Calls at Gardens and J\Purseries. 351 



the old forcing houses. Those in the compartment heated by Perkins's 

 hot water system, are ripening finely, and acquiring a good color. We 

 were astonished, when Mr. Cowan assured us that he cut away three 

 bunches out of four, and that the whole number, thus thinned out, 

 amounted to upwards of three thousand clusters. This accounts for his 

 fine crop, and the excellent size of the fruit: by such judicious manage- 

 ment, there is no fear of plenty of fruit every season. None of the 

 peaches are yet ripe in the new range. In the old forcing houses, some 

 of the trees are literally loaded, too nuich so, we think, for the strength 

 of the trees. We tasted some of the fruit, and found it to be of excellent 

 flavor, particularly the Broomfield and Murray's nectarines: the former 

 is a showy and beautiful kind. We think we never have eaten forced 

 peaches so well ripened. Mr. Cowan had been thinning away the 

 leaves, to let the sun to the fruit. 



In the garden, the annual and other flowers are blooming profusely. 

 The dahlias do not flourish very well: they have that peculiar appear- 

 ance which most of them do that have come under our observation ; a 

 few very fine flowers were open. We anticipated a walk through the 

 grounds, but were prevented, from the lateness of the afternoon. 



Country Residence of T. Lee, Esq. — This beautiful place is situated 

 near Jamaica Pond, and is nearly thirty acres in extent. The lawn of 

 several acres, in front of the house, is the finest we have ever seen. 

 Mr. Lee is a great lover of our indigenous trees, shrubs and plants, and 

 has collected together a great number of species and varieties. We 

 believe that he makes it a point to plant nothing upon his place, but 

 what is perfctly hardy, or is likely to become so. The past spring, he 

 has set out, in different parts of the ground, and in various exposures, a 

 large number of single red camellias, Arbiitus Unedo, Rhododendron 

 ponticum, English laurel, &c., with the anticipation that they can be 

 made to endure our climate. We are glad the experiment is to be tried, 

 and if it will succeed at all, it will in the favorable locations on Mr. Lee's 

 place. Each side of the avenue, from the road up to the house, he has 

 set out various kinds of plants, intermixed together: on tlie side next the 

 lawn, Kerria japonica, Scotch and other roses, for nearly a hundred feet; 

 the object being to form a sort of hedge: these are set in double rows, on 

 a banking which rises three or four feet from the avenue, up to a level 

 with the lawn : they are all growing vigorously. In a patch on the lawn, 

 Asclepias tuberosa is finely in flower; the roots are apt to get thrown out 

 of the ground by the frost. Eschscholtzia californica here flourishes in 

 perfection: the soil just suits the habit of the plant: Lupins also grow 

 well, as do, in fact, all the Columbia river plants: Lupinus mutabilis 

 grows three to four feet high, with spikes of its beautiful changeable 

 flower, six inches in length. Mr. Lee has a strong plant of the pretty 

 and graceful Chelone barbata, in full bloom; Calendrinia grandiflora 

 with its velvety foliage and rosy flowers, grows well, but does not flower 

 abundantly. 



On Mr. Lee's place are some of the finest specimens of our indigenous 

 forest trees: oaks, beeches, ashes, &c.; of shrubs, the Enonymus ameri- 

 canus, Hamamelis virginica, hibiscuses, Laiirus benzoin, &c. In 

 one part of the grounds, a large patch of Gerardia pedicularia, and in 

 another, G. quercifolia, is allowed to grow, in all its native luxuriance. 

 The flowers of this genus are very fugitive, but the number, and their 

 beauty, repay this loss. The rhododendrons are budded full, and prom- 

 ise a good bloom another season. We have named but half of the 

 attractions of this place, and shall improve a future opportunity to con- 

 tinue our remarks. 



