JUNE. 179 



were trained up pillars, and festooned from the roof: Gloire de Dijon, 

 yellow shaded with salmon, very fine ; the yellow Devoniensis, and 

 Souvenir de Malmaison, one of the best of its class. These were 

 planted out in a prepared bed of rich soil. On the back wall was a 

 large Luculia gratissima. 



On my way to the forcing department I passed through the flower 

 garden, the beds in which are planted on the ribbon system. Rhodo- 

 dendrons, Ghent Azaleas and Kalmias I found well set with flower- 

 buds. To the west of the American garden is a fountain surrounded 

 with rockwork, planted with rock plants, Ferns, &c. 



In the kitchen garden the glass erections consist of four Vineries, 

 two Peach-houses, Pine stove, succession Pine pits, propagating house, 

 and Melon and Cucumber pits. In the earliest Vinery was fruit nearly 

 ripe — Hamburghs and Sweetwaters ; Muscats also promised well. The 

 next Vinery, a Hamburgh house, was filled with Camellias, the pots 

 of which were plunged in a dung bed, which runs up the centre of the 

 house. The plants were making fine young wood, the Vines acting as 

 shading for the tender foliage. The following twelve were really good 

 varieties, viz., Adrien Lebrun, Archduchess Augusta Maria, Duchess 

 of Northumberland (Lee's), Florence Nightingale, Jacksoni, Jenny 

 Lind, Mrs. Cope, Optima, Storeyi, Donkelaari, Chandleri, Fimbriata, &c. 

 The latest Vinery is planted with Black Hamburghs, West's St. Peter's, 

 and Barbarossa. Early Peaches were in a forward state, and a splendid 

 crop of both early and late ones was coming on in-doors. In the Pine 

 stove the fruiting plants were showing well. In front of the Pines, pot 

 Vines were growing ; succession Pines looked remarkably healthy. 

 Melons and Cucumbers are grown here in dung pits ; for late use they 

 are trained on trellis-work. By this plan fruit is obtained much later 

 than otherwise could be in dung pits. 



Parallel with the Vineries is a series of flower beds, laid out on 

 gravel, edged with Box. In summer, when in full bloom, these cannot 

 fail to be very effective. As a great quantity of bedding plants is 

 required here every season, all the old plants of Geraniums are lifted in 

 autumn, and kept during winter in cold " sod" pits. They are found 

 to bloom more freely and not to grow so strongly as young plants. 

 Calceolarias and Verbenas, previously to being planted out, are pricked 

 out in beds made for the purpose, and protected during cold nights ; by 

 this plan the plants do not suffer from the shift they get to their summer 

 quarters. Fewer plants answer the purpose, and they come earlier 

 into bloom. 



The wall fruit hts suffered very much from the late spring frost, also 

 many of the more tender shrubs in the pleasure grounds. The 

 following figures will show the amount of frost registered here during 

 the week ending April 23:— April 18th, 7°; 19th, 5°; 20th, 7° ; 

 21st, 12°; 22nd, 12°; 23rd, 9°. The above would indicate the 

 necessity of erecting glass walls, or walls covered with glass, which are 

 indispensable to every good garden establishment. 



A short distance from the mansion is a Rose garden, which has 

 undergone considerable improvement during last winter, and a great 

 quantity of new Roses has been added to the superb collection which 



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