202 JVotes on J^urseries and Private Gardens, 



bought for that purpose. The collections of green and hot- 

 house plants yet remain as they were when in the possession of 

 Mr. Pratt, and iVfr. Mackenzie now has charge of them. We 

 believe, however, that it is the intention of the company who 

 have purchased the place to sell them in the course of the coming 

 season. It must be a great source of regret to the citizens of 

 Philadelphia that this fine place, which has so long claimed the 

 admiration of all strangers, as one of the finest specimens of a 

 taste for gardening in the country, is to be destroyed. 



Within a year past, a cemetery has been established, on a 

 somewhat similar plan to that at Mount Auburn, in the vicinity 

 of Boston. The entrance gate-way was just being finished, and 

 the grounds being put in order. The site chosen for the ceme- 

 tery is that known as Laurel Hill, about five miles from the city, 

 on the road leading by the Girard College. It adjoins the coun- 

 try seat of George Pepper, Esq., a gentleman of great taste in 

 horticulture, and possessing one of the finest city gardens it has 

 ever been our pleasure to visit. We believe Mr. Pepper v/as 

 one of the first to carry the idea of a cemetery into execution. 



The ground is tolerably well wooded, and though not possess- 

 ing any of the natural beauties of Mount Auburn, it will be, from 

 its late high keeping, as a country residence, a beautiful place, 

 and will require but a small part of the expense to put it into 

 order that it would have done had an uncultivated spot been se- 

 lected. 



Philadelphia has long been noted for her nurseries, and those 

 of Mr. Carr and the Messrs. Landreth date the commencement 

 of their establishment at a very early period, when the practice 

 of horticulture in this country was confined to a very limited 

 number of individuals; but there are others which have sprung 

 up but a few years since, which equal, if not excel, these old es- 

 tablishments in the number and variety of new and rare exotic 

 plants; — among them may be mentioned that of Mr. Buist; his 

 collection of plants is very complete, and he is continually adding 

 to his stock every thing that is new and choice. Some account 

 of this garden will be found in our I. p. 203; but since that time 

 it has much improved in its character, and now occupies a more 

 noted place among the commercial gardens of this city. We 

 shall commence with an account of this establishment. 



R. Buist^s Exotic JYursery. — Since the spring of 1S35, the 

 time of our last visit to this place, Mr. Buist has erected a ca- 

 mellia house and a small stove. The former is about fifty feet 

 in length, and twenty in width, and is built with a slope to the 

 north instead of the south, as is usual in the erection of all simi- 

 lar structures. We are glad that JMr. Buist has adopted this meth- 

 od: the camellia has now become so popular a flower, and the 

 varieties are so numerous, that there will probably soon be erected 



