662 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
June 19, 1886. 
NOTES OF A TRIP TO AMERICA. 
( Concluded from p. 650.) 
Continuing my notes from last week, I come now 
to the State of Massachusetts, in which are situated 
Boston and Newport. You can leave New York by 
rail or boat, the latter being the most pleasant mode of 
conveyance. The steamers of the Fall River Line are 
said to be the finest in the world, and by taking this 
line you can call at Newport, Rhode Island, one of the 
most celebrated of fashionable American watering 
places. It is called the Brighton of America, and it is 
here where the wealthy reside during the summer. 
The Vanderbilts and the Lorilards have fine summer 
places here, and there are a few good'collections of 
plants to be seen. The most noted is Mrs. Gardner 
Brewer’s, where Mr. Hill formerly of Down House, 
Blanford, has charge of a good collection of Orchids, 
stove and greenhouse plants, &e. Mr. Fairman 
Rodgers’ is another place where good all-round garden¬ 
ing is carried out, and ere long there will be several 
other fine establishments. The roads of Newport are 
wide, and being well planted, form fine cool avenues 
for promenading and driving, which are .greatly appre¬ 
ciated. 
Boston. 
The journey from Newport to Boston is easily accom¬ 
plished, and in the neighbourhood of the latter city 
gardening is carried out more extensively than any 
other part of the States I visited. Here is established 
the home of the flourishing Massachusetts Horticultural 
Society in the centre of the city. The society has fine 
halls and a splendid library, containing all works 
possible to obtain relating to the profession of horti¬ 
culture, and to which the members have free access at 
anytime. It is here where the flower shows and 
meetings are held which have done so much to stimulate 
a love for plants among all classes. There are also 
public grounds, well kept, right in the heart of the 
city, with fine lakes, bridges, good walks, and fine 
statues ; and there are many fine private places around 
Boston more like English noblemen’s places than any¬ 
thing else. There is, for instance, the lovely place of 
H. H. Hunniwell, Esq., a few miles out, where there is 
to be seen a fine collection of conifers, ornamental 
trees, hardy shrubs, grand specimen Azaleas and 
greenhouse plants, magnificent collections of Orchids, 
stove and greenhouse-flowering and foliage plants, fine 
stately Palms, Cycads, good "\ ineries and Peach-houses, 
fine undulated grounds, well kept, and beautifully laid 
out, and all reflecting great credit upon Mr. Harris, the 
energetic gardener, who has had charge here for many 
years. 
The Hon. F. L. Amis, also has a flue place situated 
at Nort Easten. Here there is a well established 
collection of rare and valuable piauts under the charge 
of Mr. Robinson, whose English training speaks volumes 
in his favour as a good all round practical gardener. 
There is a grand house of fine foliage plants, house after 
house full of rare Orchids, many very fine specimens ; 
graceful and curious Nepenthes, splendidly pitchered, 
adorn the roofs, and I may safely say that here is to be 
seen the finest collection of cool Orchids in America. The 
Odontoglossums and Masdevallias especially, are won¬ 
derfully well done, and there are many veryfine specimens 
and first class varieties ; these certainly are grand. It 
must be a great pleasure to Mr. Amis to have so good 
a collection in such grand condition. At Mr. Pratt’s 
place, situated at Mount Auburn, there is also a col¬ 
lection of plants, including many good Orchids, and 
other rare plants all grown to perfection. Here I saw 
a specimen of Hydrangea Thomas Hogg, 8 ft. through, 
with over 100 trusses. Hydrangeas are grown here in 
tubs, and very fine they are. This place is under the 
care of Mr. David Allen, to whom great credit is 
due for the admirable manner in which he cultivates 
everything under his care. 
Opposite Mr. Pratt’s is Mr. Payson’s, where there is 
a capital lot of Orchids, chiefly Cattleyas and Odonto- 
glots, many fine specimen stove and greenhouse plants, 
and bedding-out is well done. The place is well kept 
in all the various departments by Mr. Duncan Aird, the 
gardener. 
Cambridge Port, joining Boston, contains one of the 
two botanic gardens of America, the other being at 
"Washington. At Cambridge there is a collection of 
plants grown for scientific study ; the grounds are 
nicely kept and contain many good things. Mr. 
