VISITS TO COUNTRY PLACES. 



Rochwood, the seat of Edwin Bartlett, Esq., near Tarrytown, about thirty miles 

 above tlie city of New York. We found Mr. Bartlett in possession of a princely 

 mansion, having db facade of nearly one hundred and fifty feet, several hundred 

 acres of land finely situated on the banks of the Hudson, with a beautiful reach 

 of river view, and with sufficient native trees on the front to screen it from obtru- 

 sive observation. The planting round the house is new ; there are, however, a 

 few of the original shade trees left, to break the glare of the southern front. Mr. 

 Bartlett has just arranged for extensive conservatories and greenhouses, under the 

 management of Mr. Leucars, a builder of these structures of great experience. 

 His other improvements employed, at the time of our visit, about eighty men. 

 There can be little doubt that, with Mr. B.'s means and liberal expenditure, and 

 the great interest and taste shown by both Mrs. Bartlett and himself, Rochwood 

 will become one of the most ornate and beautiful country-seats in America. 



At Mr. Bartlett's, we had a discussion on the merits of the lawn mower, highly 

 favorable by comparison to that instrument, and we are confident that, when it is 

 introduced on these extensive lawns, their appearance will be greatly improved. 

 A good lawn is so much the foundation of beauty in a country residence, that 

 there can be no perfection without it. The dream of Downing regarding the 

 perfection of our country-seats, will never be realized until, by deep trenching, we 

 provide for the sustenance of the roots of the grass in our long summers, and, by 

 this or some other mower, we shall be able quickly to remove the growth, and 

 roll the surface. We are rapidly coming at this point, and by no means so rapidly 

 as through the use of Swift's lawn mower. A single inspection of a highly kept 

 place, will convince the most sceptical that no other expenditure is so important 

 as the careful keeping of the grass. And yet, strange to say, there is no expendi- 

 ture that country gentlemen hesitate more about than the frequent cutting of their 

 lawns. There is many a place we know of, where one to two hundred thousand 

 dollars have been spent, and yet, where the owner hesitates about cutting his lawn 

 once in ten days, on account of the expense, and refuses to keep the grass short in 

 the park by feeding, because he can't afford to lose his hay ; and yet this same gen- 

 tleman will sigh over the beauty and keeping of English places, when, if he would 

 do as the English do, his own place would be every whit as fine. Where do you 

 see, in England, a park in hay ? 



Downincfs Place, at Neivhnrgh. — During one of our delightful mornings at 

 Wodenethe, we crossed the river to Newburgh, to inspect the site laid out by 

 Downing, and to visit the poet of Idlewild. 



As is known to most of our readers, the Downing mansion and grounds have 

 been sold ; they are now owned by Mr. Alger, who is making certain expensive 

 changes and additions, which, doubtless, will increase the comforts of the residents ; 

 but it would have been more consonant to our feelings if everything had been left 

 in the condition its planner approved, and his own laying out of the grounds 

 preserved for the future pilgrims to this American shrine of genius. It is not for 

 us, however, to advise, and we can only describe it as we found it. The lawn has 

 been extended, and was in a state of progress, with little grass visible. The 

 Warwick vase, presented by the French artiste who made similar ones for the 

 Government grounds at Washington, still holds its place, and there are still 

 marks of Downing's footprints ; but, we fear, pains are taken to obliterate them. 

 New and costly stables, in fantastic forms, have been added, a new stile of cut 

 stone, at the garden-gate, introduced, which sjieaks not of Downing, and other 

 changes are in progress which we regretted to see. 



Idlewild, the residence of N. 1*. Willis, Esq., is one of those "natural bits of 

 re" which a ])oet must love ; the owner's taste has induced him, with 



