162 J^otes on JWirseines and Private Gardens, 



increase with the same rapidity as the population, until the present 

 moment, when, for the number of its inhabitants, it can boast of 

 an equal or greater number of fine gardens, or villa residences, 

 than any other town or city in the Union. Should the same 

 zeal continue to manifest itself, we are not sure but it will rank 

 as the first city, in point of floriculture, in the country. 



Residence of JS'^. I. Becar, Esq., Henry Street. — Attached to 

 the garden of Mr. Becar is one of the finest conservatories we 

 have ever seen. Indeed this, and that of Mr. Perry's, in the 

 same street, and but a short distance from Mr. Becar's, taken 

 together, may be considered as two of the best specimens of plant 

 houses, in their peculiar style, that have ever been erected in the 

 country. Some notice of the conservatory of Mr. Becar was 

 given at p. 31, by our correspondent, Mr. Downing, of New- 

 burgh; but at the time of his visit, it was not finished sufficient- 

 ly to secure the plants, and they were then temporarily placed in 

 a small adjoining one now made use of for a stove. Since that time 

 (Nov.,) they have been moved into the conservatory, where we 

 •found them in excellent order, and in a very thriving condition. 



This structure is not attached to the house, as is Mr. Perry's, 

 the situation of the garden not allowing of this; the distance is, 

 however, but a few steps, and it is thus easily accessible to the 

 family at any season of the year. The length of the conserva- 

 tory is upwards of fifty feet, and its width about fifteen. It fronts 

 the garden, from which it is entered in the centre, and also at the 

 end; the former entrance not being made use of during mid- 

 winter. The conservatory is built with a span roof, but is glazed 

 only on the sides, the back being a solid brick wall. The situ- 

 ation of the garden being low, and the adjacent ground in the 

 rear of the conservatory very high, it was found necessary 

 to have it constructed in this manner; the back wall thus forms 

 an excellent place for training up various kinds of runners and 

 creepers, and when covered with them, will present a beautiful 

 display of foliage and blossoms. This will be much better than 

 if it had been glazed in the same manner as the front: for then its 

 exterior beauty would have been sacrificed, and the view from 

 the interior would have been void of all interest. The lightness 

 of a glazed back, in this case, would not have in the least enhan- 

 ced the beauty of the conservatory; but as now, would have to 

 be covered with climbing plants to shut out the view. We 

 would here suggest to Mr. Becar the planting out of that beauti- 

 ful climber, the Wistaria Consequana; this, trained against the 

 back wall, and covering its surface with its splendid blossoms, 

 would be one of the most magnificent objects imaginable. 



The interior of the house is constructed with a narrow border 

 around the sides and ends, and an oblong bed in the centre; in 

 the latter is planted out a great variety of choice plants, embrac- 



