The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-05-30

ciety he bequeathed large share OF his fortune to
aged, In trust, for the formation of botanic gar
den ana arboretum. hope most sincerely that
this may form the nucleus of an institution of
that knd and that our city authorities may second
the excellent Institution Of this learned foreigner,
by appropriatne of the public parks, Hunt
ing Park, for instance for the purpose In 1918 a
former president of the Society, Zaccheus Collins,
together with John Vaughan, VIM MaeluTe and
Joseph Oorea de Serra contributed 10 fund to
enable that remarkable and self.taught genius,
Thomas Nuttall, to make botanical tour of the
western part of the then United States and terri
tories, and afterwards of California and the
British poasessIons on the Pacific, by the way Of
Oape Horn. Besides those already mentioned
were many other botanIsts scarcely less distIn-
guished, and among them may name James Lo-
gan, DR.. Henry Muhlenberg, Reuben Haiues,
Frederic Pursh, formerly gardener TO William
Hamilton, at the Woodan ds, and the lamented Dr.
W. darlington, and among the many distinguished
aUfng botanists Of this city may mention Elias
Durand, Dr. Leidy, Professor George B Wood,
and Professor Horatio o. Wood, Professor Joseph
Oafsonj Inomas Meehan, editor OF the Garde-
ner's Monthly, and corresponding secretary of the
Society, and many others.
Philadelphia also claims the honor OF having
given the earliest attention to the study and prao-
tice of horticulture we'll as botany. Gabriel
Thomas, in his UHistorical and Geographical Ac-
count of the Province and County of Pennsyl-
vania," says that ''as early as 1886 Judge Grow
den hath a very noble and fine house on the Ne
shaminy river, very pleasantly situated, aud like
wise a famous orchard wherein contained
above one thousand apple trees;' and that Edward
Shippey (or ShIppen) has au orchard and gardens
adjoining his great house, that equdlizes If not
exceeds any have seem"
"
Harrison, in regard to his vineyard planted some
years before at his manor Of Sprngettsburg near
be as yet of no value, and might be out of pocket
till come be regardful to Andrew Dore, the
Frenchman. He is hot but think honest"
This refers to the UignerOn sent out by Penn to
introduce Vlney ards and wine-maklng into the
At this same manor of SprIngettsbury Thomas
Penn built a large and elegant villa near the spot
where the Preston Retreat now stands, about the
year 1876. II was kept up by the Penn family
until 1854, when the mansion was burned. There
were here a large greenhouse and fine collection
of plants and the papers of the day announce that
the great American aloe bloomed there in the year
1877 The name of the gardener at that time was
James Alexander.
The garden belonging to Isaac Norris at Fair
hill, on the Germantown turnpike, was remark
able for its beauty as early 176. Francis Daniel
Pastorius, who was himself q distinguished horti-
culturist, attributes the gardens and grounds to
Mrs. Norris and her sisters and addresses them in
the following language:
81 write an article respecting the treating of
gardening, flowers and trees, knowing that you
are lovers of gardens-the one keeping at Fairhill
the finest hitherto have seen in the whole country,
filled with abundance of varieties, physical and
metaphysical; the other pretty little garden,
stomachtc and culinary herbs"
But time would fail me in describing the many
beautiful villas which surrounded philadelphia
during the Colonial pre-revolutionary PERIOD
and can only name a few Of them. Springetts-
the Governors Mansion, belonging to the Penn
family Stenton, the seat of the Logan family;
lands, of the Hamilton Wilton, of the Turner;
Belmont, of the Peters; Sedgeley, of the Gram
mond Egglesfeld OF the Griffith and great
number OF others, including the Wharton mansion,
near the Navy-yard, where the celebrated inter-
tainment called the Meschianza was given by the
British officers during the Revolution. The grounds
of ali these villas were planted with rare trees and
plants, and many of them were embelished with
luton, as Philadelphia recovered from the effects
of the war, the number of fine country seats
rapidly increased, until now every suburb is but
constant succession of them.
The markets of Philadelphia, particularly of
fruits and vegetables are remarkable for their ex
| cellence and variety, and this may be attributed
in part to the great variety OF soil by which 1t Is
their light and sandy soils, supply us with melons,
peaches, sweet potatoes and early vegetables,
calcareous soils of Montgomery, Bucks and Ohes-
ter counties, supply us with the other fruits and
But while we acknowledge the advantages that
Philadelphia possesses in soil and climate, we
must still attribute much of the excellence of her
markets. and much of the beauty of her suburbs,
to the influence of this and other similar societies,
which collect and disseminate the experience of
intelligent and skful cultivators in order that the
novice may be benefited. Compare the markets
of the present day. of fruits and vegetables, with
those OF the time of the formation of this Society,
and you will perceive the great Improvement
which has already been effected. These facts are
sufficient to prove to you that this Society is justly
entitled to your patronage and support, and I
therefore commend this present enterprise (got
up by the ladies of Philadelphia with the same
zeal and energy that characterized them at the
great Sanitary Fair) to your liberal and generous
frien of the Society, without whose energy per-
reverence and careful superntendence, il is
scarcely too much to say, this Bazaar would never
have heen held, and also to those gentlemen who
have given so much OF their time, attention and
means to the erection and decoration of this build
ing, your thanks most justly due
And now q word or two in regard to the build
ing Although the sum at the disposal of the
Society for the erection of large an edifce was
quite limited, yet no expense has been spared to
render it, what they conscientously believe IL TO
be, OF the strongest If not the strongest build
ing of the kind in the city; and it is now offered to
| the of the citizens OF Philadelphia without
| defect blemish of any kind. With foundation
walls four feet thick; with side and end walls
thirty three inches thick and containing nearly
million of bricks; with floor capable of sustain
ing four times the weight that 1t will probably
have to bear; with roof pronounced by many
competent Judges to be unnecessarily strong; with
ample means of ventilation and ease OF access ana
exit, (being but little above the ground level and
provided with nine doors for exi); with every
convenience and appliance necessary to adapt II
to the great variety of purposes for which it NAV
be needed-I say, with all these advantages, II
cannot fail to receive a large share OF the public
patronage.
| The absence of much ornamentauon in the in
terror OF the main hail may be criticised by some,
but If the ladies successful with this bazaar
is their intention to devote the proceeds partly, II
not wholly, 10 its decoration in fresco in the
highest style of the art and with designs in har-
mony with the character Of the building, such as
/ truit, flowers, etc botanically correct
The entrance to the hall from Broad street has
been criticised as being too nRrr0w and contracted
for building OF this size, but it should be borne
in mind that the entire front of this building but
75 feet, scarcely nehaf of that of the Academy of
Music, and of this frontage more than rd is
1 devoted to the entrance. The absolute necessity
| OF a ladies' dressing room and library room tor
the Society near the entrance, will furnish sufIi-
clent reasons for not making it wider. But this
deteet so tmay be called, is amply compensated
~ Inc four large doors of exit the sides of the
building, and when you add to this the fact that
almost the entire audience will be seated on the
ground oor, with no stairs to descend, il is sup