc-
tor in charge; he, however, hesitated in view of the delicate state of their health
and the difficulty of hitting upon the best remedy, and therefore declined all

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HISTORY OF THE WORLD'S FAIR. 299

responsibility until some Japanese herb doctor should arrive; but Mr. Thorpe took
many of them in charge upon the non-appearance of the herb doctor aforesaid and
brought most of them into a state of convalescence, although a few were never
pronounced out of danger.

On entering this miniature garden the visitor passes up a slight incline and
enters upon a gravel walk, on either side of which are sticks of white and black
bamboo, very skillfully combined. A little farther on are some steps cut in the
shrubby slope and formed of the trunks of the fir tree. A low palisade in light
bamboo work, held together by strips of bark, serves as an enclosure. Plants of
minor value have been arranged along this serpentine walk, including the iris,
isseoigate and pinus paroiflora.

Then there are modest little Japanese and American plants, arranged so
that they may nod at each other while the big dahlias on the other side of the
palisade seemingly look down proudly upon them. And there are beds of opbio-
pogom jaburan and cycads, whose bristling leaves spread from strange looking
stumps and do not at first impress one with the idea that they enjoy much vitality.
The convolvulus occupy several pots and may be seen climbing reeds set apart for
its special behoof. Just beyond another shrubby embankment are borders of ex-
quisite blossoms, and here and there nice arrangements of Davalla bullata. Close
by is an admirable collection of lilies, twenty-two varieties in all, which embalms
the air for many yards around with a delightful perfume, not unlike that of the
scents arising from the flowers of a bouquet of delicate aromatic odors. Among the
lilies are the ordinary white, with only one or two flowers on the main stem.

Then there is an orange colored one dotted with black points and a proud
looking beauty with a golden center. And there are varieties which are unknown,
and which are incomparable for size. and beauty. Some of these latter are enor-
mous, and each petal is remarkable for its red, pink or violet stripes. But perhaps
the clou of the ensemble are the dwarf trees for which Japan is famous, By what
artificial process, trees, which if left to themselves would have reached a respectable
height, have been cut down to the smallest dimensions, it would be hard to tell.
But there they are, some so small that they could be held in one's hand, and but
few of them quite a yard high, twisted and distorted trunks covered with knobs and
warts, and giving life to slender branches which are kept so well within the required
limits that they are perfect balls of verdure. Most of these stunted trees have
passed through the hands of many generations of gardeners, for not a few have
reached the age of one hundred years or more. There are two specimens of the
thuya brevi-ramea, one of which is more than a century old, but which died on the
way from San Francisco to Chicago during the terrible storms of the winter of 1892
-93. There are others of the same family that look vigorous, but are similarly dwarfed
and many of them centenarians. There are quite a number of dwarfed oaks and
maples, whose denticulated leaves pass through every shade of red and yellow, and
resemble the leaves of the American maple tree during the latter part of Autumn.

There are others that are curiously streaked and still others in which the
foliage has jagged edges and bears marble-like, white, red and yellow veins. Here

300 HISTORY OF THE WORLD'S FAIR.

is the Fuiriteikakatsura, a very long name for a microscopic climber, with tapering
and pointed leaves struggling ap a bit of light colored wood not much bigger than
a giant's thumb. The utmost care has been given to the garden, which has a little
meandering stream over which are rustic bridges and other evidences of a truly
rural scene. A large number of cleafragranes and other Japanese plants are in
pots which are of the best faience, porcelain and enameled ware.- Altogether the
Japanese garden is an exact reproduction of many at Tokio, where horticulturists
are numerous in view of the widely prevalent taste for flowers. Farther along, up
against the northeast corner, and then again in the northwest corner, are contri-
butions from Trinidad, comprising ferns, palms, bamboos, crotons, and other trop-
ical productions.

Returning we come upon the German exhibit, arranged by Herr Rudolph
Schiller, in which are grouped collections of azaleas and rhododendrons brilliant
in blossom, contributed by Otto Olberg, Dresden; Spiraea astilboides, from Oscar
Tiefenthal, Wandsbeck; five thousand lilies of the valley, from Gustavus A. Schulz,
and C. Van der Huissin, of Berlin, and from Julius Hansen, Pinneberg, and Oscar
Tiefenthal, Wandsbeck; Buxus pyramides and Buxus Standards, some beautiful
foliage trees and shrubs, and a new rhododendron, exhibited by T. J. Scidel, Saxo-
nia. Interspersed are collections of hydrangeas, caster lilies, pelargoniums, dwarf
palms, cyclamens, cinerarias, calceolarias, sixteen varieties of pansiesandcannas,
the whole bordered with tuberous begonias and English primroses. In the midst
ot this are two pieces of statuary, one of which represents a spring group as often
seen in the better greenhouses throughout Germany and the other a maiden at the
fountain.

Next comes Belgium with a beautiful exhibit of azaleas and rhododendrons
and other varieties; also four bay trees in blossom. The next sight is a novel one,
being a mound of sixty-eight varieties of cacti, including a number of species never
before seen in this country. The visitor now comes full upon the century plant,
which was in perfect flower in May and which, while not gaudy or especially attract-
ive, is illustrious.

The visitor now comes upon the New York side of the mountain, at the base
of which is a magnificent assemblage of aristocratic members of the floral kingdom,
many of them having been selected with artistic care and taste from pretentious
palaces of plants on the Hudson, the Schuylkill and the Charles, among which are
are a fine collection of dracaenas and crotons from the Gould place in New York,
said to be the choicest in the world; Pandamus Utilis and a pair of Arenga Bonnetii,
believed to be the finest specimens in America; a Cycas Revoluta, one hundred and
fifty years old and in fruit; Areca Lutescens, the queen of palms; Ravcuala Mada.
gascariensis, from the deserts in Madagascar, and better known as the Travelers'
Tree; Areca Banri, very rare and very beautiful; an immense specimen of Caryoto
Urens, forty feet high, a very valuable palm; the largest specimen in America of
the Theophrasta Imperialis, a native of the East Indies; the Seaforthia Elegans,
thirty-five feet and exceedingly graceful; Plectocomia Assamica, the only climbing
palm in the United States, a native of the Sandwich Islands, from the Gould place,
Irvington-on-the-Hudson, and many others conspicuous for their age and lineage.

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