In my visits to this most delightful and beautiful place, I have often wondered if there had been a description given of it in the Monthly; and have had it on my mind to write a short sketch for it, and my last two visits compelled me to do so.

The Home lies three miles from the city of Dayton and upon rising ground, much higher than the city. What Fairmount Park is to Philadelphia, and Central Park to New York, the Home is to Ohio and Indiana, for there is not a day passes without one or more large excursions coming to view this wonderful place, and all the trains are run directly into the grounds. The Home stands upon a square of land, six hundred and fifty acres, and one-half is devoted to park, lakes and lawns. The moment one enters the gate of this splendid place he is filled with delight; here we enter a lovely carriage drive, beautiful lawns, well mown and well kept; also fine groups of firs and pines meet our eyes as we come along, and in the distance upon our right the matchless Soldiers' Monument, a shaft of pure white marble, and on our left, away in the distance, the gem city of Dayton. We wind around and at last come to the flower gardens and lawns, with the splendid sheets of water stretching away in the distance. There are over twenty-five acres devoted to flowers and sub-tropical gardening, beautiful in design and execution, only to be matched but not surpassed by any the writer has seen in Europe, Philadelphia and New York; all under the careful management of Mr. Chas. Beck, the indefatigable chief Gardener, who has the satisfaction of bringing it up to its present pinnacle of fame.

At the present time, however, the chief attraction is a monster Agave Americana (which weighed over two tons when placed on the lawn) in full bloom. It was moved out of the greenhouse early in May and placed in the center of the lawn facing the lake, where it commenced to throw up its flower-stalk and at the present time it has grown to the height of thirty-five feet and measures seven inches in diameter at the base of stalk; the stalk runs twenty feet before the flower-stalks branch out, the whole forming a beautiful tree, the flowers forming in thick masses at the ends of each branch; in color a pale yellow and long narrow trumpet-shaped flowers, and fragrant. One of the gardeners said, " all the bees of creation are there." I wish the readers of the Monthly could stand as I do, and feast their eyes upon the sight - without which they will hardly be able to form an idea of its majestic splendor.