1882 J 



AND HORTICULTURIST. 



315 



We were nicely cooled off and ready to proceed 

 with our further inspection. 



From here we walked towards the elegant man- 

 sion, passing through agrove of white locust which 

 when in bloom spread its pleasing and nourish- 

 ing perfumes wide over the country and furnish- 

 ed the name (Locust Grove) to this magnificent 

 home. The celebrated Hudson river runs in 

 front of this elevation with its steamers, all sorts 

 of sailing vessels and pleasure boats which go 

 gliding charmingly along the whole scene, and 

 add to the embellishment of this location. All 

 this looks as if it belonged to the property, and 

 represents these superb country seats still more 

 perfectly; replacing a thousandfold the artificial 

 ponds which are generally connected with these 

 parks. The views up and down the river, j 

 almost endless, show cities and villages with 

 their church steeples, buildings, castles, farms, 

 ^ruit growing cultivations and steadily im- 

 proving landscapes. Arriving at the mansion 

 we were fairly dazzled with the beauty of this 

 luxuriant edifice, of this handsomest residence 

 of the Hudson and exquisite model of modern 

 architecture. And it is said that the inside, fur- 

 nished with all comforts, ornaments and works 

 of art which the world offers and money buys, 

 surpasses by far in preciousness the enormous 

 cost of this truly royal palace. A lady deeply 

 interested in a book, sitting on the piazza, some 

 youths, the pictures of health, taking a ride in a 

 stylish little wagon, drawn by a cunning little 

 pony, and who by their laughing faces appeared 

 to be perfectly happy, were objects that delight- 

 ed the beholder. The old gentleman holding 

 an umbrella over his head and walking over the 

 grounds, had his eyes all over. All these were 

 models for the genius of a painter. The pleas 

 ing sound of a piano struck our ear, and showed 

 that all the arts are cultivated and are at home 

 here. Flowers, music, paintings ai-e displayed, 

 both outside and inside, and the whole is a suc- 

 cessful illustration of a lovely piece of poesy. 

 The floral decorations in front of the house sur- 

 pass everything. They are like a magnificent 

 exhibition. On both sides of the steps in front, 

 the whole length of the piazza, crotons are dis- 

 playing their beautifully marked, shining and 

 singularly formed leaves. Right and left large, 

 elegant vases, tastefully filled with suitable 

 plants and vines (taking nearly a hundred to 

 each vase) are placed like guards on each side, 

 and festoons of ampelopsis hang from tree to 

 tree. Beyond the wide place in front of the 



house is an apparently endless green lawn, or- 

 namented with numbers of shade and ornament- 

 al trees, evergreens and flowering shrubs taste- 

 fully and scientifically planted. It is a splendid 

 panorama, like a paradise. On the border of 

 this is a row of precious Japan and Chinese 

 vases, filled with ail sorts of showy plants, the 

 highest opposite the entrance of the door lower- 

 ing to both ends and forming an arch where 

 other large vases were placed. The length of 

 this exhibition-like decoration was at least three 

 hundred feet. The newest varieties of coleus 

 are specially beautiful, arranged in tubs and 

 vases, and show their color more distinct and 

 exquisite than any time heretofore; and the 

 hydrangeas, with their numerous pink, white 

 and blue globular flowers are adding considerably 

 to this great decoration. In fact, in looking 

 over the entire plantation, the proper culture, 

 together with the richness of the soil, renders 

 this plantation as complete and recent in effect 

 as if it had been planted three months ago. The 

 same superior style prevails harmoniously all 

 over. 



We followed along the carriage road when Mr. 

 E. called attention to the rare ornamental trees. 

 Perfectly formed evergreens and beautiful 

 flowering shrubs planted in groups and singly 

 were skillfully located. We had to go from one 

 side to the other to admire, and not let any of 

 these beauties escape. The new Japan maples 

 with their peculiarly formed leaves and singular 

 color attract special attention. Groups of rarest 

 evergreens, the centre highest, show like one 

 tree. Beautiful shrubs change off harmoniously, 

 and every novelty which will thrive la this 

 climate seems to be in this collection. Three 

 gigantic black-walnut trees under whose wide 

 spreading limbs many have enjoj'ed the pleasing 

 shade, are land-marks and have a history for 

 themselves. Nature has here her own language 

 and scripture. A very old apple tree with its 

 branches to the ground, and running quite a 

 distance along from the tree, forming a group 

 for itself of large dimensions is a great curiosity 

 and a perfect beauty when in bloom. These old 

 settlers attract just as much attention as their 

 proud foreign neighbors growing alongside of 

 them. 



Here we arrived at the bridge leading to the 

 carriage road. By turning to the starting point 

 we observed artistic single statues and allegori- 

 cal groups of bronze castings suitably located 

 and so full of expression that they seem to talk, 



