STATE AND PROSPECTS OF HORTICULTURE. 81 



the highest style of the art of landscape gardening. There is noth- 

 ing in any part of the world which equals in all respects, at the 

 present moment, Greenwood Cemetery, near New-York — ^though it 

 has many rivals. . We may give some idea of the extent and high 

 keeping of this lovely resting-place of the dead, by saying that about 

 three hundred persons were constantly employed in the care, im- 

 provement, and preservation of its grounds, this season. The Ceme- 

 tery of the Ever'greens, also near New- York, Mount Auburn at Bos- 

 ton, Laurel Hill at Philadelphia, and the cemeteries of Cincinnati, 

 Albany, Salem, and several others of the larger towns, are scarcely 

 less interesting in many respects — ^whUe all have features of interest 

 and beauty peculiar to themselves. 



From cemeteries we naturally rise to public parks and gardens. 

 As yet our countrymen have almost entirely overlooked the sanitary 

 value and importance of these breathing places for large cities, or 

 the powerful part which they may be made to play in refining, ele- 

 vating, and affording enjoyment to the people at large. A more 

 rapid and easy communication with Europe is, however, beginning 

 to awaken us to a sense of our vast inferiority in this respect, and 

 the inhabitants of our largest cities are beginning to take a lively 

 interest in the appropriation of suflScient space— while space may be 

 obtained — ^for this beautiflil arid usefu^ purpose. The government 

 has wisely taken the lead in this movement, by undertaking the im- 

 provement (on a comprehensive plan given by us) of a large piece 

 of piibUc ground — 150 acres or more — lying almost in the heart of 

 Washington. A commencement has been made this season, and 

 we hope the whole may be completed in the course of three or four 

 years. The plan embraces four or five miles of carriage-drive — 

 walks for pedestrians — ponds of water, fountains and statues — ^pic- 

 turesque groupings of trees and shrubs, and a complete collection of 

 all the trees that belong to North America. It will, if carried out 

 as it has been undertaken, undoubtedly give a great impetus to the 

 popular taste in landscape-gardening and the culture of ornamental 

 trees ; and as the climate of Washington is one peculiarly adapted 

 to this purpose— this national park may be made a sylvan museum 

 such'as it would be difficult to equal in beauty and variety in any 

 part of the world. 

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