3(56 Landscape Gardening 



many who would gladly do something to give a sentiment 

 to their houses, but are ignorant both of the materials and 

 the way to set about it. Accordingly they plant odorous 

 ailanthuses and filthy poplars to the neglect of graceful and 

 salubrious maples. 



The influence of commercial gardens on the neighborhood 

 where they are situated is one of the best proofs of the 

 growth of taste. They show that our people have no obtuse- 

 ness of faculty as to what is beautiful, but only lack in- 

 formation and example to embellish with the heartiest good 

 will. Take Rochester, N. Y., for instance, which, at the 

 present moment, has perhaps the largest and most active 

 nurseries in the Union. We are confident that the aggre- 

 gate planting of fruits and ornamental trees within fifty 

 miles of Rochester during the last ten years has been twice 

 as much as has taken place in the same time in any three of 

 the southern states. Philadelphia has long been famous for 

 her exotic gardens, and now even the little yard plats of the 

 city dwellings, are filled with roses, jasmines, lagestrcemias 

 and the like. Such facts as these plainly prove to us that 

 only give our people a knowledge of the beauty of fine trees 

 and plants and the method of cultivating them, and there is 

 no sluggishness or inaptitude on the subject in the public 

 mind. 



In looking about for the readiest method of diffusing a 

 knowledge of beautiful trees and plants, and thereby bet- 

 tering our homes and our country several means suggest 

 themselves which are worthy of attention. 



The first of these is, by what private individuals may do. 



There is scarcely a single fine private garden in the coun- 

 try which does not possess plants that are perhaps more or 

 less coveted, or would at least be greatly prized by neighbors 

 who do not possess, and perhaps cannot easily procure 

 them. Many owners of such places cheerfully give away 

 to their neighbors any spare plants that they may possess; 

 but the majority decline, for the most part, to give away 

 plants at all, because the indiscriminate practice subjects 

 them to numerous and troublesome demands upon both the 



