The Palace and Park: Its Natural History, and Its Portrait Gallery, Together with a Description of the Pompeian CourtLatham, R. G. (Robert Gordon)
History
The Palace and Park: Its Natural History, and Its Portrait Gallery, Together with a Description of the Pompeian Court
Latham, R. G. (Robert Gordon)
Crystal Palace (Sydenham, London, England)
In the Natural History Department the most noticeable plants have been
selected to represent as far as it was possible the flora of the
respective countries. Thus, in the Australian division the _Araucaria_,
_Tree Ferns_, and _Eucalypti_, or Gum Trees, are most conspicuous. The
other divisions contain many most interesting plants, such as the Tea
trees, which are all arranged geographically in their respective
positions, and can be readily identified. In the division on the western
side of the Nave, many of the beautiful plants are very well known,
though indigenous to South, Central, or North America. The Fuchsias,
Cacti, Yuccas, Aloes, and some _Araucariæ_, are amongst these.
It remains now to speak of the splendid collection of Orange and
Pomegranate trees which form the noble vista of the Nave, and are
principal features amongst the beauties of the Crystal Palace. Some of
these are four hundred years old. They once belonged to the Orleans
family, and in the latter times of the late dynasty in France were
collected by Louis Philippe to decorate his favourite château at
Neuilly. Shortly after the accession of the Emperor Napoleon, the
property of the Orleans family was sold by public auction, and these
matchless natural productions were then purchased by Sir Joseph Paxton
for the Crystal Palace Company; there are 110 of these trees in all.
The hanging baskets, which form so delightful an array high up on either
side of the Nave, and around each Transept, cannot fail to attract the
notice of the visitor. The creeping plants, which cover the columns and
cross-ties on each side of the walks, are of great luxuriance and
beauty, while at the corner of the South Transept will be noticed a
gigantic specimen of the lovely _Westeria_ which is rapidly covering the
wide span of the Nave at this part. This was one of the first trees of
the kind which was introduced into this country, and it thrives here
exceedingly well.
It must have been apparent to the reader how very cursory has been the
notice given to the most interesting plants and trees in these pages,
and how few of the many specimens have been referred to. Such was a
necessity. Yet it is hoped that as the Crystal Palace calls all the aids
of Art to the teachings which it conveys, so Nature (a greater teacher
still) may side by side yield her lesson too. To the lover of the
beautiful it needs small prompting to explore her mysteries, and the
rich expression she bears of that he seeks.
Mr. George Eyles is the chief superintendent of the whole Interior
Garden.
THE GALLERIES.
THEIR FINE ART, AND OTHER COLLECTIONS.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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