[J. Thomas Scharf (1886)] the floating palaces, for which our river is famous. These arc some of the elements, ever-varying, which combine to make a scene of indescribable and unsur-passed loveliness, which gives an attractiveness to 330 HISTORY OF WESTCHESTEB COUNTY. the homes in Sing Sing, unknown to the dwellers of most portions of our beautiful country. It is not surprising that M. De Tocqueville, when standing on the eastern heights of Sing Sing, gazing upon this scene, hurst forth in the following strain, "I must ex-cept the view of the Bay of Naples, out of deference to the opinion of the civilized world, hut with that exception, the world has not such scenery." There are few things that show to a greater extent the rapid increase of wealth ill the country and the elevation of popular taste than the immense amounts expended for floral decorations, which are used alike to adorn the festive board, the social gathering, the public banquet and to decorate the resting-places of the dead.