70 Calls at Gardens and Nurseries. 



number of plants of the Alonsoa incisifolia, tlieir rich color and singular 

 shaped flovvei-s contrasting very finely with the jjale lilac and various shades 

 of color of the Schizanthus, no two of which seemed to be alike. Four or 

 five pots of the Antholyza ajthopica, will be in flower in a few weeks.. We 

 now passed on throu^di another grapery, — winch was tilled with Hyacinths, 

 Crocuses, Roses, Pinks, &c. to be laken into the house when wanted to 

 bloom, — into the two stoves. Here we observed a magiiiticent plant of the 

 genus Euphorbia, called in New York E. Poinsettii, in honor of Mr. Poinsett, 

 late minister to Mexico, who, it was said, introduced it into the coun- 

 try. It is not, however, a new species, several gentlemen having inform- 

 ed us that they had seen it in flower in the London nurseries some years 

 since. We looked over Loudon's Hortiis Britannicits, and the Encyclopedia 

 of plants, with Mr. Haggerston, but could not find any species registered, 

 which answered the description of the plant; upon our retmn, however, 

 we again looked into the subject, and find in the first sui)plement to the Hor- 

 tus Britanvicus n species called splendens, figured in the Jiotanical Magazine, 

 t. 2902, which we think answers nearly to the descrii)tion. Whatever spe- 

 cies it may be, it is certainly a splendid plant; the l)eauty does not consist in 

 the flower, but in the large bractes that surround it, wliich are of a deep 

 crimson scarlet, and measure fifteen inches in diameter. We saw a plant 

 in New York last spring, but the bractes were not more than half as large. 

 On the back wall, close by the door, was a fine Passiflora quadrangularis, full 

 of buds and with one or two of its curious an<l superbly elegant blossoms, 

 expanded. Ruellia speciosa had been in flower; a species of Justicia was 

 beautiful; Ardisia (crenulata we believe) was beautiful with its umbels of 

 glossy bright red berries; the Salvias bad ])assed the zenith of their splendor. 

 That little floral gem the Verbena chanipedrifolia was blooming in all 

 the vividness of its summer beauty. Thunbergia fragrans, a delicate plant, 

 had been prettily in bloom. There were many other plants, but haste i)re- 

 vented our noticing them particularl)'. Returning through the conservatory 

 the thermometer caught our eye, which reminded us to inquire of Mr. IJag- 

 gerston, the temjjerature of the house during the severe cold nights the first 

 of the month; he iidbrmed us that when the house was shut up at night the 

 temperatiu'e was 48 (leg. — and at seven the next morning 50 (leg. The hot 

 water |)ipes are led under the walk the heat ascending througli the open 

 iron grates, between the marble. Mr. Haggerston preserves the utmost 

 order and neatness in the stoves and conservatory. 



Oakley Place, Jf'ni. Pratt, Esq. — January \Wi. The two entrance gates 

 to Mr. Pratt's groiuids are nearly o|>posile to those of Mr. Cushi:ig's. 'i'he 

 situation of the house is a little higher; — and the views from it em- 

 brace rather more extent of <listance than from Mr. Cushing's. They are 

 both however, eminent in this respect. Mr. Pratt resides in the ci*y during 

 the winter, and the house remains shut up till S|>ring. Mr. BIcLellan, the 

 gardener, is a very industrious and obliging man, ;tnd kindly oflt-red to com- 

 municate to us some of his experience in the cultivation of plants. It being 

 very late in the afternoon when we visited him, we were not enabled to see 

 the beauty of many plants that were in fidl bloom, es|)ecially several large 

 Ericas, and a specimen of the Polygala grandiflora, which Mr. McLellan 

 informed us, was splendidlv in flower; be however gave us a small branch, 

 with three or four ex])anded flowers, which we took home with us. The 

 plant was imported finu- or five years since by Mr. Pratt, but has not 

 flewered till this year ; the P. speciosa, ai)out the same size, will be out in a 

 few days. Collomia grandiflora, a pretty annual, introduced last year, Mr. 

 McLelian has finely in flower; he took it up out of the border, upon the 

 ap|iroach of fi-ost, and set it in a |)ot in the green-house. We observed two 

 very large plants of Azalea jedifolia, and A. indica phoenicea, which will be 

 in bloom in three or four weeks. We recollect of seeing the A. ledifoiia at 



