J^cw York^- Philadelphia^ Baltimore^ S,'C. 325 



old redoubts. From the house, which fronts the river to the 

 west, a magnificent view is obtained of the Hudson, with its 

 waters whitened with a hundred sail of vessels, and numerous 

 steam-boats which daily pass up and down. The entrance 

 front is from the east, from whence another view more varied 

 presents itself; in the distance runs the East river, and empty- 

 ing into that and extending inland, and beyond the fort to the 

 north, the Haerlem river winds its way; the foreground is en- 

 riched with the rich valleys and thickly wooded hills which 

 lie between. 



The flower garden is on the north of the house. A fine 

 green-house has lately been erecied, about fifty feet long, 

 which we found partly filled with a good collection of camel- 

 lias; among them we noticed Donckelaer/, Dun]a[)'s ameri- 

 cana, &c. Adjoining the green-house is a small stove, with a 

 pit, which is intended for flowering roses in mid-winter. Part 

 of the pit was already planted. It is the intention of Mr. 

 Carman to put up, in addition, a grape-house. 



There are two very large sago palms (Cycas revoluta) 

 here, which, in connection with the name of the place, are 

 interesting objects. These plants are many years old, 

 and were purchased by Mr. Dunlap ten years ago from the 

 collection of plants at INIount Vernon, which formerly belonged 

 to Gen. Washington: and they are probably the only two relics 

 left of that once very fine collection, as the green-house or 

 conservatory, together with all the plants, was consumed by 

 fire a few years ago. The plants are in full health, and occu- 

 py a prominent place, which they fully deserve, at the junction 

 of the main walks in the centre of the flower garden. 



Nothing pleased us so much as the appearance of the fine 

 plants of Alloysta citriodora, of which there were ten or twelve 

 in number, each five to six feet high. These were only two 

 years old from the cutting, and were pruned and trained as 

 standards, having a clean stem about three feet high, and then 

 branching out so as to form a fine head, three to four feet 

 broad, and two to three feet high: every branch was terminat- 

 ed with a raceme of its not inelegant flowers, and the foliage 

 of the most vigorous growth. These plants, from their rapid 

 growth, afford a constant supply of young shoots, which are 

 very desirable for bouquets, from the highly fragrant character 

 of the leaves. Mr. Noble informed us that these plants were 

 struck from cuttings two years ago; and after making a vigo- 



