Progress of Horticulture in the U. States. 9 



Esq., erected a house, and had it well stocked with plants in the 

 short space of three months. Mr. Vanderkemp entrusted the 

 whole to his gardener, even to the purchasing of the plants. 

 Professor Wood has completed a hot-house and green-house for 

 the cultivation of medicinal tropical plants ; they are well fin- 

 ished, and both upwards of seventy feet in length: he also has a 

 garden attached, for the growth of the medicinal flora of North 

 America. We consider this one great improvement in garden- 

 ing: such collections must be of great importance to young prac- 

 titioners in medicine, as they offer an opportunity for examining 

 the plants themselves, and thus ensure a correctness which can- 

 not be obtained by dried specimens or from works upon the 

 subject. Our correspondent, Mr. Mackenzie, has entered into 

 the trade, and erected a small green-house and hot-house. Com- 

 mercial gardening is in a more flourishing condition in Philadel- 

 phia than in Boston or y<ew York. Mr. Buist has raised two 

 very superior seedling dahlias, both of which gained prizes the 

 past year as the best seedlings. The names are, Mrs. Rushton 

 and Lady Washington ; the latter is a fine white, and will 

 probably be sent out next spring; the former is a seedling of 

 this year, and is pronounced to be the finest dahlia that has been 

 seen in Philadelphia ; it is white, with a rose edge, fine shape, 

 and free bloomer. Mr. Buist has succeeded the past season in im- 

 porting a few first-rate carnations. Mr. J. B. Smith has also raised 

 a most superb seedling camellia, said to surpass any of the striped 

 ones; it is called Estheri. Mr. Buist has also raised some fine 

 ones, which have been noticed in our III, p. 203. The culti- 

 vation of the Orchidaceae has been commenced by Mr. Buist, 

 and he will soon have fine plants, of many species, for sale. An 

 excellent article will be found in a succeeding page on their man- 

 agement, by his excellent foreman. In addition to these, im- 

 mense varieties of roses, geraniums, &c. have been imported, 

 embracing most of the fine European kinds. 



Beyond Philadelphia we know but little of the progress of flori- 

 culture, but what we gather from the reports of such exhibitions 

 of the various societies in that quarter as we have received; to 

 which we refer our readers. These exhibitions show an increase 

 in the number of new plants which are cultivated, and im- 

 provement in the cultivation of fine specimens. We would not, 

 however, forget to mention our correspondent, IMr. Oemler of 

 Savannah, who has raised many very fine hybrid hibiscuses, a 

 tribe which he cultivates with great success; nor our friend. Dr. 

 Ward of Athens, Ga., who is striving to introduce a great varie- 

 ty of the plants of the northern section of the country into the 

 garden connected with the college at that place; both gentlemen 

 have done much to spread a taste for flowers in their immediate 



VOL. IV. — NO. I. 2 



