88 FIRST JOURNEY IN EUROPE. [1838, 
Hall, should I live till to-morrow. But it is time I 
should tell you briefly how I got here. This morning 
soon after breakfast I walked out to the Botanic 
Garden, delivered a note of introduction to Shep- 
herd,! who received me rather politely, inquired after 
Dr. Torrey, and showed me through the greenhouses. 
The establishment is not where it was when Dr. T. 
was here, but was removed further out of town, two 
or three years ago. The garden occupies eleven acres ; 
the site is well chosen; but being newly planted there 
is of course little to see. The hothouses are very 
well, but not extensive; the collections not particu- 
larly interesting, except for some old plants that have 
belonged to the establishment many years. 
I took my cloak and umbrella (necessary articles 
these !), and at 3 p. M. crossed the Mersey ina small un- 
comfortable black steamboat, about as much inferior 
to our Hoboken or Brooklyn ferry-boats as a Barne- 
gat wood-schooner is to a packet-ship; and at Birk- 
enhead took an outside seat for Chester (ten miles), 
though it rained often and blew hard and cold; had 
a good view of the country until about five miles from 
Chester, when it grew dark; saw little villages, farm- 
houses and cottages, cows, ete., all of which is much 
more interesting to me than the smoky town of Liver- 
pool. I have seen several little things that are new 
tome. Let us see what I can recollect at the mo- 
ment. Hedges of holly —those I am pleased with, 
particularly when sheared and clipped. The prettiest 
fence is a stone wall over-topped with a close hedge of 
holly. Ivy in profusion covering great walls, trees, 
etc., etc.,— we have nothing to compare with it; a 
1 John Shepherd, b. 1764. For thirty-five years at the Liverpool 
Botani 
