VISITS TO COUNTRY PLACES. — No. 6. 

 AROUND NEW YORK. 



Among tlio im])rovcmcnts carried out, projected, or coni})leted at the country 

 seats "Around Now York," as well as elsewhere, we found many gentlemen 

 giving a good account of the Portable Gas Works. Country houses may now be 

 well and economically lighted by this process, and the gas nuide without risk Ijy 

 the ucwly simjiliried apparatus; the gas, throwing out of the question the first 

 cost of a few hundred dollars, is cheaper than that consumed in cities, and more 

 free from injurious qualities ; we shall speak of it, however, in another place.' 



It is some years since we made our first triji up the North River ; let us recall 

 the incidents as they are vividly presented to memory. 



One of the earliest boats of any note was the Chancellor Livingston, and a 

 very stanch and substantial craft she was. We set out at ten o'clock in the 

 morning for All)any. At one we had a grand lunch, in the style of sea-going 

 ships ; at four, dinner for about forty passengers in all. Next morning we stop- 

 ped a long time at Livingston Manor, to get cream for breakfast, and at two 

 o'clock were safely landed at Albany, having made an extraordinarily quick pas- 

 sage of twenty-eight hours I The fare was eight dollars! "Sleepy Hollow" 

 days those. Let us proceed with times present. 



Moatrjomery Place, the seat of Mrs. Edward Livingston, and occupied by her- 

 self and her children, Mr. aud Mrs. T. P. Barton, was originally the residence of 

 General Montgomery. It therefore has age and trees consequently of more anti- 

 quity than are usually seen. Its speciality now is the Arboretum, the most suc- 

 cessful elTort yet made among us, and thougli it has been executed at considerable 

 cost of time, labor, aud money, yet we cannot but regret that Mr. Barton has not 

 allowed himself greater space for the future development of his various specimens, 

 which, in process of time, must be seriously injured by their too close proximity. 

 Nevertheless, great credit is due for this first effort. 



In the other planting, the trees have become old stagers, and much that has 

 been done by man represents the plantations of nature, and very beautiful aud 

 valuable they are. Combined with these, amid avenues, and shady walks, and a 

 drive of many miles on the property, is an exteusive flower-garden, the especial 

 pet of Mrs. Barton, who has here shown effects which have not before been ex- 

 hibited in this country. Iler masses of roses and other flowers are particularly 

 attractive. The arbors, overgrown with Aristolochia sipho, the Dutchman's pipe, 

 exceed anything of the kind we have ever seen. These were designed by Mr. 

 Otton, a wood carver and architectural decorator, of Philadelphia, whose merits 

 are not sufficiently known. 



The noble stream and cascades dividing Annandale and Montgomery Place, have 

 already been described as well as words can depict what is indescribable. In short, 

 Montgomery Place is all that a country-seat need, and, in our climate, can be. 



EUersIie, the seat of William Kelly, Esq., we also visited, with much pleasure. 

 This place has ])assed through several hands, and was last purchased from W. S. 

 "Warwick, a Virginia gentleman ; he purchased of James Thompson, Esq., who had 

 imjjroved it. It continues to be one of the very best examples of high keeping. 

 As managed by Mr. Kelly, it exhibits a repose that is highly i)leasing. The whole 

 TOO acres are almost entirely devoted to the growth of grass for hay. This gave 

 it, at the period of our visit before the first cutting, a uniform appearance, resem- 