Manda is the curator, and his abilities are sorely taxed 
by the demand for various plants for the students. 
As at most other places in America, there are many 
florists in Boston, and flowers for personal adornment 
are as extravagantly used here by the fair sex as at 
other places. 
South Amboy and Philadelphia. 
Going from New York to Philadelphia, you pass 
by the Camden Route, through South Amboy, where 
the splendid nurseries of Mr. George Such were situated. 
Mr. Such retired from the nursery trade some two years 
ago, when his famous collection was sold by auction 
and brought many buyers from a great distance. His 
nurseries contained the most valuable collection of 
exotic plants in the trade. At South Amboy a few years 
since there was a very fine collection of Orchids be¬ 
longing to Mr. Rabone, who disposed of them some 
time before his death. Philadelphia, the Quaker city, 
is the most important city of Pennsylvania, situated 
on the Delaware river. The city and neighbourhood 
contains many features of great interest, including 
Fairmount Park, where the great Centennial Exhibition 
was held in 1876. It was here, in company with Mr. 
Harry "Williams that I first got initiated into the 
American ways. The Park is beautifully situated on 
the Schuykill, is over three thousand acres in extent, 
and beautifully undulated. The Park has only been 
established a few years, but it has already assumed a 
magnificent appearance, and is well kept. The 
splendid horticultural hall erected for the Centennial, 
and the Art Gallery still remains ; the former is a 
fine building, and contains some grand specimen 
Palms, Dractenas, Tree Ferns, planted out and in fine 
condition. When here last it hardly seemed possible 
that the plants could have assumed such gigantic pro¬ 
portions in the time, but still it is ten years. There 
are several fine seed establishments here, and Messrs. 
Dreer, Buist, and Landreth, have fine business houses, 
and do an enormous trade. 
There are also several good nurseries and florist’s 
businesses. It was in this city where the late Mr. 
Buist began, also Mr. John Dick, who retired in favour 
of his son who still carries on the old established 
business. Florists are innumerable, and of private 
places there are many, but not on a very extensive 
scale, still there are some good collections of exotics. 
From Philadelphia, Baltimore is easily reached. This 
is the most important town in Maryland, has several 
very fine cemeteries and parks, and public grounds 
which are well kept, as well as several good nurseries 
of which Mr. Halliday’s and Mr. Brackenridge’s are 
the most notable. There are also several fine private 
establishments here, and Orchid growing is increasing 
in popularity. 
Washington, 
The capital city of the United States, and the seat 
of the Government lies, in the district of Columbia on 
the banks of the Potomac river. The location is very 
picturesque, and some very fine views are obtainable at 
different points ; there are some wonderfully fine 
buildings, viz., the Capitol, the President’s House, and 
Government Buildings. The former is a magnificent 
building of immense extent, being 750 ft. long, with a 
dome nearly 400 ft. high ; the building stands upon a 
hill fronting east and west, and covers over three acres. 
Handsome grounds surround the Capitol, with fine 
avenues of trees, and landscape gardening has been 
done well. The Botanical Garden is close by. It is 
about ten acres in extent, and is well laid out. The 
main conservatory is 300 ft. long, 60 ft. wide, height 
of dome, 40 ft., and wings 25 ft. In connection with 
this are ten other houses, and a lecture and botanical 
class room for students. The houses contain a very 
fine collection of plants, such as are generally found 
suitable for botanical study. There is also a very fine 
collection of stately Palms, majestic tree Ferns, large 
specimens of officinal and medicinal plants, a grand 
collection of succulents, a choice collection of Orchids, 
&c., 3-11 in very fine condition. There is no other place 
in America where such an unique collection is to be 
seen. These botanical gardens are constantly receiving 
importations from various parts of the world. The 
place is in admirable condition, and is under the able 
superintendance of Mr. W. R. Smith, who has had 
charge here since 1852, and who is greatly respected, 
his kindly genial manner having made for him a host 
of friends in all parts of the world. 
