File:American gardening (1892) (17963915379).jpg

Title: American gardening
Identifier: americangardeni131892newy (find matches)
Year: 1892 (1890s)
Authors:
Subjects: Gardening; Horticulture
Publisher: New York : Rural Pub. Co
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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BUDS, BLOSSOMS, FRUITS. 683 it will fly up because of the weight falling on it outside the stringer. Mailing Catalogues in Bulk.— The society of American Florists showed commendable spirit in their recent convention, in having a committee appointed to press American Gardening's suggestion on the attention of the United States Post Office Department. This committee, consisting of J C. Vaughan, of Chicago ; Patrick O'Mara, of New York ; and J. Horace McFar- land, of Harrisburg, are expected to join a similar com- mittee appointed by the American Nurserymen's Asso- ciation last spring, in drawing up a memorial to be pre- sented to the Postmaster General for submission to Congress, in order to obtain a bulk rate of postage on catalogues similar to that now applying to periodicals. This is a movement that should at once command wide endorsement from thinking people 'Waking up, as Horticulture at the World's Fair.—The display of horticultural products promises to be " bewildering in ex- tent." The Horticultural building is 998 feet long, and has an extreme width of 250 feet. Its plan is a central pavilion, with two end pavilions, each connected with it by front and rear curtains, forming two interior courts, each 88 by 270 feet. Surmounting the central pavilion is a beautifully porportioned dome, 187 feet in diameter and 113 feet high. The preparations for the exhibit are already far advanced. Over 500,000 transplanted shrubs and plants, of many species, are now growing in the ex- position grounds, and the number is rapidly increasing. The floricultural exhibit will not be concentrated in one place. In the front curtains of the building will ap- pear the greenhouse and hothouse plants—a very large variety, axid many rare and beautiful specimens. There, too, will be a display of orchids numbering high into the
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An Artificial Garden. the American people are, to the evils of divesting our territory injuriously of forests, any movement having in view the wider dissemination of instructive catalogues of trees, plants and seeds should meet wi.h all judicious encouragement. The catalogues of nurserymen and florists act as constant spurs toward increased planting, Many a land-owner can trace his act, in converting a farm from a barren, desert-like spot into a well-wooded tract, directly to the influence of catalogues. It should be recognized that horticultural catalogues, as they are issued in America, are almost without exception valuable works of information on planting, and as disseminators of education they, as well as periodicals, are entitled to be carried by the mails in the cheapest and most con- venient form. Numbers of people have imbibed their first lessons in successful tree and seed-planting from catalogues. Their effect on the beauty, healthfulness and comfort of our land is inestimable. By all means let the postage on these planting guides be reduced to one or two cents a pound, and be paid for in bulk, instead of requiring the fixing of stamps upon them separately. thousands. Beneath the great dome will be arranged the largest tropical plants obtainable, including Japanese and Chinese bamboos 75 to 80 feet high, palms 30 to 40 feet high, and tree-ferns 15 feet or more in height. There will also be a miniature mountain covered with tropical plants. In a cave within will be tried experi- ments of growing plants by electric light and of growing them by the aid of electric currents passed through the soil. The " wooded island," or as more properly named, perhaps, the flowery island, will be one of the most beautiful and attractive spots at the exposition. It em- braces between 15 and 16 acres, and has been turned over almost entirely to the horticultural department for its exhibits. There, literally speaking, will be acres and acres of flowers of brightest and most varied hues and pleasing perfume. Little groves of trees, clumps of shrubbery, and sinuous walks will relieve the gorgeous monotony of this floral display. On the north end of the island Japan will build its strange antique temple, and surround it with the choicest plants and flowers of the island realm of the Mikado.

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