294 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURR AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ April 4, 1872. 



in pots or planteil-ont in pits. I preter tlie pot?:, and nse a 

 rich loamy soil similar to that ach-ised by Mr. Abbey, but with- 

 out any bones, which are not at all necessary to success. 

 Three strong eren-sized plants are placed triangularly in a 

 well-drained 10-inch pot, and as each of the plants will yield two 

 dozen full-sized ripe pods of the large Long Red variety, a few 

 such pots will suffice for the requirements of a large establish- 

 ment, and will occupy less space than is often devoted to the 

 growth of numerous plants of this class in smaller pots with 

 less satisfactory results. 



The cultural details are of the simplest. The seedlings may 

 be raised, and the crop matured, in any glass structure in which 

 a Uvely temperature is maintained. Let them gain sufficient 

 size to show which are likely to become vigorous plants, select 

 these, and at once transplant them from the seed-pan to the 

 10-inch pot. As the plants gain siza afford them plenty of 

 head-room, syringe freely, giving abundant and constant sup- 

 plies of liquid manure, and the strong branching growth will 

 be laden with a fine and most satisfactory crop of pods. — 

 Edwabd LucKHunsT. 



NOTES OF A TOUB IN lEELAND.— No. 1. 



HaMWOOD, Co. KiLDAEE, THE SeAI OF 0. W. HAMILTON, EsQ. 



TiiEHE are few places in Ireland, or, indeed, elsewhere, I stands in the foremost rank in Ireland, as one of the most in- 

 more full of inteiest than Hamwood. Ulr. Hamilton's name | telligent a id practical of farmers. As agent and manager for 



tlie Duke of Leinster'ri pnijierty, and that of many' other 

 noblemen throughout the country, liis name and fame liad 

 become pretty well known to me ere I reached Hamwood. In 

 Mr. Hamilton we have a tine example of a true country gentle- 

 man enthusiastically devoted to a country Ufe, and all that 

 tends to make it cheerful, happy, and pleasant. How very 

 different is the aspect of gardening at Hamwood, where the 

 landlord is resident, and the moving spirit in all — the head 

 gardener, in short — to that which it presents at many noble 

 demesnes in this glorious country where the landlord is absent. 

 Hamwood is not one of the big places with a stately man- 

 sion and great ranges of glass houses. It is, however, replete 

 with objects of interest in a gardening point of view, which 

 many more pretending places do not possess. It is interesting 

 in its being experimental, :\fi'. Hamilton's great pleasure being 

 in testing the praeli.al.ility .if performing this or that, in 

 testing various mndcs ,,{ caiUivatiou, the different varieties 

 of plants, &c. Here, on the lawn as we enter, right in 

 front of the house, is a beautiful flower garden very tastefully 

 laid out, and effectively planted with most of the usual sub- 

 jects employed for this kind of work, such as scarlet Pelar' 

 goniums, one of the best scarlets being William Underwood ; 

 variegated Pelargoniums, Ageratums (very fine), Calceolaa-ias'' 

 and beautiful Iresine Herbstii. This is a plant which does 

 exceedingly well in Ireland, whilst of the Coleus Verschaffelti, 

 its conqueror here in England, scarcely one was to be seen. 



Some beds of a scroll pattern had a broad edging baud of biue 

 spar or tile in place of Lobelia, which against the grass had a 

 pretty effect. Many varieties of Pelargoniums and other 

 plants were here on trial, but these I need not now specially 

 mention. The situation of the flower garden is somewhat 

 exposed, about 300 feet above the sea level, great open grass 

 meadows stretching-out in front, sho-n-ing the most luxuriant 

 of pastures, and first-class farming. 



In a long avenue leading eastward from the house were 

 planted many species of Conifera'. The Pinus insignis in 

 their peculiar lively green were particularly noticeable. Of 

 these there were many examples of great size and beauty, 

 from 30 to 50 feet in height — perfect pyramids of the most 

 lovely green that can be conceived. Who could see tliis tree 

 and not admire it ? It is a great pity that in many districts 

 it gets killed by frost. Those at Hamwood have been planted 

 about twenty-five yeai's. The Cedars planted at the same time 

 were also growing in the greatest luxuriance and about 25 feet 

 high. Pinus monticola, very handsome, was about 30 feet. 

 Of Abies Menziesii, A. Nordmanniana, and Cupressus Law- 

 souiana there were also many fine examples, and in other 

 portions of the grounds fine specimens of Abies cephalonica and 

 Pai'sonsii ; Araucarias 20 feet high; Cryptomeria japonica, 

 very fine specimens ; Sequoia sempervireus, and others. A 

 novel feature in the avenue just mentioned, in a line in front 

 of the Coniferas, was produced by plants of the Bamboo and 



