THE PHILADELPHIA FLORIST . 133 



Bonne Louise de Jersey) William^ Bon chretien, or Bartlett and Jar- r* 



(f gonelle; the last is a universal favorite, being a fruit adapted to a cool 



/ climate. If you ask in Britain what is the best currant, they say Vic- \ 



i toeia. That appears to be the all-inspiring name for every good thing, 



and not a few very indifferent ones. The common red currant that 



we now grow is mostly discarded from every modern garden j but we 



say in apples and pears they are behind any common farm orchard of 



the United States. 



The gardens of the wealthy are gorgeous, and often in the most per- 

 fect keeping, in extent f:om five to fifty acres; even some of their 

 pleasure grounds enclosing five hundred acres, twenty to thirty acres of 

 which is mown by a very ingenious and indispensible machine every 

 ten days or two weeks. This machine is drawn by a horse, as fast as 

 he can walk, covering four feet wide, and cost about $100. The trees 

 in the lawns however, are entirely deficient of the symmetry, growth, 

 and verdure of those of the States, the heads of them most frequently 

 indicating by their growth that the wind has always blown upon them 

 from one quarter. The evergreen shrubbery far eclipses any thing that 

 we can compete in or ever will be seen in the middle and eastern 

 States, till some new suitable plants are discovered ; but all south of 

 Washington may be ornamented with even more lively green, for if 

 we have to drop the Aucuba and the Rhododendron, we can take up 

 the Evonymus wild orange and the magnolia. Their leading ever- 

 greens are Laurel, (Portugal &, Common) Bay, Holly, Laurustinus, Aucu- 

 ba, Rhododendron and Sweet Bay, with Ivy in profusion for covering 

 old walls and shady places, where its perpetual verdure forms a man- 

 tle or carpet of fascinating green — with us a neglected plant, and rare- 

 ly applied where it is applicable. Give the plant good rich soil, and 

 moisture to start its first few years' ( growth, when it will rapidly reach 

 its intended boundary. Another neglected plant with us, and always 

 employed by them in every imaginable shape, is the English Yew, 

 and it does luxuriate with us. Give it good soil, and it will grow in 

 sun or shade 5 a yew within two miles of Philadelphia, planted by its 

 present owner, is 25 feet high and 40 in circumference. The Privet 

 (Ligustrum vulgare) is one of the most useful plants for forming ever- 

 green hedges ; its rapid growth, and beauty when covered with its del- 

 icate flowers ensures for it many admirers. We have said this much 

 in favor of privet, because it is before our t eyes in sombre green, and 

 gives a clothing and shelter to a situation otherwise bleak and bare. 

 In the United States we have other substitutes even at our own door, 

 if we would only make them available — such as Hemlock Spruce, 

 Virginia Cedar and American Arborvitce. Where these are not at 

 ^ hand, nor a disposition to procure thern, the Althea is universal, and ( 

 •jyou have only to slick in the young shoots, cut into 8 inch lengths, inQ 



^rSQ^\ 



