33 
city has settled upon it. Shortly after leaving Germantown, 
Elizabeth Drinker and family, as a Summer residence, 
occupied "Clearfield" up Old York Road east of "Stenton." 
In the year 1794 she wrote, "Since we have been at 'Clear* 
field' I have lost one of my amusements, as I cannot hear 
how the time passes. When at home in ye city, the hour is 
often repeated in my ears by the two town clocks, our own 
clock, and the watchman's. The chief noises that occur here 
are the market-waggons, the barking of dogs, and the crow- 
ing of cocks."- April 10, 1796, Elizabeth Drinker again 
wrote: "Our yard and garden look most beautiful. The 
trees in full bloom, the red and white blossoms intermixed 
with green leaves, which are just putting out. Flowers of 
several sorts bloom in our little garden." The floral wealth of 
"Clearfield" continues, and its present owner is Mrs. Philip 
C. Garrett. 
Chronologically should now be presented the gardens 
and nursery of Bernard McMahon, but these we shall 
temporarily pass to complete the short excursion upon York 
Road. Quoting from the Pennsylvania Horticultural 
Society's Report of 1830: " 'Butler Place' is a beautiful place 
6 miles from town, on the Old York Road. On viewing this 
estate, our attention was immediately drawn to the handsome 
hedges of Hornbeam, and Prunus Canadensis. We were 
delighted with the latter, never having seen it before; its fine 
green foliage contrasts very sweetly with the delicate appear- 
ance of the tender shoots. These hedges are trimmed 
periodically and kept in excellent order. The refreshing 
shade of the numerous walks, all swept as clean as a parlour 
floor, add to the charms of this place. Many of these walks 
are tastefully ornamented with orange, lemon, shaddock, 
neriums and other exotics; among which we observed a myrtle 
10 years old, raised from seed. It has large ovate foliage, 
similar to the Eugenia uniflora. This myrtle is highly orna- 
mental, and richly deserving of cultivation. Here is likewise 
a lemon of the Saint Helena variety, raised from seed. The 
fruit grows large, of a high colour, and much warted. The 
