I just wrote an article about my recent vacation in Florida. After sightseeing and reading, I did some research, and found a few more books. I thought the process of what I looked for and found might be interesting. At the very least, one sees my book collecting interests and addictions a little clearer.
I was very impressed with Cà d’Zan, the John Ringling museum in Sarasota, Florida. It suffered some water damage from fall 2024 hurricanes, and the second and third floors, and the Belvedere tower were closed from viewing. None-the-less, we were able to walk the grounds, tour the first floor, and walk out on the terrace, with the grand view of Gulf of Mexico (or is it America?). Ringling would moor his 120 foot yacht to the terrace during parties, and the live band would play from the deck. I wanted to find out more about the mansion.
I searched for, and purchased the book “Cà d’Zan, Inside the Ringling Mansion” by Aaron H. Groft, PhD. and David C. Weeks, PhD., published in 2004.
This book presented the layout of the mansion, along with photos of every room. With an budget of $200,000, (that went over by $2,000,000!), built in 1926, this was quite the building. Most of the furniture, art, and tapestries are still there. Each room was amazing. There were also descriptions of the 66 acres of gardens-they planted 2600 trees, and a 27,000 square foot rose garden with 12,000 roses. On the top right hand corner of the book is a small marble chip. It may or may not be from the beautiful outdoor terrace. It was not broken off or damaged by me, just may have happened to jump into my pocket, and is now housed in my display cabinet.
For my vacation, I also wrote about two books I brought, authored by Cecile Hulse Matschat. I had found those two books, after writing about lawns several months ago, and using a book of lawn care from 1937 written by her. I had that book for years, and had just done some research about her other books on gardening. That is when I found the two adventure books, and bought them as reading material for my trip. There were wonderful reads.
I looked more into Cecile Hulse Matschat when I returned home. From her obituary I found: Matschat died in 1976, 81 years old. She was an author, botanist, and painter. She studied at private schools, with art training in Paris. Her book “Suwannee River,” won her a Literary Guild award, and a membership in the “Explorers Club”, and ” The Society of Women Geographers”. She had written 16 books, many on horticulture. She traveled to many places in the world to study and paint unusual plants.
After my trip, I looked for a few more books that she had written. I found some, and have bought a few reasonably priced ones. The first is “Mexican Plants for American Gardeners” published in 1935. It discusses many plants that originated in Mexico, that could be successfully grown in America.
Along with many descriptions and tips on these plants, she also gave designs for Mexican gardens, along with Mexican wild flowers. The fist six chapters discuss the history of Mexico and and agriculture; ancient gardening; Spanish influences; Mexican gardens ancient and contemporary. The remaining ten chapters are on the plants themselves, including annuals, perennials, vines, bushes and trees. It is a very researched book, with great stories, and a detailed bibliography. (I love bibliographies for looking for more unusual books.) This book was difficult to find. I was able to track one down on E-Bay. Of all the books I have found, written by Matschat, it is the only one that while I have the book, I do not have the dust jacket.
I then purchased the book “The Garden Calendar” written by Matschat. It was published in 1936. Matschst loved gardens, large and small. This book broke down things to do in gardens every month of the year. She also suggested plants that bloomed in that specific month. While locations varied for blooms and such, she also showed how to individualize gardens to one’s specific location, what to do, and especially how to keep track year to year. It is a very good book.
I then found another interesting book she wrote, “American Butterflies and Moths”, published in 1942 by Random House.
This large book describes seventy three butterflies and moths that one may find in gardens or in nature studies in America. It is beautifully illustrated. Matschat also discusses their habitats and their behaviors. She also tells stories of migrating insects, and some of her discoveries in South and Central America. This book is as good as any recent guidebook published, yet is much more personable.
The last book I have recently bought, written by Cecile Hulse Matschat is “American Wild Flowers” published in 1940.
Like the “Butterfly and Moth” book, this book is detailed with a selection of wild flowers found in America. It is not a definitive book on all plants, but a selection of flowers, showing when they bloom: some in spring, some in summer, and others in fall. There are great descriptions about every plant, along with a painting. Matschat painted each of the flowers-every one as good as a photograph, for identifying the plant. It is a wonderful book if one wants to study more about wild flowers. It is also a great book to just thumb through, as a child or as an adult.
I am more curious now about Cecile Hulse Matschat. She had written or published twenty books, (Her obituary stated sixteen, but I have found titles of four more.) Her first book was written in 1935. By 1943, she had written sixteen. (Another book in each 1954 and 1965.) There were two more books where she compiled other works into books (in 1952 and 1953). She was also a main contributor for “A Garden Dictionary”, 1938.
Several books were of her adventures, many were gardening books, a few nature books, and some fiction. Matschat won a Literary Guild award for her book Suwanee River. She was an artist, an explorer (member of the Explorer’s Club) , a geographer (member of The Society of Women Geographers), and a botanist. She gave three art shows of her work, and was a lecturer.
Someone who had done this much should have a a lot of information about them. All I have found so far is from her books, a small article in Wikipedia, and her obituary from the New York Times. I could find only one picture of her (from her book “Seven Grass Huts”).
She died in her apartment in The Prince George Hotel in New York in 1976. It began as a luxury hotel and residence in 1904, in the Madison Square area. By 1980, it mainly housed many homeless people, before it was closed (to eventually be remodeled and reopened). Was Matschat always living there or did she end up there because of lack of money? Was she just a forgotten celebrity, living alone for years? She had no children, and her husband died in 1960. I have a lot of questions about her, and no easy answers.
I have added Cecil Hulse Matschat to my notebook. It is a notebook of “Wants” I have, when browsing bookstores. Under her name, I have listed all of her books, along with whether I have it. There are many topics in this notebook to remind me, and to help me fill holes in my library. (I still have to own up if they are reasonably priced, and worth it to my wallet.) As I have said before, I have a collection of collections.
While I realize (space-wise and monetarily-wise) that I cannot complete all series, or all the books by authors or printing presses that I may have parts of, I do love finding more books about or by someone, or topics I am really intrigued by. This search for, and the subsequent reading of, these books mean more to me than just googling information. Random perhaps, but my library is an adventure in its own right. Cecile Hulse Matschat is now one of the adventures.
Thanks for reading.
Librarytomes 