234 



JOTTRNAIj of HORTICDLTITRE AND COTTAGE GAKDENER. 



[ September 22, 18«3. 



over the point which forms the junction of those imme- 

 diately below it ; and every additional tier which is raised 

 must be kept 3 or 4 inches nearer the centre than the one 

 preceding it, so that when the whole stinictm-e is completed 

 an imaginary section of it would appear thus. In this 



"ft£^^ 



an-angement of the several tiers the plants will not come 

 dia-ectly over another, and the soil will not be washed down 

 irom the interstices by rain. If at the time of building the 

 rockwork the weather is dry, the soil about the plants must 

 be well soaked with water ; but tliis must be done by limited 

 supplies repeated several times, for if much water is poiu'ed 

 on at once, a portion of the soil will run down. To prevent 

 the action of di'encHng rains fi-om having the same effect, it 

 will be necessary to provide the winter covering at once. 

 A number of stout ash sticks must be driven into the ground 

 about 12 inches fi-om the bottom of the rockwork, and 

 attached by a good strong cord, so near one another that 

 they may form an open arching figure at the top, and so 

 placed that at any point they may be 12 or 18 inches clear 

 of the plants. A covering of oilcloth or common canvas 

 should be provided and kept in readiness to protect the 

 mound from heavy falls of rain until the soil has become 

 consolidated round the sides. This covering wiU also be 

 available diu-ing intense frost, when it must be carefully 

 laid over the whole frame of sticks and removed whenever 

 the weather is mUd and open. In eight or nine weeks the 

 pile will have become covered with strong health.y plants, 

 which, besides affording a continual supply, will form an 

 agreeable object both in summer and winter. It maj- be 

 urged that by this plan of growing Parsley the roots are 

 liable to become di-y in summer ; but in admitting the pro- 

 bability of such a cu-cumstance, we must bear in mind that 

 if the plants could be kept fr-om grooving too vigorously 

 diuing the summer months, they would be in the best con- 

 dition for preservation dming I'rost. Now the di-ought of a 

 hot summer would have the effect of retarding them, and 

 conserving their energy until the time when their growth 

 was most desirable. Besides, any extreme dj-yness coiUd 

 be very easily prevented by timely applications of water. 



A Dutch method of growing Parsley during winter is to 

 sow the seed in March, so that the plants may be vigorous 

 enough for removal by the end of September, when they 

 are planted in large pots, somewhat similar in form to 

 what is used in England for blanching Sea-kale, or, per- 

 haps, rather like the annexed figui-e. The vase is open 



wards. This vase may be made to any size, and as orna- 

 mental as taste may determine. — (P. F. Keie, Gurdencrs' 

 Ma^asinc of Botany.) 



KEELE HALL. 



at the top and perforated with lai-ge holes all round. In 

 September it is filled with soil, and the plants are inserted 

 in it at the holes, their stems and leaves being kept out- 



This delightful residence of Ralph Sneyd, Esq., is beauti- 

 fully situated on the brow of a hill, three mOes from Stoke 

 and five miles from Trentham. The whole neighboiu-hood 

 might be searched before finding a more suitable position 

 or one commanding richer and more varied views of the 

 STUTOunding landscape. And yet, notwithstanding its ele- 

 vation, so well is it sheltered and backed by timber, that 

 though so near to Stoke and its potteries, and witliin two 

 miles of Silverton and its mines, but for an occasional 

 streaky cloud in the cleai- atmosphere, interesting and pleas- 

 ing rather than othenvise (though giving some little idea 

 of huge chimnies which you cannot see), you might imagine- 

 yourself to be riiralising amid the wild grandeur of a rich 

 Ai'cadia. Of what may be denominated the principal ap- 

 proaches I cannot sjjeak, as I had the privilege of going 

 from Trentham : and after passing a rustic gate could not 

 help admiring what some years hence will be a splendid avenue 

 of Spanish Chestnuts, the gi-ound rising all the way to the 

 stables with a noble ai'chway for an entrance, and passing 

 through the square on to the mansion through a deep cut 

 in the red sandstone, of a superior sort of which sandstone- 

 the fine stables and the still superior mansion are chiefly 

 constructed. 



There is always a little difSoulty in settling on the best 

 mode of describing a place, so as to make it interesting to 

 the reader : but as the fame of Keele Hall consist s chiefly 

 in its horticultural productions so far as gardeners are con- 

 cerned, and as Mr. HiU's compact and very commodious 

 house abuts on the west side of the stables, the gardens 

 of utility being immediately in fi-ont of it, and as to these our 

 attention was fii'st du'eeted, we v/ill just take our readers 

 along the pathways we traversed. We may observe that 

 the front of the house showed the presiding genius of Mrs. 

 Hill in a few beautiful flower-beds, in one or two of which, 

 as in a post of honour, was planted a pretty seedling Ver- 

 bena of a rich crimson magenta colour, which, we think, fi-om 

 its dense habit deserves to be better known ; and this- 

 again was flanked on a higher level by masses of Picotees, 

 Carnations, and Cloves, some wliite seedlings of the latter 

 being very fine. However enthusiastic a gardener may be, 

 it is a sad di-awback to Mm if there is no sympathy as to 

 his favourite pm-suits between him and his partner at home. 

 You may always reckon surely on that sympathy where you 

 see good plants or boxes in the windows and elegant flower- 

 beds near the dooi-way. From what little I saw of the 

 midland counties, owing to the incessant rains, I covdd onlji 

 come to the conclusion that the gardeners in that district 

 are highly favoured in this respect, and to it no doubt owe 

 no little part of theh- great success. 



The soil of the kitchen gardens, lower and upper, is com- 

 posed of a rich stiffish red loam resting on the red sand- 

 stone. From the slope of the gardens we could scarcely 

 suppose it possible to suffer from wet in a moist dripping 

 season ; whilst the depth of the soO and the cool sandstone 

 beneath prevented anything suffering fr-om such dry seasons 

 as the present, as was amply evidenced in the liea\'j' crops 

 of Onions, Carrots, Cauliflower, and some of the finest late 

 Peas I ever witnessed in the end of August. This lower 

 garden is surrounded by a -n-aU 12 feet in height. On the 

 south aspect is a Peach-w.all looking well ; but Mr. HiU 

 complained tiiat unless in fine seasons they did noil ripen 

 kindly. There were iron rods fi-om the top of the wall to 

 3 feet or so on the border, and they stand through the season 

 for supporting the canvas used for protection ; but Mr. 

 HiU well said that a covering of glass for a quarter of the 

 space would secure on an average more good fruit for the 

 table. The south-west wall is occupied by Pear trees in a 

 state of great fertUity and lururiance, and by grafting several 

 sorts on some trees a good supply is afforded fi-om August 

 to April, beginning with Citron des Carmes and Jargonelle, 

 and ending with Easter BeuiTc and Beum- Ranee. In May, 

 1858, Ml-. HUl had a certificate fi-om the London Hortionl- 

 tui-al Society for fine fruit of the latter. In general the 



