Washington, D. C., February.

Dear Horticulturist: - What would you like to hear about Washington? Doubtless not politics, but some information like the following: "The improvements agreed upon with Mr. Downing are all carried out, and we shall soon see one of the handsomest examples of planting and good keeping in the public grounds, that the world can exhibit. This is in accordance with the public wishes, and I am sure you will rejoice to hear it".

Such information it would have afforded me immense pleasure to communicate, but unfortunately it would not be true; and as your reputation for correct statements was made long ago, let me tell you how the matter stands at this moment.

Downing died just after the first effort at spring planting was made; he placed a number of fine trees around the Smithsonian Institute, among which were many evergreens; he also partially laid out the grounds. Lafayette Square, opposite the President's house, was also partially planted, and has had some proper care bestowed upon it, more by the efforts of a private benefactor than the authorities. The large space between the Smithsonian and the President's grounds was left for future operations; this was designed for an evergreen, or winter-garden, and was to have been a sheltered winter drive and walk.

The evidences of the skill of the planter and landscape gardener are seen around the Institute; Downing there left his mark in the bold sweeps of the roads and in the original planting; the evergreens that have survived neglect, or succeeded under utter bad treatment are there, though many are ruined, and the whole, if something is not done, will soon be in a similar condition; presently you shall learn the reasons. These Smithsonian grounds are now a disgrace to the nation; early efforts were made by breaking the soil properly to lay it down in good sward, but neglect has rendered all that expense, - and it was very great, - utterly nugatory. I should say it has been mown but once a year, and that it has not been rolled. It is now no better in appearance than most farmers1 timothy Jidda. But that is not the worst of it. Some favored owner of a large lot of maple trees has got lately a contract to transfer them to these grounds; where, think you, has he had the good sense to place them? He has closely bordered the roads in a marvellous manner, and to show his knowledge of how to treat a good design, and how to preserve the evergreens already there, he has really planted a maple in front and only a few feet from each, and before nearly every choice specimen.

Now, what will be the result unless some kind authority steps in at once and removes them? Why, just this: the maples will soon overtop the evergreens, spoil them and the design, and a new authority will ere long cut away the evergreens to make room for the maples! No attention to, and no kind of appreciation of, Mr. Downing's plans has entered into either the new planting or the care of these grounds.

New officers, as they come in, derange the plans of their predecessors. Nothing in Washington is consistent or stable.

I asked no questions of whose work was this or whose plans were those; I saw only the utter desecration, and turned away more in sorrow than in anger. Walking round the costly Smithsonian building to which so much attention was given, what a surprise awaits you at the frontdoor; the house has been bepinnacled and plastered enough, but apparently the artist forgot the coal-hole. There is at this moment some forty cart-loads of coal ashes thrown out in heaps before the door and on the (proposed) lawn! Shame, shame, where is thy blush; how will you, my dear Horticulturist, like to 6how that and this to foreigners, or to your own neat readers? How will you redden when Sir William Hooker, fresh from the admirable neatness of Kew Gardens, strolls about these national efforts at the sublime? Truly, I hope he may not be taken there, and I wish it had not been my duty to go!

But perhaps the winter-garden is better. Let us see. Mount the worm-eaten stile and look over at the evergreens. Not a single one! Is there nothing? Oh, yes! plenty of planting! And pray, what are those bean and hop poles for; - no doubt to shelter the young plantations of the rarest trees from every clime, which are to teach our people what trees are and what they may become; Boon we shall see a change; the young growths will replace these maple poles, for at present it looks as if it were made for the Indians who come to see their "great father" to play a game of war-whoops and war-dances in! Alas! this fine domain is planted with maple and similar trees, all trimmed and topped in the most approved city style - all,? including the Smithsonian grounds, a great job! Sixty acres and more devoted to jobbing trees! Can it be borne? No! it cannot; it must not be! Yonder dome-crowned capitol is full of bedizenment, chalky frescoes, rooms lined with the finest marbles, sculpture and emblematic paintings; the poorest committee must meet in rooms with heraldic adornments; the naval, surrounded by flags and grand achievements, the military with guns and halberds painted on plaistered walls; even the folders of the miserable, jobbed public documents, are to have a frescoed room! while we can get no proper planting.

The coal-stokers and engineers who manage the steam engines that;pump air into the exhausted lungs of our great national orators and Solons, have a palace carpet down in the cellar, amidst the ashes of their coal, to rest their weary feet upon. Just outside their delightful quarters, however, where the kindling wood is split, and in full view of these "admirable" pictures, frescoes, and statuary, there are the knotty pieces and the chips lying about to rot in the open space! The Smithsonian coal ashes in full view as you drive up, the kindling wood knots strewed everywhere as you here look down from "marble halls." A great country, you exclaim, but it is not all yet "fenced in!" Will it ever be? Will our people ever learn with such teaching? Never!

You would expect the greenhouse built for the President of the United States, and immediately under his gaze, would be a model of successful treatment, certainly. It is not in so healthy a state as a hundred private ones I could take you to. An unadvised attempt has been made to grow the Victoria Regia in the same house with the Camellias, etc.; the consequence is, the Victoria has been unsuccessful, and the Camellias have dropped their flowers from the heat and dryness. One would hope to see. perfection taught here; but the new stables are wrongly placed, and shock the eye at the end of the Pennsylvania Avenue, where Downing intended the grand vista to terminate in a colossal gate like that at Berlin.

The plants in the Botanic Garden below the Capitol grounds look better, and there a new effort is being made not discreditable to our national pride. The glara-house built to receive the tea-plants is ready, but the roof will be too far above the young vegetation.

I have done for to-day. The proper representations have been made to the authorities - would that I could say they agreed to employ the proper persons! They express a willingness and even a desire, but they require the grand machinery of Congressional appropriations to do what many a private gentleman has done and is doing out of a moderate income; and the former appropriations, poor encouragement, have been worse than wasted. The question might be asked, do the proper authorities know what is wanted? J. J. S.