65 
At northwest corner of Manheim Street and Green 
Lane, — so named because of its rows of trees, — but now 
Greene Street, was an impressive grove of trees covering the 
spacious grounds of Joseph G. Rosengarten, public-spirited 
citizen, writer, now President of the Free Library of Philadel- 
phia, whose gardener for many years was Michael Shaugh- 
nessey. The grounds are now entirely built over, as are also 
those of "White Cottage," the estate of Dr. Samuel Betton, 
adjoining, after, of Dr. Thomas Forrest Betton, the last 
gardener at the place-being William Kulp. "White Cottage" 
was known for its superior vegetables, fruits and for its 
conspicuous, beautiful ampelopsis covered trees. To this 
place, Samuel Constantine Rafinesque, one of the most 
eccentric, but also one of the ablest of writers upon America's 
Natural History, was a frequent visitor. Near, on Pulaski 
Avenue, were the superior gardens of Frederick Gutekunst, 
Samuel Holt, Captain Pinckney, Mrs. Henry W. McCall — 
now Stewart A. Jellett's — while upon West Clapier Street 
were the striking gardens of Mrs. Sykes, and Mrs. Elizabeth 
Baxter. 
Farther "back the lane," as Western Manheim Street 
was usually referred to, were the beautiful grounds and 
gardens of Thomas A. Newhall, presided over by Alexander 
Caie. Alexander Caie was an able man, and in 1846, was 
gardener at "Camac Cottage," situated on Broad Street near 
where Monument Cemetery now is. Andrew J. Downing 
in 1848 wrote of it, "As a specimen of a cottage residence of 
the first class, exquisitely kept, there are few examples in 
America more perfect than Mrs. Camac's grounds, four or 
five miles from Philadelphia." From "Camac's Woods" 
Dr. Camac removed to lower Wissahickon, and the Rox- 
borough Free Library is now upon his grounds. 
At one time, Western Manheim Street was the garden 
spot of Germantown, and it almost seems useless to refer to 
its individual parts. Gardener to William W. Justice, was 
Maurice P. Cam, well known as a practical gardener and 
horticultural writer, and gardener to J. L. Erringer, was 
