368 THE FLORIST. 



terribly cut up by the winters ; while the fellow to it, planted on the 

 high ground, is but little injured, although in a very exposed situation, 

 and this may serve to show the propriety of planting things, about the 

 hardiness of which there is doubt, on hicrh ground. 



There is a considerable extent of glass in the kitchen garden, both for 

 forcing fruit, and also for growing plants, all of which is heated with 

 hot water. Some of the plant houses, built under the superintendence 

 of the present intehigent gardener, Mr. Smith, are admirable roomy 

 structures : in fact, just what is required to grow large specimen plants 

 to supply the conservatory. Here we found Azaleas, Ericas, Epacrises, 

 Boronias, with numerous New Holland plants in the finest health, many 

 of which are of a very large size. There is, besides, a good collection 

 of stove plants. 



The kitchen garden is but small, but was well stocked ; and every 

 part of the garden is particularly clean and well kept, a point so essential 

 to the general effect. The finest collection of plants is lost unless this 

 is attended to. 



NOTES MADE DURING A RECENT JOURNEY. 

 In earlier life I have oflen derived amusement and instruction from the 

 perusal of the narratives of gardening tours which are given with other 

 matter in " Loudon's i\Iagazine of Gardening," a cheap periodical which 

 has never been surpassed for utility, but which is most nearly approached 

 in those desiderata by the Florist.' 



This is the age of cheap literature, and most welcome to us are the 

 pages of our monthly friend, this little book, which gives descriptions of 

 the most celebrated gardens existing, tells us of what as gardeners we 

 ought to do, reminds us of what we have omitted, gives glowing 

 representations of rare and beautiful flowers, points out errors in design, 

 and inculcates sound theory in the arrangement of garden scenery upon 

 artistic principles ; and is, in fine, a multum in parvo of all that ought, 

 might, could, or should be done in the practice of the *' ancient art and 

 mystery of gardening," and the pure, innocent, and humanising art of 

 floriculture 



To those profound " practicals " (if such they be) who have nothing 

 to learn, I do not presume to intrude my remarks ; but happily their 

 name is not " Legion : " they are " few and far between ; " and I 

 believe the majority of gardeners are not so inflated with empiricism as 

 to despise the mites which we can all of us contribute to the treasury of 

 knowledge. Under this impression, I venture, Mr. Editor, to send for 

 insertion in the Florist the following loose notes. Should any of your 

 readers feel amused, 1 hope they may be induced to follow my example, 

 and thus reciprocate instruction, and should I advance anything 

 professionally unorthodox in the observations I may be collaterally led 

 into, I shall always be most grateful for coiTection. 



Nothing can be more advantageous to gardeners who desire to excel 

 (and who does not ?) than to pay occasional visits to other gardens. 



