AUGUST. 243 



nice specimens of Deodar and other Pines ; beyond it is the garden, 

 where so much has been done to advance the love of and taste for 

 flowers. Mr. H., as it is well known, is a very large Tulip grower, and 

 his beds of this flower are very large and numerous ; they were not, 

 however, in their usual order. The season, which had at first promised 

 favourably, changed early in April, and from the middle of the month 

 a succession ot blasting scorching east winds prevailed, which, despite 

 of Mr. Kingsley, the inhabitants of these islands will proclaim to be 

 " good neither for man nor beast," and certainly not good for florists 

 and gardeners. There were both here, and also in another garden 

 which he has a little further off, a large quantity of breeders, some 

 of which were breaking in good style, and we may still expect some 

 toppers from the same strain as Sarah Headly. I am not a Tulip 

 fancier, and, I fear, sunk some degrees in Mr. Headly 's estimation, 

 when I announced a fact, so derogatory to one's position as a florist. 

 Of Carnations and Picotees there was a large army in pots, which 

 were then standing on the walks, but would by and bye be staged 

 under the Tulip awning ; while a long bed of the very best Ranun- 

 culus, in vigorous health, promised a treat, which I should have been 

 glad to have seen, and which, Mr. H. afterwards wxote to me, he was 

 not disappointed in ; it reminded me of a bed I saw, now about 28 

 years ago, and which first made me a florist. I have no doubt the 

 sorts were inferior to those now grown, but there was such exquisite 

 variety of beauty of them, at least to my then boyish eyes, that I have 

 never forgotten it, and have ever regarded it as one of those sights 

 which I am not to see again. The stock of Auriculas was smaller than 

 I had been led to anticipate, but, Alexander-like, Mr. H. had beaten 

 every one he came in contact with, and then he began to grow careless, 

 because he had not a worthy competitor. He still, however, grows a 

 nice collection, which looked well and healthy (but out of bloom), among 

 which was Geo. Lightbody, a seedling named after his friend, the 

 famous Auricula wizard of the north ; and which is said, as a grey edge, 

 to possess qualities which will place it at the top of the list. I should 

 have been glad had my visit been a week later, that I might have seen 

 the original G. L., who was coming on a visit to Mr. Headly. Pinks, 

 and indeed all the florist flowers, looked well ; but, let it not be thought 

 that these are the only objects of Mr. Headly's care. He has an 

 extensive range of greenhouses, stoves, &c, and in them were plants 

 preparing for the Cambridge show, in the following week, which would 

 have taken a good place at a metropolitan show — Cinerarias, greenhouse 

 and stove plants, and some idea of the manner in which they were 

 " done," may be estimated from the fact that 20 prizes were awarded to 

 their owner at the exhibition. Vegetables and fruit are equally well 

 cared for, but some of the Peach trees were in a sad state, from the 

 effect of the " Gishurst Compound," of which so much has been said ; 

 whether it was an over dose or not I cannot say — Mr. H. seemed to 

 think not. Like a true florist, Mr. Headly is a liberal man ; he sent 

 me away with a goodly half-dozen of Auriculas, and a promise of a 

 young Geo. Lightbody, as well as some self-coloured Ranunculus, to add 

 to my stock. Mrs. Headley, too, ably seconds him in all his plans ; she 



