PREFACE. 



The Linnaean Garden was commenced about the 

 middle of the last century, by William Prince, the 

 father of the present proprietor, at a time when there 

 were few or no establishments of the kind in this 

 country. It was begun by rearing a few trees to orna- 

 ment his own grounds ; but finding, after his first efforts 

 had been attended with success, that he could devote a 

 portion of his lands more lucratively to their cultivation 

 for sale, than to other purposes, he commenced their 

 culture more extensively, and shortly after published a 

 Catalogue which, at that early period, contained several 

 hundred species and varieties, and hence arose the first 

 extensive fruit collection in America. At that period 

 the study of Botany received but little attention in our 

 country, and the labours of the great Linnaeus had 

 not yet shone upon the world, although his diligent re- 

 searches in the great field of science were not unknown 

 to the favoured few who were honoured with his cor- 

 respondence. Almost the only aid, therefore, which 

 the founder of this garden possessed, to enable him to 

 develope the great Book of Nature, was derived from 

 his own persevering genius and assiduity. 



Practical horticulture being at that day quite a no- 

 velty in America, his garden early attracted the notice 

 of persons of taste and science, and from it were dis- 

 seminated throughout Europe, at a very early period, 

 a large number of the vegetable productions of the 

 western world. The Sound, or East River, about eight 

 miles above the city of New-York, throws an arm into 

 Long-Island, to the distance of six miles, and forms 

 what is usually denominated " Flushing Bay." At the 

 head of this beautiful Bay lies a wide expanse of luxu- 

 riant marine meadows, around which rises an amphi- 

 theatre of gently undulating hills. On one of these 



