Having been invited several times during the past five years to pay a visit to a gardener friend who lives in Montgomery county, I found a chance recently, and was met at the station by my friend. After a pleasant drive of six miles along the Norristown and Doylestown pike, on a pleasant morning, through an open-looking country, a house and a barn here and there along the whole line, we passed an old Quaker meetinghouse, probably built in William Penn's time. The end of the journey was the farm of Mr. Wm. M. Singerley, the well known proprietor of the Philadelphia Record. The estate is called The Record Farms and Conservatories. Mr, Thomas Foulds is the gardener, and one of the most obliging and good-natured fellows one can find.

Everything is new and as clean as a paper of pins. It is situated on a natural eminence. Everything is seen to advantage. There is the finest group of well and conveniently constructed greenhouses, and of as novel design as can be found in this part of the country. The architect is Mr. Willis G. Hale, of Philadelphia. They are all filled with a fine, healthy looking lot of different kinds of plants. Every house is especially adapted for different subjects. All the best varieties of roses are grown - from Her Majesty to American Beauty down. The rose-house I presume to be about 60 feet long, with a bed down the centre, paths all round, and side-benches three feet wide, which hold about eight inches of soil planted with roses. This is as it should be. No half-way business will do in this matter, if you want roses up to the mark. A grapery has been built lately, designed by Mr. Foulds. It is divided into three sections, arranged so as to prolong the fruiting season - namely, First Early, Intermediate, and Late. The vines were planted last April. They have made a remarkable growth, and the canes are ripening finely. There is a stove-house in the centre of the group, built higher than the rest, which is full of decorative and exotic plants.

Carnations and Bouvardias are grown very extensively here, and are of the finest quality. The house is excellently adapted for them, having all the light possible. Lemons and oranges are also to be found here, full of fruit, growing in 14-inch tubs. One of the finest plants of the kind I have seen for some years, and in as fine and healthy a condition, is an Allamanda Hendersoni, growing up the rafters of the greenhouse. It is planted out in the open ground, and bore a profusion of large funnel-shaped yellow flowers. This plant, being a native of Brazil, requires a warm, moist situation. Apricots, Peaches. Nectarines and Figs are found. Strawberry forcing is also a specialty with Mr. Foulds. At this date, November 21st, I noticed fine ripe berries of the Cumberland and other varieties in different stages of advancement. I suppose four or five hundred plants in all, in 6-inch pots.

A large number of bedding plants are grown here. Mr. Foulds informed me that he planted out about 30,000 last season. The lawn slopes gradually to the south, diversified with trees and choice shrubbery, and many intricate designs of carpet bedding.

A spacious kitchen garden is enclosed by stone walls, and furnished with substantial pits for forcing vegetables.

A grape arbor, of choice varieties, shades a centre walk, running 300 feet from north to south. Strawberries and other fruits in variety.