254 



THE GARDENERS' MONTHLY 



[August, 



" Conservatory range." There are four vineries, 

 three of them with peaches on the back walls. A 

 palm house has 320 species of palms. The first 

 cutting of hot-house grapes was about the end of 

 June. Peaches were ripe in the early part of June. 

 Peaches have not been found to do as well for 

 forcing on plum as on their own stocks. There 

 are separate houses for camellias, roses, ferns, and 

 geraniums. Mr. Mangold is the gardener in 

 charge. 



The Greenhouses of Dennison Brothers, 

 OF Phil.-^delphia. — Mr. J. Wooding notes as 

 showing what intelligent industry will accomplish, 

 that only twelve years ago, the head of the firm 

 located at Belmont avenue, near the city line, with 

 only capital enough to build two small green- j 

 houses. Now they have twelve, three of 

 which are 1 50 feet long. These are devoted to 

 winter roses — Mermets, Perles, Niphetos, and Duke 

 of Connaught — but a leading specialty is the 

 growing of pot plants for dealers. One house was 

 wholly devoted to Heliotrope. Another had over 

 a thousand Fuchsias in 6-inch pots, and when 

 coming into flower was a lovely sight to see. In 

 one house were Verbenas, estimated to be over 

 ten thousand, and, also just at the blooming point, 

 presented a picture of great loveliness, unsurpassed 

 perhaps, by any floral sight of the season. Ger- 

 aniums and bedding plants are also sold in im- 

 mense numbers ; and in spite of the general feeling 

 with florists that there is nothing in bedding 

 plants, at modern prices, these enterprising young 

 men find satisfactory encouragement, and propose 

 to largely extend their works. 



A Good Gardener at Liberty. — We under- 

 stand that in consequence of some contemplated 

 change in Dr. Richardson's place at New Orleans, 

 Mr. M. H. Lester, his former gardener will come 

 North if a suitable situation offers. His lively 

 contributions to the Gardeners' Monthly indi- 

 cate a rare lover of his profession, and we trust he 

 will soon get an engagement suited to his tastes 

 and his intelligence. As we understand, he has 

 Dr. R's cordial good wishes in the change he con- 

 templates. 



Dr. Franklin B. Hough. — Science, especially 

 botany and forestry, has lost an illustrious worker in 

 Dr. Franklin B. Hough, who died at his residence 

 in Lowville, New York, on the 9th of June, in his 

 63d year— he being born at Martinsburg in Lewis 

 County, New York, on the 20th of July, 1822. He 

 practiced medicine in Somerville from 1838 to 



1842, and continued to cultivate his natural taste 

 for literary, historical, and statistical work. In 

 1847 he published an account of the Flora of 

 Lewis County, which was so well received by the 

 botanists of that day, that he received his first 

 scientific honors soon after by being elected a cor. 

 respondent of the Academy of Natural Sciences 

 of Philadelphia; which has been followed since by 

 his election to some thirty-six other scientific or 

 literary bodies. His statistical and historical 

 labors, especially in connection with his own native 

 State have been enormous. 



Dr. Hough, as a member of the American Asso- 

 ciation for the Advancement of Science was a 

 prime mover in the action of that body which did 

 so much to make the modern phase of forestry a 

 national question — and when in response to this 

 movement the National Government undertook 

 an investigation of the forestry question. Dr. Hough 

 was placed in charge of the matter under the 

 supervision of the Department of Agriculture. 

 His reports in this connection are models of pains- 

 taking industry in the collection of facts. It was 

 in just such work that his talent showed to advan- 

 tage. It was always charming to engage him in 

 conversation in connection with the history of any 

 of our common studies. Anecdotes connected 

 with men and things, with a ready recollection of 

 dates and incidents, would be freely commucicated 

 with an easy freshness truly remarkable. 



During the winter he was engaged at Albany in 

 drafting, and watchmg through its various stages, 

 the Forestry bill which has since become the law 

 of that State. He still contrived to work on other 

 literary subjects that were quite enough for one 

 man's time. It is believed this weakened his 

 hitherto iron constitution, and brought on an at- 

 tack of pneumonia about the beginning of April. 

 After four weeks he seemed well enough to be re- 

 moved to his home at Lowville, but only eventually 

 to succumb. 



Mr. John Feast.— This eminent florist of Balti- 

 more died in that city on the 7th of June, in his 

 85th year. The Gardeners' Monthly has espe- 

 cial cause to offer a sincere tribute of regret (or 

 his loss, as he was its earliest friend in that city, 

 and took an especial pride and interest in extend- 

 ing its circulation on its first appearance. He was 

 one of those grand old florists who had a genuine 

 love of their profession, as much for the desire of 

 knowledge as for its regular commercial advantages. 

 In those days when greenhouse plant culture was in 

 the hey day of fashion, the Feasts were always in 



