280 Principal Nurseries and private Gardens 



were at all competent to do his estahlisliment justice, of course 

 makes me approacli the subject with some degree of diffidence. 

 Tliat this establishment contains a most various and extensive 

 collection of plants is beyond all question; but most certainly 

 it does not warrant the statement [Vol. II. p. 90.] that it is 

 more extensive than all others in America combined tO(relher. 



I spent several hours in going over the establishment; and 

 certainly candour demands the statement, that, taking it as a 

 whole, it is not equalled, most certainly not surpassed, by 

 any other nursery which I visited. In particular depart- 

 ments it is excelled by several; in others, it sur})asses any; 

 but I must acknowledge the green-house plants are not near 

 so well grown as when I had the pleasure of seeing them in 

 December, 1827. I hope Mr. Prince will view with indulg- 

 ence this statement, because I am conscious I am correct. 

 I earnestly begged of Mr. Prince to visit the European nur- 

 series ; it would dispel a delusion, under which he evidently 

 labours, as to their extent, and the variety they contain. Hav- 

 ing said thus much, it is but fair for me to state that I saw 

 much, very much, to approve; and, no doubt, had my visit been 

 prolonged, I should have seen much more. Mr. Prince's 

 collection of vines is most extensive* ; and his American plants 

 are numerous and various, including splendid specimens of 

 magnolias and various other forest trees. The Messrs. 

 Prince are most indefatigable in their exertions to procure 

 all foreign and native plants ; and my intercourse with difiereut 

 gentlemen, in various parts of the United States, ailbrded me 

 ample proof of this fact. By the by, if 1 found a falling off 

 in the cultivation of the green-house plants, I found an equal 

 impiovement in the arrangement of the grounds ; and I hope, 

 when you visit America, that you will devote as much time as 

 you can spare to exploring this garden. 



The l']slahli slim ait of ^^ James lilood^food and Co." is about 

 a mile from Flushing, and contains a good collection ol' orna- 

 mental trees, evergreens, flowciing shrubs and plants ; with 

 decidedly the best-grown fruit trees I saw in America. This 

 remark I made to many of the nurserymen when there; 

 and as I never before, nor since, have had any conmumica- 

 tion with these gentlemen, my observation cannot be guided 

 by any partiality. The extent of their nursery is, I think, 

 about 12 or 15 acres, closely ci"opped with fruit trees, &c. ; 

 and, it being an oblong rectangle, the trees arc so arranged 

 that they plough between the rows, from side to side, directly 

 through the dillerent quarters, several timesduring the simimer; 

 thus savin*! a great deal of manual labour. One point which 



* He has pulilishtd a work on tlic vine. 



