59 



" On crossing the St. Lawrence to Montreal, we were much sur- 

 prised to see the great difference which the Canadian winter produces 

 upon the species of ornamental trees which grace the lawns and cities 

 of the United States. As examples may be mentioned the Ailantus 

 glandulosa, the trees here being quite small and stunted ; the Osage 

 orange [Madura aurantiaca) seemed barely alive ; mulberries were 

 small and unhealthy ; weeping willows were almost always killed in 

 winter, although in the neighbourhood of New York the stem of this 

 tree is seen averaging from eight to fifteen, and sometimes twenty feet 

 in circumference. None of the Catalpa trees and Magnolias, which 

 prove so ornamental in the pleasure-grounds both of New York and 

 Philadelphia, can be made to thrive, with the exception of Magnolia 

 glauca ; and they are in a very unhealthy condition. The deciduous 

 cypress [Ciipressus disticha) is also much dwarfed. Evergreens, with 

 the exception of the fir tribe, were rarely to be seen, unless ]3rotected 

 by glass. On visiting the gardens and nurseries in the neighbour- 

 hood, we were much gratified at finding them so well managed, and 

 chiefly under the superintendance of Scotch gardeners. On the gar- 

 den walls we observed healthy trees of peaches, apricots and nectar- 

 ines, having well ripened wood, and every appearance of affording 

 plentiful crops. Gooseberries and currants were in great abundance, 

 with high-flavoured fruit, which is seldom to be met with in the gar- 

 dens of the United States ; apples were plentiful, but pears rather 

 scarce. Vines trained on espaliers had a promising appearance. 



" In the nursery grounds the fruit and flower departments seem to 

 receive the most attention. Few, however, of the indigenous plants 

 are cultivated, although considerable quantities of the genera Cypri- 

 pedium, Trillium, Orchis, Habenaria, Goodyera, Calypso, Pagonia 

 and Sarracenia, procured from their native habitats when in flower, 

 lay stored in boxes for sale and barter with the British merchants. 



"We next proceeded to the Montreal mountain, situated to the 

 north-west of the town. A number of fine specimens of the sugar- 

 maple were seen, with a great mixture of other shrubbery plants. The 

 lime-trees [Tilia Americana)^ had a singular and beautiful effect, from 

 the large size of their foliage — some of the leaves measured thirteen 

 inches long and eleven broad.* Very few herbaceous plants were 

 got in a fresh state, owing to the penetrating rays of the sun having 

 scorched everything. In very shady places, chiefly on the north and 

 east side of the mountain, we procured a few good specimens in flower 



* A specimen of a leaf of tlie size here described was exhibited to the meeting. 



