304 THE FLORIST. 



great demand for vegetables at an early season, Mr. Bailey finds this 

 border an extremely useful help after the supplies from the forcing 

 frames, &c., are exhausted. Pears were a most abundant crop, and 

 the fruit large and well coloured, besides a full crop on the walls. A 

 number of pyramidal trees is planted on each side of the walks, and 

 all bearing well. Plums not a very heavy crop, which is a general 

 complaint. Cherries had been abundant, and the Morellos left were 

 very fine. The whole of the kitchen garden, both as regards cropping 

 and management, was in the same excellent condition in which we 

 have always seen it — a model of neatness and good management. 



On entering the gardens from the grounds we have Mr. Bailey's 

 convenient residence on our left hand, and facing it a division of the 

 garden, with a series of well arranged flower beds quite gay with colour. 

 During the season there is a large demand for cut flowers for bouquets 

 and other purposes, and therefore Mr. Bailey has to grow large quantities 

 of flowers expressly for the purpose ; these are mostly grown in the 

 kitchen garden, and make the place look gay and dressy, while at the 

 same time they are in daily demand for cutting. 



A number of houses for forcing and for plants are placed in that part 

 of the gardens nearest Mr. Bailey's house. There is a span-roofed 

 house for hard wooded plants, now filled with well grown Fuchsias and 

 other summer plants ; a stove and Orchid house, a large green- 

 house, and one for Camellias, besides a north house for wintering 

 Azaleas and such like plants, and retarding things in bloom in the 

 summer. There are besides several Vineries, in which were, most 

 capital crops of Grapes, a Fig house recently erected over a large Brown 

 Turkey Fig which occupied a large space on a south wall ; under glass 

 this single tree produces hundreds of dozens of fruit, ripening in June, 

 and continuing bearing till November ; the front of the house is devoted 

 to forcing Strawberries, &c., besides a very large extent of forcing pits, 

 chiefly heated by hot water, for the growth of Melons, Cucumbers, 

 forcing flowers (which is here done in a large way), vegetable forcing, 

 &c. An addition has this season been made to the previously existing 

 Peach houses, by covering a long stretch of south wall with glass, the 

 front of which is placed seven or eight feet from the wall ; the sashes 

 are made in two angles, besides a back sash for ventilating, and for 

 which provision is also made beneath the sill on which the front sash 

 rests. Nothing can answer better than these appear to do ; the trees 

 were only planted against the wall in November last, and were already 

 producing some very well swelled and coloured fruit ; the wood was all 

 that could be wished for. These houses will carry on the supply after 

 the forcing houses are over, and, as they are heated by hot water pipes, 

 can be assisted so as to get their fruit ripe earlier if needed. Mr. 

 Bailey does not intend planting any trees against the fi'ont, reserving it 

 for wintering bedding plants, or even for preserving vegetables in severe 

 weather. 



We cannot conclude our hasty notes without giving a passing notice 

 of the Pmetum, made a few years back in a piece of rough ground some 

 little distance from the house, near the lodge leading to the Oxf jrd road. 

 The situation was well selected, for both the soil and adjoining scenery 



