418 Notes on Gardens and Nurseries. 



Our visit at this time, and at this season, ho\A''ever, was made 

 mostly for the purpose of inspecting the collection of fruit 

 trees, which embraces many new kinds. Owing to the highly 

 favorable year, every tree, of any size, is bearing a larger or 

 smaller crop, and among the number are some new sorts 

 which have not before fruited. 



Since 1850, the trees have grown up so rapidly as to es- 

 sentially change the features of the grounds. The borders 

 were now gay with a display of phloxes, verbenas, &c. ; and 

 the older fruit trees, which fill the squares, were loaded with 

 immense crops. In the greenhouse we found but little in 

 flower, except some Japan lilies, and achimenes, of sorts, one 

 of which, A. BrockmanmV, is a new and pretty variety, some- 

 thing in the way of grandiflora, but much superior to it ; the 

 beautiful A. gloxinsefolia was displaying several of its large 

 and exquisitely spotted blossoms : it is one of the best of the 

 group. Mr. Bock, the gardener, is well known to our readers 

 by his excellent communications, and the flower department 

 appeared in fine condition. 



Mr. Wilder's trees are a mixture of standards, half stand- 

 ards, and pyramids ; the oldest being mostly standards upon 

 the pear ; those of more recent planting are dwarfs or pyra- 

 mids, and many of them upon the quince. In this fruitful 

 year, almost every tree, two or more years from the bud or 

 graft, has more or less fruit upon it ; and a great many new 

 kinds, of which we as yet know but little, except from foreign 

 catalogues, are in bearing, and will afford an opportunity to 

 test the quality of the fruit. Such of them as appeared 

 particularly promising we noted down among the older sorts. 



The Beurre Langelier, which we have already figured and 

 described, looks exceedingly well, and promises to be a most 

 valuable winter fruit ; not a spot or blemish disfigures its 

 smooth and glossy skin, and in size it comes fully up to the 

 Napoleon. Beurre Superfine, large and handsome. Ananas 

 d'Ete, a pear described in the Horticultin^ist as new and fine, 

 sent by Mr. Manning to Mr. Comstock, N. Y., appears to be the 

 Gushing, though yet uncertain, as the specimens were not 

 ripe. Baronne de Mello, a russety pear, of somewhat the 



