532 American Gardenerh Magazine- 



(the silver fir). The difference between these trees is very 

 great, particularly in America, the latter being an exotic, while 

 the former is indigenous. We presume the writer to refer to 

 ^bies balsamifera ; and we have sent him a Return Paper, 

 hoping that he will kindly favour us with the dimensions of this 

 and other species of trees for our Arboretum Britannicum. 

 Speaking of Brooklyn, he continues : — 



" In the extensive central glass structure of the range which is devoted 

 entii'ely to flowers, we wertf delighted to see the plants in such perfect health 

 and order. The camellias, always the most showy and attractive at this 

 season, were in great beauty and variety : some of the double white appeared 

 the largest we ever remember." 



" The trees in the peachery, occupying the right wing of the building, ap- 

 peared to us trained in the perfection of the art : the bark clean and bright, 

 the buds in a healthy state. Fearful of admitting the frostj air into the 

 vinery, we did not enter ; but Mr. Cowan informed us that the fruit had set, 

 and was already of some size." (^Fessenden and Teschemacher''s Hort. Reg., 

 p. 108.) 



Brooklyn is also noticed at some length in the American Gar- 

 dener's Magazine ; and a number of rare plants are enumerated, 

 which were in flower there on January 15. 1835, including Erio- 

 stemon cuspidatus, Veltheimza viridiflora, and Enkianthus quin- 

 queflora; which last, in the neighbourhood of London, has, we 

 believe, only flowered at Redleaf Colonel Perkins's plant is 

 said to have been bought by him of the Messrs. Loddiges, 

 three years ago. There were also fine plants of Telopea specio- 

 sissima, Beaufort/a decussata, and many others : and there is a 

 grapery heated by " a hot-water apparatus, invented by Mr. 

 Perkins of London." The following extracts are from the 

 same magazine : — 



Belmont Place ; J. P. Gushing, Esq. Jan. 13th. — " One of the finest in the 

 country, and will probably, ere long, vie with the famous English gardens of 

 Syon House and White Knights. Twelve new pits for late forcing have just 

 been built on Macphail's plan. Mr. Haggerston, the gardener, we found 

 making preparations for forcing vines on the coiling system, as recommended 

 by Mr. Mearns. Mr. Haggerston has already coiled a large quantity, which 

 we observed in the back shed of the green-house ; we should say fifty pots or 

 more. Some of the pots are about 10 in. in diameter, and some 15 in. Mr. 

 Mearns recommends shifting .j but Mr. Haggerston agrees with us in thinking 

 it impossible to do so, as a vine that is coiled round a pot six or eight times, 

 must be done so with considerable pressure against the sides ; and it certainly 

 would uncoil when the pots were taken away, and the ball of earth left un- 

 protected. Mr. Haggerston has, however, very kindly promised to communi- 

 cate to us any information in relation to his practice." (p. 69.) 



With due deference to all the parties concerned, we think 

 Mr. Mearns's mode of growing grapes, let it be ever so success- 

 ful, singularly ill adapted for America, where the price of labour 

 is so high. Instead of hearing of the energies of gardeners being 

 directed to forcing by the coiling system, we would rather hear 

 of their attempting a high degree of order and neatness in their 

 pleasure-grounds ; of their having smooth, close, dark green turf; 



