416 JVotes made during a Visit to 



judge from a rather hasty inspection, the old as well as the 

 new places appear to be doing a profitable business. Indeed, 

 commercial gardening is based upon a better footing here than 

 in any other city, and the encouragement which the proprietors 

 have received from the public has been such as to enable them 

 to import new and rare [)lants from abroad, when only to be 

 obtained at very high prices, in advance of the nurserymen in 

 other cities, and they are sure of a return of the money so 

 extravagantly paid away. Relying upon the enterprise of the 

 nurserymen, and willing that they should incur both the risk 

 and trouble of importing new plants, amateur gentlemen do 

 not attempt to keep up a continued competition by ordering 

 for themselves. It is much better to wait a year longer, and 

 be sure of possessing a strong and healthy plant, at a less 

 price, than to be at the vexation and trouble of importing 

 themselves. It is from this very circumstance, that the Phil- 

 adelphia nurserymen are supplied with a stock of rarer plants 

 than is to be found elsewhere in the country. 



With such good collections to purchase from, always in the 

 possession of something new and beautiful, the amateur is 

 never at a loss to enrich his stock of choice plants; not with 

 pots of unsightly looking objects, a branch here and a leaf 

 there, requiring shade one day and sun the next, and casting 

 a gloom of unhealthiness on all the surrounding objects until 

 they have recovered the damage of long confinement — but 

 with fresh, free growing, green, vigorous, healthy ])lants; 

 cheerful, from the rich foliage and beautiful blossoms; delight- 

 ful at once from their newness and beauty. It is from being 

 able to possess such plants, that the amateur gardens in Phil- 

 adelphia generally appear in such neat and well kept order. 



The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, under the presi- 

 dency of Mr. Binney, has been in very successful operation. 

 Its number of members has greatly increased within the last 

 two years, and its exhibitions, as will have been perceived 

 from the accounts of the same which have appeared in our 

 pages, have been of the most interesting description. Its 

 annual displays have surpassed any thing of the kind in the 

 country, and have been one great means of spreading a taste 

 for plants. Liberal premiums have been offered, and every 

 inducement held out to encourage the amateur cultivator and 

 the nurseryman and florist. We understood, at the time of 

 our visit, that it was the intention of Mr. Binney to retire 



