4 THE PHILADELPHIA FLORIST. [May 



"pS?>^ ! ~^5£M 



enumerate the multitude of perfect and minute parts, which make up.^J 

 p the perfect and minute whole. ' We must exclaim with the Poet — cA 

 " These are thy wondrous works Parent of good, Almighty ! Thine \ 

 this universal frame, thus wondrous fair; Thyself how wondrous 

 then." 



Penn. Hortl. Society, R. R. SCOTT. 



Stated Meeting, March 16th, 1852. 



To the Editor of the Florist. 



STATISTICS OP HORTICULTURE. 



BY DUNS SCOTUS. 



My Friend : — You ask me what position gardening and floricul- 

 ture had attained 25 years ago about Philadelphia. I can give you 

 the facts so far as my memory serves me, and allow you to draw your 

 own inferences, which you are very capable of doing from your keen 

 perception, tact, extensive and well founded horticultural knowledge, 

 obtained in the best botanical schools in Europe ; with your additional 

 experience on this side of the Atlantic. Twenty-five years ago ! 

 How times are changed ! ! There were then only five nurseries where 

 pot plants could be obtained in this vicinity, Bartram's, McMahon's, 

 Landreth's, Maupay's and Hibbert's. There were three Tea Gar- 

 dens, Birch's, Smith's and McAran's. With regard to private green- 

 houses in the city proper : Messrs. Longstreth's, Pepper's, Coleman's 

 and Peirpont's I believe embraced the whole, the two former gentle- 

 men only, kept gardeners. I presume I am not far astray, when I J 

 state, that there are now more trees and plants sold in one week in 

 this city and county than the entire combined stock of these public 

 and private collections. Such a sight as flowers at the corners of 

 the street was not then thought of. A small plant of the daily rose 

 sold at one dollar. Camellia flowers, for the hair, at one dollar and 

 fifty cents each. The country seats which had any pretensions to 

 good gardening and which possessed a greenhouse were those of 

 Messrs. Pratt, Hamilton, Gratz, Clapier, Butler, Breck and Girard. 

 About this very period horticulture and the love of flowers began to 

 be very generally infused amongst those of refined taste, especially 

 amongst ladies. D'Arras, gardener to the Hamiltons, and Hibbert 

 the Florist were looked upon as the great growers of the day. The 

 Pennsylvania Horticultural Society was regenerated and its first ex- 

 hibition in 1829, gave a fresh impulse to the art till Philadelphia is 

 Snow the city of fair fruits and flowers. 

 ) [TO BE CONTINUED.] q\ 



UqS>^ ^G^l 



