JVew York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, ^-c. 127 



pits, &c. facing tlie south. Mr. Pierce's attention has heen 

 given more to the cultivation of fruit and shade trees than to 

 green-house plants, although he has now a very good collec- 

 tion of the latter, including many fine camellias and a good 

 variety of roses. We unfortunately did not find Mr. Pierce 

 at home, but from the intimate acquaintance of Dr. Gunnell, 

 who kindly accompanied us, we had the opportunity of ful- 

 ly inspecting Mr. Pierce's grounds. 



In connection with Mr. J. F. Callan, Mr. Pierce has lately 

 erected a small green-house in the garden attached to Mr. 

 Callan's store, in F Street, where they propose to sell plants 

 and bouquets, and will keep a fine collection always fresh from 

 Mr. Pierce's premises. Many purchasers who would be 

 deterred by the distance from visiting Mr. Pierce's grounds, 

 will be thus enabled to secure plants of his cultivation ready 

 at hand. 



In regard to cultivation, we saw no improvements worthy 

 of note. The green-houses, generally, are more badly con- 

 structed than at the north, and, with few exceptions, less at- 

 tention is paid to the neatness and appearance of the in-door 

 arrangements. 



The Grounds of the Capitol, which we should judge con- 

 tain about twenty acres, are situated upon an eminence which 

 commands a fine view of the surrounding country, and are 

 laid out with broad avenues of various widths, which intersect 

 one another, and lead to the steps of the Capitol. The main 

 entrance to the west front is from Pennsylvania Avenue, 

 where the grounds form a semi-circle, of which the avenue is 

 the centre; a very broad walk leads from them, up the as- 

 cending surface, to the main steps, which descend from a 

 broad semi-circular terrace: two other entrances to this part 

 of the grounds are placed at the angles or sides of this semi- 

 circle, which also, by a straight walk, lead up to the broad 

 terrace. From this lower terrace, a long flight of steps leads 

 to the upper one, upon which the building of the Capitol is 

 placed: on the turf between the walks, are oval and circular 

 beds, planted with shrubs and roses, and filled with dahlias 

 and other annual flowers. 



The grounds on the other side, or east front, form nearly 

 a square, laid out with two avenues through the centre, and a 

 broad walk running round the whole, with a belt of trees, 

 which forms the boundary line. On each side of the centre 



