July 14, 1863. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AiJD COTTAGE GARDENER. 



29 



ing called the Temple of Piety. Inside of this is a mural 

 basso-relievo of the Roman female nomishing her captive 

 father from her breast. 



The view here is confined to the valley yet possessed of 

 much peculiai- beauty, but the scene suddenly changes. I 

 passed up a steep path in the wood, but just stopped to 

 make a note of an old Yew that is fast decaying and said to 

 be 700 yeai-s old. It is only some 5 feet round, and how it 

 came to be 700 yeai-s old withovit attaining the majestic pro- 

 portions of its neighbours seems curious. Passing through 

 a short subteiTanean passage partly hewn through rock 

 the octagon tower is soon reached, and fi-om it we have a 

 view of the objects so recently vLsited ; but seeing them 

 again from another and distant point does not give the 

 .-lameness one might expect. 



Studley HaU to the north is seen fi-om here ; and in the 

 opposite du-ection How HiU, with a mimic tower begirt with 

 shade, is a conspicuous and interesting object. Leaving the 

 octagon tower I passed a long but purposeless avenue of 

 Beech trees, in no way improved by the sombre hues of Firs, 

 which give an air of solemnity not desirable in pleasure 

 grounds. I always deprecate avenvies formed of deciduous 

 trees and evergreens intermixed. Evergreens are formal, 

 lack gracefulness, and though noble-looking, are seldom 

 majestic ; and such mixed avenues are less harmonious 

 than those composed exclusively of deciduous trees. Co- 

 nifers contrast best with formal landscape work, as in 

 gardens where oriental fashions predominate, and they are 

 more adapted to back-uj) and relieve statuai-y and the 

 dazzling Italian or geometrical flower parterres than to 

 plant with deciduous trees in avenues or groups. Cedars 

 are well enough for an avenue leading to a mausoleum, but 

 in a richly wooded district they are too formal. They are 

 more fitted for a hill top or a mountain side than to plant 

 in right lines. Pursuing the ample path I was delighted 

 with an aisle of Beech trees ; but an opening between Yew 

 trees to the left showed an obelisk in the centre of the 

 opening, whereas, to please me more, it ought to be at the 

 end most distant from the eye. 



Through an opening towards the park a view is obtained 

 of Monkenshaw Lodge, and the Roman Monument high 

 alx)ve the SkeU. 



A little farther on. turning to the right, a pillared pavilion 

 dedicated to Fame is reached, and on all sides but one 

 entered with difSculty. I cannot forbear protesting against 

 visitors defacing the pillars by writing theii' names in pencil, 

 and I hope such offending parties will some day be exjjosed. 



I noticed as I walked along the Sabine Rose (Rosa Sabini) 

 in flower, but whether indigenous or not I could not ascer- 

 tain ; and among wild plants I did not see any rarities, nor, 

 excepting Polystichum aculeatimi, any qviantity of the Fern 

 tribe. Asplenium fontanum was formerly very plentifial. 

 The path is next among noble Oaks, and, though very closely 

 planted, occasional glimpses of the vaUey ei'eate a longing 

 after that noted Fountains Vale. 



Arrived at Anne Boleyn's Seat, fatigue is forgotten as 

 soon as the doors in front are thrown open. The prospect 

 that then without warning bursts upon the eye of the spec- 

 tator is beyond the powei-s of pen or pencil to convey. It 

 must be seen to be appreciated, for it sm-passes everything 

 I ever before looked upon, and is lovely beyond comparison. 

 In front are the ruins of Fountains Abbey, desolate but 

 beautifnl. The view is bounded on one side by limestone 

 rocks and wood-covered hills, and on the other by a lofty 

 wooded hiU, and a brook gliding gently from the ruins 

 thi-ough a gTeen meadow to a lake that seems to wash the 

 base of the peninsida on which the spectator stands. 



Near to the ruins, on a neighboiu'ing hill , are some Yew 

 trees, under which the monks resided while the monastery 

 was building. So says tradition. Their original number 

 was seven, but theii' number is now reduced. Presuming 

 the abbey to have been built in the twelfth century, these 

 trees — taking into consideration the time that must elapse 

 before they would be of sufficient size to afford shelter for 

 the monks — cannot be less than a thousand years ago. After 

 a stroU around and inside the abbey ruins, said originally 

 to have covered twelve acres, I continued my route on to 

 the Echo under the rocks, and re-entered the grounds by the 

 rustic lodge. 