The Smithsonian Grounds 
Are about fifty-two acres in extent, and situated near 
the heart of the city. The grounds are beautifully 
kept, and when I was there, early in April, Magnolias, 
Forsythias, Spirieas, Pyras, and such-like were mag¬ 
nificently in flower, showing how early vegetation is 
there as compared with the State of New York, for not 
a vestige of green was to be seen upon the trees there 
at the same time. The plant-houses here are very fine, 
and include a grand range built in 1868 from designs 
by Mr. William Saunders, who is at present the super¬ 
intendent of the gardens and grounds. The houses 
contain a grand collection of officinal and medicinal 
plants, Palms, Dracaenas, Crotons, specimens of all the 
leading sorts, and there are some fine Yineries con¬ 
taining all the varieties of Grapes in cultivation. 
The Department of Agriculture, 
Close by the Smithsonian Institute, has a beautifully 
laid-out garden, a fine arboretum with walks and 
drives, and a very good collection of hardy trees and 
shrubs. The trees and plants in the arboretum are 
planted in strictly botanical order, all being classified. 
There is here a grand collection of plants of all descrip¬ 
tions for outdoor gardening, and the houses are 
numerous in which the bedding and other plants 
required are propagated in enormous quantities. This 
establishment is under the superintendence of Mr. 
Brown, whose practical abilities are well proclaimed 
by his work. 
The President’s House and Grounds 
Consist of eighty acres, twenty of which are private. 
The grounds are finely laid out, and bedding is well 
done. There are several houses belonging to the White 
House, including a large conservatory attached to the 
President’s House, which is kept very gay and is used 
for promenading, &c. Of cemeteries there are several 
which are very extensive, and all well kept and planted 
with choice trees and shrubs, &c. Among the florists 
and nurserymen, of which there are several firms, Field 
Bros., among the former, carry on a very extensive 
business. They grow enormous quantities of Roses, 
Carnations, and such-like, and are considered the best 
Rose growers in America. Of nurserymen, Mr. Saul 
has been established a great many years, and he does a 
fine trade, especially with the south. His nursery is 
very extensive, and contains many novelties. Here I 
saw upwards of a hundred good plants in full bloom of 
Dendrobium fimbriatum oculatum, some very fine 
varieties. The same quantity of D. Dalhousianum and 
hundreds of Cypripediums were in great perfection. 
Anyone visiting America should not fail to visit Wash¬ 
ington, for it is full of interest. 
Rose Growing, kc. 
I may as well mention here that the florists in 
America plant out their Roses, Carnations, &c., and 
it is certainly marvellous how well they do, for finer 
crops and grander flowers I never saw. Another plant 
that is extensively grown, and for which there is a 
very great demand,, is Myrsiphyllum asparagoides 
(Smilax). This they plant out, and it is a common 
thing to see houses devoted exclusively to its cultiva¬ 
tion. I have seen houses of it with hundreds of sprays 
trained up string, 6 ft. high. They grow it in this 
way, and sell it so much a string ; and it is invaluable 
to the bouquetist. It stands well, and should be tried 
here in this country, but I have never seen it attempted. 
To young men ambitious to go to the States, my 
advice is, do not go out on speculation, but, if possible, 
get a situation before you go. The work out there is 
different to what it is here, and it is not the least good 
anyone going to America unless they make up their 
minds to work, and work well. There are several 
young men out there, who, I am proud to say, I have 
worked with myself, and who are getting on in a highly 
satisfactory manner. I was fortunate in being able 
to return home in the magnificent steamer Umbria, 
of the Cunard line, leaving New York on Saturday, and 
the following Saturday arriving in Liverpool, which is 
good travelling, one must admit. This steamer made 
the unprecedented run of 480 miles on the journey in 
twenty-four hours.— A. Outram, Victoria and Paradise 
Nurseries, Hollotvay. 
--->X<-- 
“LEAFY JUNE.” 
Admirers of arboreal beauty, and they are many, 
cannot have a more delightful time for visiting parks 
or arboretums than the present month, for all trees are 
now in full leaf even the tardy Mulberry and "Walnut 
They possess a freshness of verdure now that will quickly 
disappear when the hot dry weather comes, and the 
special characters of habit and foliage formation can be 
