128 



JOnaNAL OF HOBTICULTTJEE Ai(D COTTAGE GABDENER. 



[ Aaeust 18, 1863. 



various other Ijeddiug plants were used and capitally com- 

 bined ; but at the same time, from what I have seen of 

 bedding-out this season, especially at Linton Pai'k under 

 the able management of Mr. Robson, I am inclined to think 

 that greater efl'ect can be produced by fewer things and 

 with more decided colouring. But of this more at some 

 other time. 



Thebeauty of this Castle parterre did not. however, prevent 

 one from enjo.ying the splendid prospect that meets one's 

 eye from the summit of the keep. In the foreground was 

 the clean and well-ordered town of Farnham, and ai'ound 

 it those beautiful Hop gToands ibr which it is especially 

 famous ; while fai- away the eye rested on the hills of Surrey 

 and the downs of Susse.\. aftbrding one of those rich and 

 beautiful scenes for which the South of England is so 

 famous : and in the stiU eaa-ly morning, -with the bright 

 sunlight of this most lovely summer, the view was especially 

 enchanting. 



Opposite the drawing-room window is a geometric grass 

 garden, composed entirety of Pelargoniums, and it is remark- 

 able how many tints from both foHage and flowers can be 

 obtained in tliis class alone. The gi-ass itself is beautifuDy 

 kept, and mown with the scythe. The Bishop's reply on 

 its being remarked to him that he did not use a lawn-mower 

 was eminently characteristic. "The men like the scythe 

 better." It was no question of comparative merit, but theii- 

 likings. Amongst the gold-leaved varieties, Mrs. Milford, 

 wliich was raised here, is largely used. I do not know 

 whether the present season is unfavom-able for the growth 

 of such varieties, but I have noticed that not only it, but 

 Golden Fleece, Cloth of Gold, &c., have done badly, the 

 lower leaves scorching up, and the plants making but little 

 progress. Christine, Bijou, Golden Chain, and other well- 

 known varieties make up the various shades required. 



The greenhouse, stove. Pine-pits, &o., are situated at the 

 upper end of the moat, somewhat in the rear of the Castle, 

 and, as might well be imagined, fi-om the Bishop's well- 

 known taste for and love of Orchids, ai-e fiLled with rare and 

 choice species. One house, which was full of flowering j>lants 

 of various kinds, might well be called the Fuchsia-house. 

 The rafters were covei-ed with fine plants of this very 

 gi-aceful flower, and instead of their being allowed to ramble 

 over the whole of the roof, they wore confined to the rafters 

 alone; thus forming a dense mass of foliage and bloom. 

 Fuchsias of the bestand newest kinds.florists' varieties, white- 

 coroUaed and double, were intermingled with well-gro\vn 

 plants of Achimenes, Gloxinias, Gesneras, Amaranths, &e. 

 Among the Gesneras I noticed one, sent out, I believe, by 

 Mr. Bull — refulgens, very beautiful, better than cinnabarina, 

 and an admh'able plant for table decoration, the play of 

 light on the brilliant crimson h.aLrs, which so tliickly stud 

 the plant, making it an object of gi-eat interest. I think 

 that oftentimes a great mistake is made in selecting plants 

 for this purpose ; the object ought to be to select such as 

 form a striking contrast to the white tablecloth. Thus 

 vai-iegated leaves or light-coloured flowers will not do. 

 Such plants as this or Coleus Vershafl'elti, or the gi-aceful 

 Adiantum cuneatum, are the most suitable. 



Nothing could be in finer health than the Orchids, and, of 

 course, all the varieties and species worth growing were 

 here. But I could evidently see that the greatest interest 

 was felt, and naturally too, in some which had been sent to 

 the Bishop by Mr. Tupper, of Albury, who received them 

 from Eio Janeiro, and amongst them were apparently some 

 hitherto unknown species. Can we wonder that in looking on 

 the growing masses of Oncidiums, Zygopetalums, and Max- 

 Olarias, something more than mere curiosity should be felt 

 as to what they might prove to be ? Amongst other things I 

 pai'ticiUarly noticed were Cxrobya Amherstite and the cmlous 

 Fernandezia lunifera, and, for those who delight in hanging- 

 baskets, what was to me quite a novelty — it may be well- 

 known to others, although the intelligent gardener. Mi-. 

 Lawrence, evidently thought not. It is c;illed Coccocypselum 

 discolor, in growth not unlike a Tradescantia, but bearing 

 a number of bright ultramarine blue berries which continue 

 a long time upon the plant. The Globe Amaranth was also 

 mentioned as a desirable basket flower. 



