A VISIT TO SPRINGBROOK, 8cc. 



4i: 



Hacori's Incomj^arahlc. This variety I 

 have cultivated for ten years. It has never 

 yet borne fruit with me ; and I have ob- 

 served that, in various places, its growth 

 has been slow, of a crooked, straggling 

 habit, and, unless staked, the tops of the 

 younar trees will bend over. I have seen 



the fruit several times, and also eaten it ; 

 and although highly recommended by Eng- 

 lish cultivators, it will, I fear, prove of little 

 value here. This sort grows on the quince. 

 Respectfully yours, 



William Reid. 



Murray Hill Nursery, Neiv-\ork, Jan. 13, 1849. 



A VISIT TO SPRINGBROOK, THE SEAT OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE FBITN- 

 S YL VANI A HORTICULTURAL SO CISTY. 



BY JUSTICIA. 



Deae Sir — When your particular friend. 

 Professor J., of Schenectady, was here, the 

 past season, he was greatly surprised that 

 a description of the handsome establish- 

 ment of Caleb Cope, the estimable presi- 

 dent of the Penn. Horticultural Society, had 

 never appeared in the Horticulturist. I 

 then promised to send you some rough 

 notes of it, without any embellishment, 

 which I now fulfil, with a recent visit fresh 

 in my mind, 



Springbrook is eight miles north from 

 Philadelphia, on the Bristol turnpike, and 

 near the new depot of Tacony. It is situ- 

 ated on rising ground, commanding an ex- 

 tensive view of the adjacent country, Dela- 

 ware river, the Jersey shore, and the city. 

 The elegant mansion is surrounded with a 

 spacious lawn, kept in a masterly style ; 

 and the pleasure-grounds are enclosed by 

 a light iron fence, about half a mile in 

 length, and studded with many varieties of 

 hardy trees, backed by a natural piece of 

 the most majestic woods, — giving a fine syl- 

 van character to the place. To the left of 

 this grove is a sheet of spring water, rising 

 on the farm, (which farm contains upwards 

 of 100 acres,) that supplies a powerful Hy- 

 draulic Ram, diffusing the water over the 

 whole place, supplying reservoirs, fountains, 



waterfalls, &cc. Connected with the dwell- 

 ing is a span-roofed conservatory, filled 

 w^ith plants in bloom, including a carriage 

 entrance, under glass, for the convenience 

 of taking up the family in time of rain ov 

 sickness. Farther south is another span- 

 roofed house, 32 feet long ; one side for 

 Geraniums, embracing 60 of the finest sorts. 

 and the other side for choice fancy Roses, 

 many of them now in full bloom. Con- 

 nected with this house is another, similar 

 to it, for Azaleas, Rhododendrons, and 

 other showy blooming plants of like treat- 

 ment. We now sally forth into the flower 

 garden. The flowers are grown in beds 

 and masses, and consist of sorts that are 

 either continually in bloom, or such as are 

 succeeded by others from a reserve-garde7i, 

 producing a magnificent display the entire 

 season. Among them, beds of Salvia spe- 

 ciosa, Pltif7ihago, Tweedia vinca, Bouvardia 

 and Lantana, were very conspicuous among 

 the more common varieties that are gene- 

 rally grown. Contiguous to the flower gar- 

 den is the " Cactus-house," 81 feet long, 

 heated by water pipes, and containing a 

 collection of Cactii, far surpassing any other 

 in this country ; and for health and beauty 

 of specimens, equal to that which I saw in 

 the " Garden of Plants" at Paris. The 



