338 



THE GARDENER'S MONTHLY 



[November, 



wood, the production not only of our own, but 

 of other countries at the Centennial, cannot fail 

 to appreciate my remarks. Hence what is really 

 required to render this interesting subject more 

 popular with the masses is a diffusion of 

 more general knowledge of the proper culture 

 and use of trees, through the establishment of 

 private collections, containing one or more of 

 the natural ordeus, with genera, species and va- 

 rieties. Having made the culture and science 

 of trees a study, I feel that the importance of 

 such collections cannot be too strongly urged 

 upon such gentlemen as not only have the means 

 but the taste and ground requisite to form such 

 collections. Some men will spend thousands 

 of dollars in forming a collection of antique 

 china, or of old coins or minerals. If 

 Buch things become interesting and valued, as 

 they generally are by the collector and his 

 friends, surely a fine collection of trees, which 

 are yearly growing in beauty, must to a lover of 

 nature, become infinitely more so. For instance, 

 Mr. A. may form a collection of willows like the 

 Woburn collection in England. Willows are 

 simple appearing things in themselves, yet when 

 planted in the aggregate, are highly interesting. 

 In the collection just named, there are one hun- 

 dred and fifty-nine kinds, which are described 

 and named in the Salicaetum Woburniensis. Or 

 suppose Mr. B. desires to make a collection of 

 oaks; he will be astonished at the vast number 

 of species and varieties that will be brought to 

 notice, and so of other, through the long list of 

 natural orders to the end of the catalogue. 

 Thus, if a number of these collections, each 

 different in itself, be started in any one place, 

 like the suburbs of a large town or city, they 

 would in the aggregate form an Arboretum of 

 grand proportions, that if scientifically arranged 

 would afford instruction and amusement to a 

 large number of people. 



Being called in consultation a short time since 

 in regard to some improvements now in progress 

 on a large estate situated in the midst of some of 

 the grandest scenery in the State of New York, I 

 suggested among other things to the proprietor 

 the formation of an Arboretum. The idea 

 pleased him much, and it was decided that as 

 there were a great number of large and beauti- 

 ful pines growing on the place, to add to these 

 all the different kinds of hardy coniferte and 

 form a Pinetum, scientifically arranged, pro- 

 perly labelled, and catalogued with a descrip- 

 tion of each species and variety, so that any 



friends visiting the grounds could be presented 

 with a catalogue, from which they could learn 

 the name and use of each tree, thus making the 

 collection as complete in its character as possi- 

 ble. The location of the place just mentioned 

 is on a branch of the Erie Railroad, where it 

 crosses the Genesee River by an iron bridge 

 which is raised 235 feet above the bed of the 

 river. Immediately below the bridge there is 

 a fall in the river of 66 feet, and a short dis- 

 tance beyond there is another fall of 110 feet, 

 where the water is so broken in its descent as to 

 give it the appearance of fine lace. The im- 

 provements which are being made are on a 

 level piece of land along the river bank, between 

 the two falls, and from whence the bridge above, 

 appears so light and airy that a passing train 

 seems as it were gliding through the air ; truly a 

 charming spot, 



Down in the glen where laughing waters play, 

 And stately Pines lift up their heads in light of day ; 

 There graceful Spruces spread their branches wide, 

 That with the odorous Fir the magic of the scene divide. 



No one need imagine from the foregoing de- 

 scription that it is one of those places kept up 

 in the highest style of art, with the accessories 

 of hot-houses, graperies, and numerous flower 

 beds, for it is nothing of the sort; everything 

 being plain but neat; simply Nature, assisted by 

 Art, only to such an extent as becomes necessary 

 in the arrangement of the various objects, and 

 in such a way as to harmonize with the surround- 

 ings; nothing incongruous but every where show- 

 ing the hand of taste of the proprietor. And 

 this is a style which must obtain to a great ex- 

 tent in this country in the future. Trees are 

 both beautiful and interesting objects for study. 

 They are the glory and delight of nature, and 

 yet how few there are that understand any- 

 thing about arranging theni when planting, in 

 such a way as to produce anything like a pleas- 

 ing effect, an error which it becomes the prov- 

 ince of the initiated to correct, and a knowl- 

 edge of which it is also designed that a study of 

 these private collections shall impart. 



EDITORIAL NOTES. 



Meehan's Arboretum at the Centennial 

 Grounds. — We have not noticed in these columns 

 the arboretum planted by the editor of the Gar- 

 dener's Monthly, as naturallj* he would prefer them 

 to be judged by his cntemporaries rather than 



