72 Foreign Notices : — North America. 



which we might mention, all disposed in the most artful manner, so as 

 to heighten the effect, and yet to conceal too glaring an appearance of art. 



In the northern parts of the garden are nurseries, containing young 

 plants of every kind of tree which is to be found in the beds. To the left 

 of the garden, an avenue leads to a rustic arbour, in the grotesque style, 

 constructed of the crooked limbs of trees in their rough state, covered with 

 bark and moss : from the top of this arbour a view of the whole garden 

 and the surrounding scenery is obtained ; including Staten Island, the 

 Bay, Governor's Island, and the city of New York. At some distance 

 from the rustic arbour is a plot of ground, called the French Saloon ; a 

 beautiful oval, skirted with privet (Xrigustrum), kept dwarf to the height of 

 1 ft., and enclosing a solid mass of China monthly roses. The various 

 kinds of fruit trees are carefully arranged, and the alleys leading to them 

 are skirted with specimens of the different sorts in a bearing state, for bet- 

 ter exhibition, and to furnish the necessary grafts for the establishment. 



The green-house department, although not so extensive as some other 

 parts of the garden, contains many beautiful plants, exhibited with the same 

 tasteful arrangement which characterises every part of M. Parmentier's 

 establishment ; and which displays itself even in the grouping of the pots, 

 which are all arranged according to the colour and size of the flowers : thus 

 showing the variety of ways in which a skilful gardener may distribute his 

 materials to produce a picturesque effect. 



The manner of protecting the plants in this garden from the violence of 

 the weather or the heat of the sun is quite novel in this part of America ; 

 canvass covers being so managed as to be rolled or unrolled with the 

 greatest ease and despatch, by means of ropes and pulleys. The necessity 

 of some such screen is quite obvious, when plants, and particularly tender 

 exotics, are exposed to our excessive sun, and yet it is too generally 

 neglected among our gardeners. 



In short, this establishment is well worthy of notice as one of the 

 few examples in the neighbourhood of New York, of the art of laying out 

 a garden so as to combine the principles of landscape-gardening with the 

 conveniences of the nursery or orchard. — J. W. S. New York, September, 

 1829. 



The late Andre Parmentier and his son having both died within a short 

 time of each other, the widow of the father has determined to sell the pro- 

 perty ; and, as will be seen by our advertising sheet, it is now on sale. — Cond. 



Railroads, we observe, are increasing rapidly in America. There is one 

 in progress between New York and Philadelphia, of about eighty miles ; 

 another between Philadelphia and Columbia, of eighty-one miles; one 

 between York Town (not far from Columbia) and Baltimore, of upwards 

 of fifty miles. Thus New York, Baltimore, and Philadelphia, three of the 

 most important towns in the United States, are brought within a few hours' 

 distance of each other respectively. The water communication between 

 them has long been complete. Our much esteemed friend and correspond- 

 ent Mr. R. C. Taylor, engineer at Philipsburg, has projected and circulated 

 proposals for a railroad of thirty miles, from the Pennsylvania canal to 

 the bituminous coal district of Philipsburg ; the promised advantages of 

 which are so great, that we have little doubt but it will be carried into 

 execution. 



We observe, by the speech of President Jackson, delivered to Con- 

 gress on Dec. 6., and printed in this day's (Dec. 30.) Morning Chronicle, 

 that the debt of the United States will be paid off in a year ; and that, 

 consequently, there will afterwards be no employment for the income of 

 that immense country but in public improvements. We wish we could im- 

 press on Congress, and on the admirable person who now fills the chair of 

 Washington, the great advantages that would result from preventing any 

 roads being made in the United States of a greater slope than half an inch 

 in a yard. We have elsewhere (Vol. VII. p. 520., and Morning Chronicle, 



