IV PREFACE. 



The location of this Garden may, on all accounts be con- 

 sidered the most eligible in the United States, being situ- 

 ated on an Island, which lor its fertility has been denominat- 

 ed " The Eden of the Union," with a proximity to the 

 ocean on the one side, and to the East River on the other, and 

 a free and open exposure on all points, accompanied by the 

 particular advantage of being at the same time so far north 

 as to acclimatize the trees to any still more northern section 

 of our country, which circumstances united, are calculated 

 to give to them a great degree of hardihood, and conse- 

 quently to render them extremely eligible for a removal to 

 other localities, or to support the rigour of less favoured re- 

 gions ; and trees thus hardened by nature, are also found to 

 succeed best in our southern states. It is therefore doubtless 

 to these causes that may be attributed the general success 

 which has attended the trees sent from this establishment. 

 Its location being also in the immediate vicinity of the largest 

 commercial city in America, whose port is open at all sea- 

 sons of the year to a widely extended commerce, it thus de- 

 rives at once, from these various sources, the combined ad^ 

 vantages of climate, fertility, and of intercourse with every 

 quarter of the globe. 



The venerable founder, after having acquired for his Gar- 

 den an extensive fame, died in the year 1 802, at an advanced 

 age, leaving his son in the possession of his collection ; who 

 has, at a great expense, imported from almost every country 

 in Europe, from South-America and the Indies, and also 

 from Asia and Africa, such trees and plants as were be'st cal- 

 culated to improve and ornament the Orchard, the Garden, 

 and the Green-house. 



This Botanic Garden, and the Nurseries attached thereto, 

 now cover an extent of upwards of 40 acres, and contain 

 about 10,000 species and varieties of trees and plants, and 

 from being the most extensive in America, and forming the 

 source for distribution annually of thousands of exotic and 

 native productions to every section of the Union, and to every 

 part of the world, and also being founded on a much more 

 permanent basis than generally attends establishments of the 

 kind, have justly been considered as a JSPational Institution, 

 The Green-house department is on a very enlarged scale, 

 and comprises six very extensive Hot-houses, averaging 

 each from 50 to 80 feet in length, and of double the usual, 

 depth, and about 400 feet of glass frames, the whole contain* 

 ing from 20 to SOjOOO plants in pots. 



