BOSTON AND VICINITY. 21 



I found a large, and at that time a very fine collection of plants, 

 especial^ Camellias, among which were some of the largest plants 

 in the country, notably Alba plenas, one of which was said to have 

 been raised from a cutting by the late Dr. Dixwell, of Boston. 

 Also quite a number of grafted standard trees, with fine heads, of 

 all the old varieties, such as Gilesii, Chandleri, Elegans, Floyi, 

 Hume's blush, Duchesse d' Orleans, Donklaerii, with many French 

 varieties, and all imported plants. Among other greenhouse plants 

 many of the most show} 7 new Holland plants, then in fashion ; some 

 varieties of Chinese Azaleas, Ericas, and a variety of tropical plants, 

 as Strelitzias, Sago Palm, Bananas, Hibiscus, Eugenias, (Rose ap- 

 ple) and a large collection of Cape bulbs and Amaryllis, Pelargoni- 

 ums, many of Beck's and Cock's (of London) new seedling prize 

 flowers, with the finest set of herbaceous Calceolarias ever seen here. 



The Conservatory and two other houses were erected on land 

 west of Charles street. The Conservatory was a very large struc- 

 ture and had an imposing appearance but was in a bad position, 

 being exposed to the cold winds of the Back Ba}% and in severe win- 

 ter weather was difficult to manage. There was also a fine collec- 

 tion of tropical and European singing birds in the Conservatory, 

 of which were some rare specimens. 



The gardens were at the foot, on the west side of the Common, 

 as now, with entrance foot of Beacon street, and were only partly 

 laid out. From the nature of the land, it being from four to six 

 feet below the street level, it was filled in with all sorts of city 

 refuse, and a great part of it subject to the inroads of the tide. 

 However, a fine broad walk was laid from the entrance to the end 

 of the Common, with a border planted with ornamental trees, 

 shrubbeiy, standard roses, herbaceous and other plants which had 

 a fine appearance. A few large beds were cut out wherever the 

 soil would admit of it, and planted with the Dahlia, of which there 

 was a good collection. 



There was also imported from Groom, of Wai worth, England, a 

 complete bed of prize Tulips, the first ever imported into the United 

 States, valued at $1000, but costing Mr. Gray $1500, and which for 

 a time was a great attraction. Mr. Gray supported the place dur- 

 ing the time I had charge of it, and I always understood that he 

 was the leading spirit in its establishment. He devoted much of 

 his time and means to aid in its success, and in connection with the 

 late Mr. Teschemacher, did more to that end than aH} r other per- 

 son. The two great difficulties in the case were, I think, from the 

 nature of the ground it was impossible to plant the proper kinds of 



