202 Notices of some of the Gardens and Nurseries 



do not know how far the Arborvitae may be employed ; but 

 few hedges have ever come under our observation which would 

 answer this purpose any better than this, unless it were the Aca- 

 cia, the large and strong growth of which renders it unsuitable, 

 except round extensive farms. We hope to see the Thiija more 

 extensively grown, both in the pleasure grounds, intermixed with 

 the spruces, firs, pines, and hemlocks, and also formed into hedges, 

 especially when the object is to break the view of the kitchen gar- 

 den, back entrances of the house, or any thing not in keeping with 

 the scenery. 



We here first savi^ that curious plant the Madura aurantiaca (osage 

 orange), which retains its beautiful foliage until very late in the 

 autumn. It is said to be an elegant object in its native clime (the 

 Arkansas territory), being loaded with its golden fruit: when we 

 observed it, it was full of green fruit ; here was also fine plants of 

 the Gordonia pubescens, nearly related to the Camellia ; Clethra 

 acuminata, and the Virgilia lutea. The green-house plants were not 

 then placed in their winter domicils, but were disposed around the 

 garden. The Orange, Lemon and Shaddock plants were in fine 

 health, and full of fruit. We here saw a very large plant of the 

 Rhododendron arboreum, which was then very rare. It has since 

 become more common, and is to be found in most choice collections ; 

 yet we have never known it to flower, with but one exception, in 

 our vicinity. 



The Messrs. Landreths' nurseries are situated on Federal street, 

 about two miles from the centre of the city, and altogether contain 

 nearly forty acres of ground ; part of which is devoted to the culti- 

 vation of vegetable seeds, which are sold at their seed establishment 

 in Chesnut street. They have raised several beautiful seedling 

 roses, and one fine Camellia, of which Mr. Landreth showed us a 

 painting ; it is called Landrethii. We believe one of the earliest 

 collections of the Camellia was first made by the Messrs. Landreth. 



A floricultural work, in folio numbers, with four colored plates 

 each, was commenced some time since by the Messrs. Landreth, the 

 letter press of which was conducted by Mr. D. Landreth, Jr. Al- 

 though we had never seen a copy of the work until our late visit, 

 yet from a hasty glance, we should pronounce it a very excellent 

 one, considering the present state of Floriculture in this country ; 

 the difficulty, however, attending the selection of a good Botanical 

 draughtsman, and persons to color the plates true to nature, Mr. Lan- 

 dreth informed us, had induced them to give the work up ; not, we 

 understood, and gladly too, from want of patronage, but from the 

 above causes ; we hope to see them resume their work before long, 

 with renewed exertions. Specimens of plants are certainly not 

 wanting to render such a work not only useful and valuable to the 

 amateur floriculturist, but a desirable one for every drawing-room 

 or parlour. 



