DECEMBER. 355 



perfection, with no more expensive materials than a " fifty shilling 

 stove, a hole in the wall, and a wet blanket ; " and even this was stated, 

 by a great authority at the time, to be costly for many descriptions of 

 forcing houses, "which," it was said, " might be very well warmed by 

 an old-fashioned brick oven, heated by faggots burnt in the inside ! " 

 Then followed the astounding information by " Mirubile Dictu" that 

 French gardeners were growing Queen Pines in poor sandy peat, from 

 8 to 10 lbs. each, in ordinary brick pits without fire-heat. We might 

 follow up the enumeration much further by alluding to the Bicton system 

 of growing Pines, "the most exquisite ever tasted," in the open ground! 

 or to the splendid Grapes grown at Isleworth, in clinkers and gravel, 

 as well as to other eccentricities of gardening, were we not reminded 

 of the notice which heads our article, " What can be done withTiftany." 



We have raked up these now almost forgotten wonders with no 

 malevolent feeling, for without a certain amount of enthusiasm 

 gardening would sink below mediocrity. Arnott's stove answered well 

 for certain purposes, although it was a misapplication in forcing 

 houses ; Polmaise was a grand idea, scientifically correct, but imprac- 

 ticable to carry out ; the Meudon system of Pine growing has simplified 

 our practice, and has produced, at Frogmore, results even more 

 wonderful than the 8 lb. Queens at Meudon* In fact, these innova- 

 tions on the usual routine of gardening are strongly conducive to the 

 progress of the art, by way of showing what may be effected, and so 

 with the simple material called "Tiffany." 



We now have to inform our readers, that during a late ramble 

 through the country, we " looked in" at Mr. Standish's nursery, at 

 Bagshot, a wonderful depot for Rhododendrons, Mahonias, Berberis, 

 Conifers, and the like, which are there raised by thousands, for the 

 future decoration of the scores of mansions and villas which are 

 springing into existence all over the country. On passing through the 

 home grounds, Mr. Standish introduced us to a novel erection which 

 he was pleased to call his " Tiffany -house" and which we must briefly 

 describe ; first let us premise that all who have gardens, and who wish 

 to preserve their fruit-blossoms from the frosts of spring, or their plants 

 under glass from being scorched by a July sun, have doubtless heard of 

 Mr. Shaw, of Manchester, and his famous " Tiffany," a new kind of 

 shading invented and introduced to the public by that gentleman. 

 This material Mr. Standish has applied to a most useful purpose in 

 his nursery, and as its application (so it appears to us), may be extended 

 to a great variety of objects in connexion with gardening, we very 

 gladly avail ourselves of his permission to publish his experience in 

 the matter. 



The spring is always a critical period with those who are propa- 

 gating largely hardy and half hardy plants. The modern system of 

 striking, grafting, and inarching, does not, as of old, take several weeks 

 to accomplish. Heat and moisture are brought to bear very largely 

 on the operation, to produce a quick union between the scion and stock, 

 and, as a consequence, the plants are in a highly excited state. The 



* We intend to give a notice of the extraordinary growth of the Pine in the 

 Royal Gardens in our next. 



