THE GARDENS OF NEWPORT. 



389 



other gardens in the vicinity. The open lawn is in 

 the center and fronting on the chffs, while the other 

 three sides are thoroughly planted in the manner 

 indicated. It would be difficult to name a desirable 

 ornamental species among trees or shrubs that is not 

 here represented, whether of native or foreign origin. 



There are two fern-leaved beeches, Fagiis hetero- 

 phylla, standing in these grounds that have a histo- 

 ry of more than ordinary interest. This variety 

 has long been popular in Newport, as what is claim- 

 ed to be the oldest and finest specimen in the coun- 

 try stands on Bellevue avenue in front of I^edwood 

 Library. It was planted there many years ago and 



ed beeches at Miss Wolf's homestead at Throgg's 

 Neck, New York, and that lady, while fitting up this 

 estate, undertook their removal to Newport. In 

 each case the trunk was about four and a-half feet 

 in circumference, bearing a head some thirty feet 

 high, so that the task of transfering tliem to Vine- 

 land was somewhat difficult. But where there is a 

 will there is a way. They were taken up in mid- 

 winter with large balls of earth, maintained in an 

 erect position, placed on wheel drays and conveyed 

 to the water's edge, where they were loaded on a 

 scow and towed through Long Island Sound. On 

 their arrival they were again placed on drays. 



A Border of Conifers Circling through the Grounds. 



has long been pointed out to strangers as among 

 the sights of Newport. No tree could be more 

 symmetrical, and the peculiar fern-like leaves, of 

 the most charming tint of green, give the dense 

 head an airy appearance of great beauty. This tree 

 has been the envy of many who saw it, and since 

 young specimens could be freely procured, they 

 have been planted on almost every lawn in the 

 city. But these are mostly small and far from 

 satisfying the desires of those cottage owners who 

 are too impatient to wait the processes of growth 

 and development. There were two such fern-leav- 



still erect, and carted to their destination. The 

 experiment proved an entire success, and the two 

 trees stand to-day as proofs of what can be done in 

 removal and transplanting under difficulties. Both 

 put out their leaves the first season as if nothing 

 out of the usual line had occurred in their history, 

 and the spectator would have never suspected that 

 these large trees, uncut and unmutilated, had pass- 

 ed through an experience of this kind. It is under- 

 stood that the expense of removal was about $1,700. 

 They are not the equals of some others in sym- 

 metrical proportions. L. D. Davis. 



