1S70.] TRAVELLING NOTES. 41 



I now pass on to notice as succinctly as possible what may be called a house of 

 general accommodation, of large dimensions, which is used during summer as a 

 vinery, where heavy crops of Grapes are annually produced of excellent quality, 

 and as a repository during winter for plants for out-of-door decoration. Space does 

 not admit of an individual notice, so I shall only mention a few of the most pro- 

 minent objects. We have first to deal with a pair of magnificent Dicksonia 

 Antarctica, straight stems over 12 feet high and 26 inches in circumference at the 

 base, carrying a magnificent head of healthy fronds. Beautiful as this Fern is in 

 all its stages of growth, it must be seen as a large plant to be thoroughly appreci- 

 ated. It was purchased, Mr Coleman told me, from Messrs James Veitch & 

 Sons ; said to be the largest specimens that these gentlemen have ever intro- 

 duced. There are also two splendid plants of Seaforthia elegans in the best 

 possible condition, and both were grand objects. 



The other inmates consisted chiefly of Araucaria excelsa and A. Brasiliana, Ceph- 

 alotaxus drupacea, Thuja Doniana, Dammara Brownii, Dacrydium cupressi- 

 num, Santolina chamse-cyparissus, Callitris quadrivalvis, Chamserops excelsa, 

 Clethra arborea, Alalia Sieboldi, very large specimens of variegated Aloe?, 

 pyramidal Ivies and standard Fuchsias. I had almost forgotten to mention that 

 this house is planted exclusively with the Black Hamburg Vine, and produces 

 yearly 3 cwt. of superior Grapes. 



Passing over very many houses possessing but little interest, as the fruit had 

 been consumed, I reached the Pine-stoves, which contain a selected collection of 

 the best varieties suitable for summer and winter use, such as the Smooth-leaved 

 Cayenne, Black Jamaica, Charlotte Rothschild, different varieties of the Queen, 

 and a few plants of Black Prince. Mr Coleman says the latter kind makes a fine 

 appearance on the dinner or exhibition tables, owing to its large size, but he does 

 not approve much of the quality. 



No great stretch of memory is required to remember the time when Pine- 

 cultivators set it down as an incontrovertible fact, that very large pots (often 18 

 inches), and a corresponding size of plants, were the only requisites necessary to 

 produce large fruit. The maturation of the vegetable juices was but little thought 

 of, or perhaps little understood. But happily such a system has now few advo- 

 cates; a greater knowledge of essential requirements is now abroad. Our best 

 cultivators have discovered that better fruit can be produced from pots not 

 exceeding 12 inches in diameter. Whether Mr Coleman has followed the teach- 

 ing of others, or has intuitively taught himself, I know not, but this much I can 

 say conscientiously, that his plauts were excellent specimens of cultivation. 



Omitting much of interest, I now moved on to the Pinetum and pleasure- 

 grounds, which are, after all, the grand features of the place, especially to those 

 who are admirers of Couiferse and hardy trees and shrubs. 



I had intended to compress within the limits of this paper the substance of 

 my notes, but find that enough matter remains to form the subject of another 

 communication. 

 Tortworth Court. Alexander Cramb. 