I cannot quit this sylvan paradise — coeval with the works 



of Kent and Brown, whose offers were often declined by 

 W. Aislabie, Esq., who equally with his father had a good 

 knowledge of landscape gardening — without expressing my 

 regret at having so little time, and apologising for the desul- 

 tory description given. Being my maiden description I ask 

 for a little leniency fi'om the sledge-hammer critics, though 

 I am about to propose a few alterations. 



I would suggest a copious thinning in some parts of the 

 grounds, and planting in others. Some of the views require 

 opening-out, and others are too wide fr'om the point of 

 vision. A judicious planting of the newer kinds of deciduous 

 and evergreen trees and shnibs would add much to the 

 beauty of the place, for the monotony of the vegetation, 

 principally such as is indigenous to the locality, gives a 

 sameness to most of the views. I regret they are not there 

 already, for, judging from the few there are, the soil and 

 climate appear uncommonly well suited to their growth : but 

 I feel sure alteration may safely be left to the present owner 

 of the grounds. 



In journeying up the hill through the park I came to an 

 obelisk, the view fi-om which along an avenue mostly of 

 Limes is very effective. Ripon Minster, at a distance of two 

 miles from the entrance to the park, appears to stand at the 

 end of the avenue, and beyond its towers a fine Wew of the 

 open country is affox-ded. The avenue is about a mile in 

 length, and somewhat broken in places ; but still, whether 

 looking towards the obelisk fi-om the entrance gates or fi-om 

 it towards Ripon Minster, the effect is strikingly beautiful. 



The trees in the park are some of them of large propor- 

 tions. The Oaks are magnificent ; one was 32 feet in circum- 

 ference above the roots, and many were more than 30 feet 

 round. — 6. A. 



{To he cmitinued,) 



CATEEPILLAE-EATING BIRDS. 



Having read with interest Mr. Robson's opinions on smaU 

 birds, I venture to offer a few words on what I have noticed 

 on the subject, as during the past season I have frequently 

 watched the Black Cap (Cm-i-uca atricapiUa), the blue Tit- 

 mouse (Pai-us coeraleus), and the Chaffiiich (FringiHa 

 coelebs) ; and I saw the two former feed their young ones 

 chiefly with caterpUlars, especially the Titmouse, 4£e old 

 birds taking two and even three at once. I have not seen 

 Chaffinches feed theh- young with catei-pillars, but I have 

 seen them pick them off the trees by scores. 



I will not attempt to speak of the harm all kinds of birds 

 do ; but I think there is not one that does not do some 

 small amount of good at different seasons — for instance, 

 the Blackbu-d and Song Thrush, inveterate enemies to nearly 

 all kinds of iruit as they are ; and I am inclined to say a 

 word in their favour. 



A nest with four young ones was taken from a ti'ee, put in 

 a cage and replaced for the old ones to feed, which they did, 

 with what I cannot say; but I have found in the cage 

 caterpillars that were dropped in feeding the yoimg. What 

 I have stated I have been eye-witness to, and I have no 

 doubt that some of the craft that have had more experience 

 and feel interested can give more light on the subject. — 

 S. Rogers. 



HOW THEY LIVE AND LEAEF IN THE 



NOETH. 

 Manchester Field Naturalist Society's Bxcubsion to 

 Hardcastle Crags. — On the 27th ult. about sixty members 

 of the Manchester Field Naturalist Society visited Hard- 

 castle Crags. Having g-iven an invitation to the Tormorden 

 Botanical Society, they were accompanied by about twenty- 

 five of the members, and by an equal number from the 

 Huddersfield Philosophical Society. The latter were mostly 

 geologists and entomologists. The Manchestei- and Tod- 

 morden parties arrived at Hebden Bridge at half-past 1 p.m., 

 and went to the White Horse Hotel, where many took lunch. 

 They then started for " the Crags." two-thirds of the com- 

 pany consisting of ladies — among whom was Mrs. Hugh 

 Stowell, who had the vascuhim strapped on her shoulders in 

 true British style ; Canon Hanson (her brother) was also 

 one of the party. While on their way up the vaHey, its 



