374 THE FLOEAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 



There were about eight kinds, the most striking of which, x^ere A. Lobbii and. A. 

 setaceus^ the stripes of gold being very conspicuous on the dark, velvet-like ground. 



Of course, I paid a visit to the large camellia-house, and found the plants well 

 set ■with bloom-buds ; in fact, should but one-half only reach to the flowering stage, 

 there would be enough, one would think, to supply all demands from Edinburgh to 

 Plymouth. Tiiese camellias are immense bushes; and walking from end to end of 

 the house is like walking through a wood. 



After leaving this house, I took a stroll through the extensive grounds. And 

 here, let me remark, the greatest attractions of the nursery are to be found ; for no 

 one could form a correct idea of the beautiful specimen coniferous trees, and other 

 shrubs, to be seen here, unless they personally visited them. And then, again, the 

 quantity one sees of all kinds, and all superb specimens, bus a profound eflfect on the 

 mind of a critical lover of trees and shrubs. Of Irish yews, for instance, I may 

 safely say there were hundreds, from twelve to sixteen feet high, feathered to the 

 ground, and perfect pyramids ; and the quantity under this size Avas immense. The 

 specimen Wellingtonias, also, were a sight to see. There were two superb spe- 

 cimens over thirty feet high, with branches sweeping the ground to a circumference 

 of tv/enty yards. I also noticed a fine plant of Larix Kc^ynpferi^ one of the most 

 elegant of the larches, over twelve fee; in height 3 also a Golden cedar. This was 

 very striking amongst other plants. The bright yellow had a most charming effect 

 blended with the light lively green. There was also a fine specimen of PtVnts Gor- 

 doniana, over twenty feet hiyh. This is a beautiful pine. The bold outline and erect 

 habit make it very conspicuous_, especially when planted on a broad expanse of lawn. 

 I noticed some standard Poitugal laurels in the Italian garden, in tubs. These had 

 fine handsome heads, and, placed as they were among the statuary, they had a 

 most noble effect. There was also planted here some noble yews; and dotted here 

 and there in pairs, as they should be in an Italian garden, they had a most beau- 

 tiful appearance, their solemn columnar outlines so well befitting the scene. Near 

 here, also, stood a fine pair of the Ford Oak, Quercus Fordii, a fine evergreen tree, 

 with growth as compact as a Phill}Tea ; they were quite twenty-five feet high, and 

 sixteen yards around. Tliis is the best of the evergreen oaks. In my walk to the 

 rockery, I noticed some fine Araucaria iuihricata, splendid specimens. There was 

 one noble plant of this ppecies that appeared quite distinct from the others ; the 

 growth was much more dense and compact, the branches ail over much shorter 

 jointed than usual, and the colour appeared to me to be much a lighter green. I 

 am not aware if this plant has always retained this character, but as it is, it is very 

 striking, owing to the tree being so close and compact in its growth. I noticed a 

 fine broad-leaved Weeping Box in the rockery, with foliage more like a broad- 

 leaved myrtle than a box. This, I was told, was a very scarce kind — at any rate, 

 I never saw it before — which drew my attention to it "at once. There were also 

 planted about in the rockwork some of our choicest variegated plants fiom Japan. 

 They looked well, and appeared quite at home. 



I next visited the grapery, to have a peep at the new grape, Mrs. Pince's BlacJc 

 Muscat. There was a wonderful crop on the original vine, the bunches hung as 

 thick as possible— in fact, there would have been a difficulty to have placed one's 

 hand in anywhere without touching a bunch of grapes — and such bunches, too ! 

 Of course, they Avere jubt on the turn to colour when I saw them, but not many 

 bunches were less than ten inches long; and if there had been room to tie out the 

 shoulders, they would measure quite as much across. I must, injustice, also say, 

 that there was plenty of air admitted to the house ; in fact, every top-light was 

 pulled down more than a foot ; so that says a great deal for its hardiness. This 

 grape has a true Muscat flavour, and has already become famous for its long- 

 keeping qualities. Near the entrance-gate, as I was leaving the place, I noticed 

 the finest specimen of the Lucombe Oak in England. I was told it was one of the 

 original trees introduced by a member of this firm, more than a century ago. It 

 was a glorious tree, and of an enormous size. I will conclude this notice with in- 

 forming all lovers of foliage plants that I here sav/ in full flower a plant of Dasy- 

 riUtim Jiliforme, with a stem ten feet long ; the colour of the bloom was a light 

 yellow, and the laterals of the flower-stems resembled bunches of dried corn. 

 Although destitute of the beauty resulting from bright colour, the inflorescence was 

 full of grace and beauty, resembling a gigantic flower-spike of the well-known 

 Humea elegans, 



