SEPTEMBER. 197 



in England, can neither be regarded as works of instruction nor 

 models of imitation, but rather monuments of extravagance, and may- 

 be viewed in the same light as the famous Hanging-gardens of Baby- 

 lon. Natural cropping clefts, and romantic rocky spots, may, how- 

 ever, be easily turned to excellent advantage, and far excel those 

 artificial rock-gardens, at comparatively small cost ; and sure enough 

 such spots are sufficiently numerous in this country, if wealthy men 

 who build fine country houses, would bring themselves to choose 

 localities where they might have trees, landscapes, and rock gardens, 

 ready made. 



The following remarks are appended by the editor : — Both rock- 

 work and artificial ponds are, in our estimation, dangerous features 

 in ornamental gardens for any one to meddle with who has not a 

 great deal of taste, or a lively feeling of natural beauty and fitness. 

 We quite agree with our correspondent, that they should occupy 

 secluded spots in the grounds, and that they are never so successful 

 as when they may be wholly mistaken for nature's own work. A 

 little round pond, like a soup-basin, set in an open smooth lawn, and 

 a pile of rocks heaped up upon a formal mound, as we have some- 

 times seen them, in the midst of high artificial flower-garden scenery, 

 are equally offensive to good sense and good taste. Nature puts her 

 small pool of water, and her ledge of rocks filled with mosses and 

 ferns, in the depths of some secluded dell, or under the shelter of 

 some dark leafy bank of verdure. 



Touching the rock-garden at Chatsworth, we must differ from 

 our correspondent. That rock-garden has, to our mind, but one de- 

 fect, viz. that you enter it from a highly dressed portion of flower- 

 garden scenery. For the rest, time and vegetation have now so com- 

 pletely harmonised it with the wild scenery of the high hills of Der- 

 byshire, which rise behind it, and of which it seems a spur, that we 

 will venture to say nine strangers out of ten would walk through it 

 in the full belief that it was a natural rocky pass in the grounds, if 

 they were not asked to wonder at it as a work of art and labour. It 

 was probably more new and raw when our correspondent obtained 

 his impressions. 



NATIONAL CARNATION AND PICOTEE SOCIETY. 



July 28. — The first meeting of this new Society took place in the 

 grounds of the Royal Nursery, Slough. There was great competi- 

 tion, and the blooms were large and well -coloured. 



Carnations (Amateurs): 1. Mr. M. May, Sonning ; 2. Mr. J. 

 Edwards, Holloway ; 3. Mr. Newhall, Woolwich. Picotees : 

 Rev. A. Matthews, Weston-on-the- Green ; 2. Mr. M. May ; 3. Mr. 

 Lochner, Paddington. Crtnzfl^/o«5 (Open Classes) : 1. Mr. C.Turner, 

 Slough; 2. Mr. Bragg, Slough ; 3. Mr. Willmer, Sunbury. Picotees: 

 1. Mr. C. Turner; 2. Mr. Bragg; 3. Rev. A. Matthews. Yellow- 

 ground Picotees : 1. Mr. Bragg ; 2. Mr. Turner ; 3. Mr. Holey, 



