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 in a 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, etc., 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 

 to me. 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 

 boUy. Ivy in profusion covering great walls, trees, 

 etc., etc., — we have nothing to compare with it ; a 



^ John Shepherd, b. 1764. For thirty-five years at the LiTerpool 

 Botanic Garden. 



