Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-07-25
BEAUTIFUL DOsoRls.
Charles A. Dana's Treasures.

g." in Garden and Forest
II would be di6Bcult to ind more desirable
situation for country homes than the north
shore Of Long Island, with its frequent bays
cutting deeply in between well-wooded hills
behind which fertile farm lands roll away in
endless variety Of surface. Every bluff is
breezy with GOODNESS from the sound, ana on
either hand is q Diversity of pleasing pros
pect across green fields or giittering waters
Along this shore, close to the mainland, and
hardly twenty miles from the city hall in q
right line, lies the island of Dosoris, a por-
ton of an old estate which has borne that
name for nearly two hundred years. The orig
inal title was derived from the Matinecock tribe
of Indians, and in 1868, under apatent granted by
Sir Richard Nichols, the first English gov
ernor OF the province, 1t passed into private
hands, and in 1888 lit was owned" says the
record; by John Taylor, who died seized
thereof, leaving his surviving daughter and
heir-at-law, Abigail, who subsequently inter-
married with the Rev. Benjamin Woolsey, and
the title was, therefore, by deed of lease and
release, conveyed to him. and the trust from
that circumstance acquired the name of Do
soris--dos uxoris." Some sixteen years ago
the island was bought by Mr.. Charles A. Dana,
who at once began the systematic planting
which has made it one of the most interesting
gardens in the country. The entire island,
about 40 acres in extent, is now one garden,
and is maintained throughout as q garden, the
pasture and forage lands being on the neigh
boring mainland.
Mr. Dana's collection Of trees and shrubs and
herbaceous plants has grown year by year, until
it rivals in richness the most complete private
collections OF the world, and yet the island is
much more than an arboretum or a plant mu-
scum, for the planting has been disposed with
reference to some fine old trees which
already stood about the house, and
to the belt Of forest which already
fringed the island, so as to bring out and en-
phasize the natural beauties Of the place. The
house, with broad, hospitable, vine-shaded
piazzas, stands on high ground, and from
one side the prospect is over a stretch of
perfect lawn, with glimpses of the open waters
OF the sound between the trees, to give life and
light to the picture. On the other side the
most attractive view il down long slope and
through vista of rich foliage toward the bridge
which unites the island to the mainland. A sea-
wall Is built all around the island and it is draped
and festooned with matrImony- wine, our native
genus (Celastrus articulatus) and Periploca
Graeca, which are planted on the top, and re-
lieved by an upright growth behind them of
Eleagnus, Tamarix, and some species of
Prunus. On the banks, exposed to the flashing
OF storms, are set such sturdy trees as locust
and red cedar, while the waxberry and beach
plum have proved perfect shrubs for such
position, extending down to high-water mark,
and hiding the dry sand and gravel of the bank
with mantle Ct luxuriant LEAKAGE. Within
this trim circumference, in every shrub-border
and group of trees and flower bed, the uni
versal health and vigor of the vegetation bear
witness to the skill and intelligence with which
the garden is cultivated and cared for, and
over all is the charm of perfect neatness and of
order that is absolute.
10 give list Of the garden treasures of Do
SORTS would be to make a catalogue of the
trees and shrubs of ornamental value that
flourish in this climate, but some idea of the
richness of MIR. Dana's collection can be gath
cred from such statistics these: Of oaks
there are 20 species and varieties; of hickories,
z; OF wanuts, s; OF naples, 80; of magnolias, Is;
10; OF pyrus, ID; OF prunus, 90 of lindens, IL of
araias, of cornels IL; of cuonymus, IL; of rhus,
8: of spiraeas, 80; of yburnums, 20; of berberis,
IL; while 2.700 plants OF Azalea indicate the
abundant way in which many species and
varieties are used. The figures relating to
conifers are still more remarkable, when
the slender success which usually
attends their cultivation in this region is con-
sidered. OF pines there are 80 kinds; of spruces,
81 of frs, %; of chamaecyparis II; of jumpers,
Is; of thujas, 20; Of hemlOcks, TO- and SO on.
Mr.. Dana considers one secret of his success
with conifers to be the unsparing use of the
knife. He makes repeated extirpation of the
leader to cause full and vigorous growth of
the lower branches, and certainly some of the
specimens which have been habitually pinched
II
notably true Of some Nordmann frs, Cilician
FIR and CephalOnian fir, which have been SUBJ
jected to this treatment for q long series of
years.
Besides the general assortment in the fruit
garden there are 400 dwarf, espalier and Gordon
trained pear trees, with apple, plum, cherry
and other fruit trees trained in the same way.
Figs, German medlars, filberts, with other rare
fruits and nuts, are cultivated, and this year an
unusually heavy crop of Madeira nuts will be
produced. Japanese, Spanish and American
chestnuts and chinquapins are also grown. In
the two acres of vineyard sixty varieties of
grapes are found, including many of Rogers
hybrids, which are the most favored here.
Between the rows OF grapes, and in the
young orchard as well as in an independ-
eht garden, are seven acres where every sort
OF vegetable Is grown and all new varieties are
tested as soon a. they are sent out, many of
them, indeed, being sent here before they are
put on the market. In connection with the
garden is a mushroom cellar, so feet long, a
structure built tunnel fashion, where fresh
mushrooms can be gathered from October IN
til May. The greenhouses are arranged in
compartments for roses, for tropical plants, for
wlnter-howerlng stock, and q second range con-
sists OF propagating house, a cool house for
plants like calceolarias and pelargoniums O
Penthouse, and yegetable-ho house while some
$50 sashes are used for frames and hot BEDS
1t was my good fortune to be one of small
party who visited these well-appointed grounds
last week upon the invitation of Mr. Dana.
whose hospitable habit it is to give day among
his trees now and then to guests who take an
interest in them. To go through this collec-
ton, or as much OF 1t as it is possible to see in
a day. under the guidance OF its owner and of
Mr.. VIM. Falconer, for many years head gar
dener OF the place. is something like a liberal
horticultural education. OF conifers beside
the specimens named above, which seemed
consplcuously beautiful, noted gaucous form
of the Atlas cedar; a Sequoia gigantea, prob
ably the finest on this side of the CONT
nent; japanese hemlock of wonder
full grace; remarkable specimen Of
Pseudolarix; Numidian fir, which
seems to me one of the noblest of its class; a
Douglas spruce, not quite large as some
specimens have seen but unexcelled in form
and In the soft texture and color of its foliage
El9agnus longipes, a fruiting branch of which
you figured in Garden and Forest last year,
was loaded with fruit, which was relished by
all. There is little doubt that by careful selec-
ton this relative Of our Buffalo berry could be
made to produce valuable dessert or culinary
fruit. Not far away from the eeagnus stands
a most effective bed OF grasses, with an i'm
mense mass of arundo donax in the center. Is
feet high, varieties Of eulalia and briza maxlma
| ranked about it according to their va
rious stature, and the whole bor-
| dered with stipa pinnata and pennise-
| tum longistylum. Noteworthy groups
| OF shrubbery were made up of several different
| species OF the same genus as Of Spiraea and
! Viburnum, and one mass of Rosa rugosa alone,
twenty-five feet square, must have been an
| imposing spectacle when in bloom The rose
| season was over, but the pink, ever-blooming
| Bourbon rose, Mrs. Degraw, was loaded with
flowers, and 1t was pronounced by both MIR.