260 THE FLORIST. 



1705. One or two of the original trees are yet standing, and are of 

 large size. There are, besides, some grand Silver Firs and Cedars ; of 

 the former Mitchell relates that there was formerly a grove of sixteen 

 trees, 22 feet apart, 110 feet high, and from 10 to 13 feet in circmii- 

 ference. One of the trees felled produced 299 feet of timber. Loudon 

 describes a Silver Fir here as being (in 1835) 138 feet high ; the 

 diameter of the trunk 5 feet 8 inches. There is a tree yet standing 

 considerably (we should say) above 100 feet high and 15 feet in 

 circumference. In the grounds is a good plant of Cunninghamia 

 sinensis 30 feet high ; likewise fine specimens of Taxodium distichum 

 (deciduous Cypress), the branches of which are cut and grouped with 

 flowers for filling large vases, where its Fern-like leaves have a pretty 

 effect. 



The flower-gardens and grounds under the scythe occupy a large 

 space between the mansion and one of the lakes ; there is, besides, a 

 regular geometrical flower garden in the rear of the house, and fronting 

 one of the old-fashioned conservatories of the last century. ]\Iany of 

 the beds on the lawn are partly filled with dwarf flowering shrubs and 

 herbaceous plants, and thus become gay and interesting at a much 

 earher period than when only the ordinary bedding plants are employed. 

 We are very partial to this mixed system, particularly when the beds 

 are large and no exact arrangement, rendering it indispensable for 

 them to match, occurs. In the geometrical garden, on the contrary, 

 the utmost regularity is preserved, and the beds w^ere filled with a good 

 variety of showy plants ; among others we were much struck with 

 some circular beds of Zelinda and scarlet Ranunculus ; Dahlias, pegged 

 down close, the flower-stalks elevated the blooms one foot from the 

 ground, and being one mass of bloom, they produced a very brilliant 

 effect. We likewise observed some fine beds made by mixing 

 Mangles' variegated Geraniums andj Heliotropium Voltaireanum ; the 

 beautiful play of colour produced by mixing these two plants was very 

 striking. 



The kitchen garden is planted a mile away from the house, at the 

 southern verge of the park ; it contains ten acres, and encloses the two 

 sides of a valley which runs through from east to west. This is found to 

 be an advantage rather than otherwise, as the slope facing the north is 

 found very useful for vegetable crops and Strawberries during the summer. 

 The subsoil of the garden is strong clay, and although the crops are found 

 to be later by a fortnight than when grown on lighter soils, the produce 

 and quality are excellent, for we observed the vegetable crops generally 

 and Strawberries were growing vigorously, and looking quite green 

 and healthy, notwithstanding the extreme hot weather of the last 

 month. The subsoil is rather too cold for Peach trees out of doors, 

 which suffer much in the spring. But Apricots, Pears, Plums, and 

 Cherries thrive well, and even this present season are producing very 

 fair crops of fruit — in fact, the best crops of Pears and Plums we have 

 seen. On the north bank of the garden is a range of forcing houses 

 350 feet long, in eight divisions, four of which are devoted to Pines, 

 having Vines as well on the rafters. Mr. Anderson, who for many 

 years has been head gardener here, very wisely grows only two sorts of 



