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National Geographic : 1920 Sep
Contents
RIO DE JANEIRO, IN THE LAND OF LURE blue," crowned by the reddish brown of weather-beaten tiles. In the gardens of these homes tower royal palms, great jaqueira trees heavy with fruit, wide-spreading mangos, and South Brazilian Parana pines with straight betasseled branches. These no ble trees, foreign to Rio's hills, tell us that the gardens were planted back in the first Dom Pedro's day, or perhaps in the time of his father, Dom Joio the Sixth. RIO HONORS THE MOTHER OF BRAZIL'S BEAUTIFUL PALMS In 1808 Portuguese royalty fled from Napoleonic despotism in Europe to set up its court in Brazil, and the following year the prince regent, afterward Dom Joao VI, imported the royal palm of the Antilles and planted it in the botanical gardens of Rio. Here the original palm still stands. "Our Mother Palm was sick some years ago," a Brazilian told me, "and we were greatly alarmed lest she should die. From this single specimen have come all the wonderful palms which beautify our parks and avenues. We treated our royal patient with care, gave her a me dicinal bath, and she recovered." I went out to call on this historic tree. With all its one hundred and twelve feet of height, it does not look hardy. The director of the botanical gardens, how ever, assured me that it is now free from the ravages of insects and will live for many years. On the railing surrounding the palm is a plaque with this inscription: Oreodoxa Oleracea. Planted by Dom Joao VI. The Palm Mother. Those of her species are cultivated in the country. Near the palm is a bust of Dom Joao, whose forethought and love of gardens greatly enriched the flora of Brazil. Dur ing his reign, valuable Asiatic trees, such as the mango, jaqueira, breadfruit, and tamarind, and many of the Old World flowering trees which glorify Rio's hills, then came to Brazil through Portugal's far-flung colonies in Asia and Africa; or were brought from Cayenne, in French Guiana, then known as the Isle of France, where the French maintained a botanical garden from a very early period. In the old gardens are other marks of bygone days besides the venerable trees. Here and there is a wall faced with blue and white Dutch tiles, which found their way to Brazil when Holland invaded its northern coast, in the seventeenth cen tury. On some of the tall gate-posts stand big blue or yellow porcelain orna ments in the form of pineapples, im ported from Portugal one hundred or more years ago. "They bring good luck to the household," an old servant told me. Color runs riot. The purple bougain villea here grows to be a tree; the flam ing poinsettia becomes a giant bush. There is the glowing coral vine; the hibiscus in red and in rose; the violet and lavender manaca. Brilliant variegated crotons border the paths. Most conspic uous are the gorgeous flowering trees, such as the native cassia, or "golden shower," whose yellow clusters resemble the wistaria; the West Indian salmon and red frangipani of fragrant memory; and the flamboyant, or royal pointiana of Madagascar, the joy of the garden. SOME OF THE CITY'S CLIFF DWELLINGS ARE ENTERED FROM THE ROOF To me the modern architecture of the city houses is much too ornate. Rio de Janeiro is like a lovely woman, who needs little embellishment. Here buildings on simple lines are best. All the houses, however, have the redeeming quality of varied and vivid coloring, which, com bined with terra-cotta earth and emerald foliage, forms one of the most attractive features of the city. While terra-cotta, in soil, roofs, and garden walls, is the predominating tone, almost every shade is represented in this iridescent town. Many of the new homes cling to the hillside below the street and are entered from the roof. Others of these cliff dwellings perch high above the thorough fare and are reached by a long flight of steps or by elevator on an inclined plane. Some bear the name of the lady of the manor over the front door-"Villa Ro- 171
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