JVew York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, S,-c. 43 



The practice adopted for growing the cacti by Mr. Smith 

 is simple and most successful. 'IMie plants are plunged out 

 in tan or coal ashes, in frames, exposed to the full sun, and are 

 only protected from long and heavy rains, when a few boards 

 or sashes are laid over the frames. Grown in this manner, 

 the plants have a strong and healthy appearance, with ruddy 

 looking stems and leaves, flowering abundantly every spring. 

 The plants require very little care when managed in this man- 

 ner, as the dews are sufficiently heavy to supply them with so 

 much moisture as to require water only once or twice a week. 

 The soil Mr. Smith uses is sandy loam, mixed wifh about one 

 third its quantity of animal charcoal or the refuse of the su- 

 gar refineries: this mixture must lie some few months, until it 

 is well incorporated, before it should be used. Mr. Smith 

 will retain all his Cadi, should he find any one who wishes 

 to purchase the remainder of his collection of plants. 



c/l/r. Sheru'oocVs jYursery and Floicer Garden, near Laurel 

 Hill Cemetery, has been much improved since we visited it, 

 in the spring of 1837. At that time, there was only one 

 range of glass, which had just been erected, the grounds hav- 

 ing been only enclosed and occupied the previous season. 

 At our present visit, we found two other additional structures 

 erected for the growth of pla-nts, and a very handsome cot- 

 tage, occupied by Mr. Sherwood. In 1S37, nothing had 

 been planted in the open ground, but we now found it well 

 filled with a collection of plants. 



Mr. Sherwood possesses some fine specimens of plants: 

 among others, we noticed a large Bonapartea juncea; Doryan- 

 thes excelsa, which had the appearance of flowering the pres- 

 ent season; a double white camellia, the largest we have ever 

 seen; it is planted out in the ground, in the centre of a span- 

 roofed green-house, and nearly reaches the glass, its branches 

 spreading thirty feet in circumference. Mr. Sherwood's name 

 is familiar to all lovers of the camellia, from his having origi- 

 nated one of the most beautiful varieties which exists in our col- 

 lections. It is an elegant rose colored flower, occasionally mark- 

 ed with white, perfect in its shape, with a fine rose petal, large 

 broad, glossy foliage, and excellent habit. Mr. Sherwood has 

 some three or four hundred seedlings yet to bloom, but we think 

 he must have remarkable success, if he raises one which will 

 surpass that to which he has given his name. IMr. Sher- 

 wood's collection of camellias is veiy good: we noticed, 