The Pines were in excellent order, both fi'uiting and suc- 

 cession, the greater portion of them being, as I generally 

 find. Queens, with occasionally a Cayenne. 



I had not an opportunity of visiting the kitchen gardes, 

 which is about a mUe distant from the Castle, but I have n» 

 doubt it coiTesponded with the excellent management of the 

 flower garden. I wish very much that I could convey a 

 more accurate notion of the very beautiliil and unique, 

 character of this episcopal residence, whose well-tended 

 gai'den and carefully ordered grounds are, I beUeve, a con-ect 

 type of the care and order that reign over that more ex- 

 tended and more important garden, over which for five and 

 tliii-ty years Bishop Sumner has presided, a true chief pastor 

 of the Church of Christ. — D., Deal. 



AMAE.-INTHUS MELANCHOLTCFS — MIMUXtTS 

 CUPEEUS— GOLDEN-LEAVED GERANIUM. 



1. Can Amaranthus melancholicus be preserved for next 

 year by being taken up and kept over the winter in the 

 gi-eenliouse ? If so, may the plants be put thickly in ths 

 pots ? and should they be kept dry or moist ? 



2. Mimulus cuprous, after making a brUliant bed for about 

 three weeks, is now with me out of bloom. I understood thai 

 it kept the whole season. If I were to cut oft' the seed-pods, 

 and manure it with tank water, would it blow again 'f 



3. I send leaves of two kinds of golden-leaved Geraniums, 

 as you desired some little time ago. The kind marked 

 No. 1 is what I received two years ago from Mr. Scott, of 

 Crewkerne, as Golden Ch.ain, and some experienced gardeners 

 in the neighbourhood say it is true to name, while others 

 say it is not, and that the variety mai'ked No. 2 is the trua 

 Golden Chain. Which are correct.' And if No. 1 is nok 

 Golden Chain, what sort is it ? It is not Golden Fleeoe,- 

 sui-ely, as that latter has a leaf very like Tom Thumb ia 

 shape, and with only the least little speck of green in the 

 centre of the leaf. Eeiue d'Or, which I obtained this yeai', 

 is a most worthless vailety. It has only the narrowesV 

 thread of yellow edging. I should add that No. 1 and No. 2 

 have exactly the same kind of flower, but quite distinct 

 habits of growth. The accounts given by different nursery- 

 men of Golden Fleece and Cloth of Gold are most conflicting. 

 Many of them state that Cloth of Gold has a deeij crimson 

 blossom. 'What I have as Cloth of Gold has a deeji scarlet 

 blossom. Golden Fleece has not yet blown with me. — Q. Q. 



[1. "We do not think you will succeed in keeping plant* 

 now in the ground of Amai'anthus melanchoUcus over th* 

 vjinter by taking them up and keeping them in a common 

 greenliouse. Though we have not tried it, we presume yon 

 would require a house between a hot stove and a cool green- 

 house — that is, a temperature averaging from 50° to 60°, 

 and the plants to be kept aii-y and not too wet, to prevent 

 damping-oft'. The trouble and risk, in oui' oj)inion, would 

 be too gTeat to be advisable, more especially as by sowing 

 seed in a hotbed in February or March the plants may ba 

 grown to a good size before planting-out time. We h.ave not 

 succeeded to our mind with it, but the coloiu- is much richer 

 out of doors, and so soft and pleasing, that we mean to try 

 it more largely next year ; but we will gi'ow the plants to a 

 good size, and not turn-out until some time in J une when 

 the gTOund is wanu. 



2. Like most Mi'iniliisps, riipreus delights in moisture. 

 If you had tliinned the beds and removed the seed-pods th« 

 plants would have continued to flower. By youi- proposed 

 plan we expect you will have a fine autumn display. 



3. Though you had packed them nicely, yet, unfortu- 

 nately, the leaves of Nos. 1 and 2 Geraniums were mixed, 

 but they are easily separated. The two leaves with th* 

 deep irregular yellow mai'gin are exactly the same as small 

 leaves of our Golden Chain, which we have grown ever sine* 

 it was brought into notice by Mr. Beaton. The other with 

 the thin edging of yellow — but for your statement that the 

 habits are difl'orent— we would also pronounce to be Golden 

 Chain, as we could easil.y pick leaves from the true Golden 

 Chain closely resembling it, though that with the deeper 

 yellow is the better type of the two. We also grew a variety 

 closely resembling the kind with the thin yellow edge, 

 called Golden Edge, much more robust in habit than Golden 

 Chain, and another sort called Golden Circle, of medium 

 strength between Golden Edge and Golden Chain ; but none 

 worth keeping, except for mere variety. But for the dit- 

 ference of habit of which you speak, iiom the leaves alone 



