The following was the last note we find from this admirable man, praocful 

 wiitiT, and warm friend. In the summer of 1852, he was numbered with llie dead, 

 takon, as we arc fain to think, prematurely from the midst of his usefulness : — 



Newbcrou, March 21), 1852. 



Mv Dk.ar Friend : I am, diirina; this whole month, so deei)ly engaged, that I 

 four I shall have to decline Colonel Eastwick's commission, however reluctantly. 

 I really begin now to despair of seeing you at Germantown. I have made three 

 decided efforts to do so ; the first last fall — when I was taken ill, in Philadelphia, 

 with the pleurisy, and kept two days at the TJ. S. Hotel, glad to crawl home as 

 soon as possible. The second time, this spring — but was laid hold of by a gen- 

 tleman in Baltimore, on my way there, who would have the time on his place that 

 I meant to devote to you. I am really a man of no leisure — except after dinner, 

 at home. I wish I could show you my " Bureau of Architecture," in my new 

 wing of my residence — full of commissions, and young architects, and planning 

 for all parts of the country. 



I am en route to Washington, to-morrow — planting some fine trees from Eng- 

 land at this season. Your friend, 



A. J. DOWNING. 



To J. Jay Smith, Esq. 



THE TWELVE BEST EVERGREEN TREES. 



BY THOMAS MEEHAN. 



The cpiestion has been asked me, "what twelve evergreen trees would you 

 recommend as best adapted to general purposes?" It is rather a difficult ques- 

 tion to answer satisfactorily, as, under some circumstances, one particular kind 

 would be preferable to another. Where there is i)lenty of room, a strong grower 

 would be better than one of humbler aspirations, and one might look wonderfully 

 well on a hill-top, that would look very indifferent, or out of place on a level piece 

 of ground. 



But, taking all things together, for " general purposes" I would place as 



No. 1, the Norway Spruce. — It is a peculiarly useful tree, its character adapt- 

 ing it to highly artistic scenery, and, at the same time, to wild and rugged situa- 

 tions, in either of which it has a very grand effect. In places where it is not an 

 object that the general effect should be of the first order in an artistic point of 

 view, the Norway Spruce is very valuable. Nothing can excel it as a fast grow- 

 ing evergreen for a screen to shut off disagreeable views, or afford shelter from 

 cold winds. It will also bear the shears tolerably well, and make a very fair orna- 

 mental hedge, though, in that respect, not equal to 



No. 2, Hemlock Spruce. — This, I believe, all landscape gardeners concede to 

 be the handsomest of evergreen trees. The Hemlock looks well anywhere. It 

 does not do well, however, in stiff, heavy soils. As a single object on a lawn, 

 is nothing to go ahead of it, unless, perhaps, 



