278 Principal Nurseries and pivate Gardens 



public gardens ; the only method by which gardening can 

 arrive at perfection in the United States. I will liere add, 

 it follows as a natural consequence, that America is not the 

 proper field for one of our first-rate serving gardeners ; and 

 the individual who emigrates to that country nuist prepare 

 liiniself for a life of the most strenuous exertion, if he hopes to 

 succeed. But, although this may retard the higher branches 

 of iiardeninfj, God forbid I should be considered for a moment 

 as objecting to the system ! No : I have seen too many proofs 

 of its efficacy in rendering a whole people independent, 

 comfortable, and hapjn'. Having alluded to these drawbacks 

 to gardening, justice compels me to state, that its progress, 

 under such circumstances, is most astonishing, and wonderful 

 in the extreme. The many flourishing establishments now in 

 existence in the United States are a convincing proof, if proof 

 were wanted, of its wonderful rise and progress. Having 

 visited the greater ])art of these establishments, I shall now 

 proceed to make a few remarks on each; oidy premising that 

 I by no means mix myself up with some angry discussions 

 among the American nurserymen, formerly inserted in your 

 Magazine. I leceived a kind and generous rece})tion from 

 all, and can, therefore, have no reason to deviate i'rom a true 

 statement of facts. 



The followiufj establishments are arranged in the order I 

 visited them : — 



The Messrs. Thorhurn, Seedsmen^ in the centre of the city 

 of New York, have much imjiroved their establishment since 

 my last visit, and made considerable additions to their exten- 

 sive collection. The first circumstance which attracted my 

 attention, on entering their gate, was the wonderful luxu- 

 riance of the georginas. Those marked in our lists as grow- 

 ing only 3 ft. and 4- ft. high, 1 found there 6 ft. and 7 ft., and 

 proportionately large and fine in every respect; chrysanthe- 

 mums equally luxuriant. To the interior of Messrs. Thor- 

 burn's seed-store I feel myself incompetent to do justice : its 

 admirable arrangement and most extensive collection of seeds, 

 and its library and most numerous decorations, connected 

 with its great extent, render it decidedly the most complete 

 seed-store or seed-shop I Iiave ever seen. 'J'he spacious 

 green-house in front of the stove was remarkably well stocked 

 with a splendid collection of )ilants, which would have dt)ne 

 our first-rate plant-growers the greatest credit. The local situ- 

 ation of this establishment, its display of a regular succession 

 of the choicest beauties of Flora, and the free access to it by 

 the ))ublic at all hours, have, in my opinion, done wonders in 

 accelerating the progress of ganlening in the I'nited States. 

 It cannot be expected that the senior of this firm, when he 



