November 7, 1867. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER, 



346 



the absence L-om the soil of aomething essential to the health 

 of the plant. 



In support of the latter viev, it has been stated that double 

 flowers and vuriegatcd leaves cannot co-exist on the same plant, 

 the latter being indicative of weakness, the former of over- 

 luxuriance ; but this ia not strictly correct, for although the 

 combinatinn is not frequent, yet double or semi-double flowers 

 are sometimes found along with variegated leaves, as in the 

 Auonba-leaved Daisy, the blotched-leaved Dahlia, ChrjBatithe- 

 mum Sensation, and pcisibly in many more plants. 



The causes which induce that peculiar arrangement of the 

 particles composing the variegated parts of loaves, and the 

 laws which regulate the action of li;;ht upon these particles, 

 thereby investiug them with various colours, can only be dis- 

 covered by penetrating far into the paths of chemistry and 

 optics, regions into which we gardeners have neither time nor 

 call to wander ; yet I know that many are nursing the miserable 

 little hope of being one day able to produce variegation at will : 

 henoe, the doctoring of plants with chemicals, the maltreating 

 of embryo buds, and other experiments we sometimes hear of; 

 and little surprise need be felt if somebody's " Variegator " 

 " to bo introduced into the sap in autumn," should turn up 

 among other business advertisements in the newspapers some 

 day soon. 



A Mrs. Pollock Pelargonium or some of Mr. Wills's beautiful 

 gems are all very well, but I hope the day is far distant when 

 any oue will be able to conjure up a piebald duplicate of each 

 of our favourite flowers. It is bad enough that our native 

 Ferns are almost swamped by an inundation of distorted mon- 

 strosities, neither interesting nor ornamental, without seeking 

 further to coax Nature out of her legitimate paths for no end. 

 The variegated plonts we already have are amplj' sufficient for 

 all our bedding wants, they have already lost the charm of 

 novelty, and every additional plant placed on the list, unless 

 something very striking, only tends ijy so much to make them 

 the more uninteresting. — AvusniuE Gardexer. 



AN OCTOBEU AFTERNOON AT BOWOOD. "WILTS. 



TUE SEAT OP THE MARQUIS OF LANSDOWNE. 



Some people who have watched the weather for many years 

 say that as a rule there are twenty-one fine days in October. 

 Others declare that St. Luke, whose day is the 18th, has always 

 his little summer. Be these remarks correct or bo they not, 

 they encourngo our hopes of fine days in October ; and this is 

 certain, that dearly we enjoy a bright autumn day. The blood 

 is warmed and the earth warmed by the summer's suns ; and 

 although spring has indeed hope to gild it, autumn has the 

 recollections of the past, which throw upon it lays of glory. 

 Then, again, wo know winter is comin;;, and we all feel deter- 

 mined, and rightly so, to enjoy the present beauty' as much as 

 possible. Surely, too, in regard to all piiri' pleasures (we must 

 be quite sati:<fied on this point), the best thing is to enjoy 

 them to the full, to throw the whole heart into them, and let 

 our whole capacity for enjoyment be awakened and ready for 

 gratification. Whatever we do we should do heartily and with 

 all our might. It is wonderful to note the capability of enjoy- 

 ment which we all possess, and people who seem only to permit 

 themselves to be happy under protest surely err greatly. 



Anxiously had I watched the weather as the 17th of October 

 drew near ; for on that day I had been kindly invited by Mr. 

 Spencer, for many years head gardener at Bowood, and now 

 steward to the present, as he has been to the late Lord Lans- 

 downe, to spend a few hours with him ; for though advanced 

 to high office, Mr. Spencer yet lingers after his first love, and 

 clings fondly to the pursuit in which he first won honour and 

 fame. Still in the midst of his business he each week finds a 

 leisure half hour in which to fondle the leaves of " our Journal." 



On the morning of the 17th came heavy rain — a fierce down- 

 pour, destined happily to clear the skies for the day, and leave 

 the landscape sharp and bright to view. Now, you who wish 

 to haw a day's sightseeing, oue word to you — Never go alone. 

 Cowper says even of solitude — 



" T«a wjint a friend in yoar retrcnt 

 To whom to whisitcr— Solitude i^ sweet." 



Much more do you want a friend on a, day's excursion to whom 

 to say, " Look at that tree, or that wood, or that prospect!" 

 and when returning to touch his elbow, with the words, " Haven't 

 we enjoyed ourselves ?" Now, I had with me a friend of friends 

 for such a day, i> dear lover of horticalture, a great rosarian — 

 I boLiovo he wouii know ono Rose from another even in the 



dark ; and as to fruit trees, I do not donbt he thinks an orchaid- 

 house the best kind of house in the world. I should not 

 wonder if he took to living in one ; and even if he did he would 

 be quite safe, for though in a glass house he would not throw 

 stones, he is far too kindly to do that. 



In regard to Bowood, I have always felt, as a literature-loving 

 man, that it not only had, in common with most other noble- 

 men's seats, nature treasures and art treasures, bnt, in addition, 

 most interesting associations connected with it. The great 

 statesman Lord Lansdowne, the good grey head which only a 

 few years since we all in North Wilts knew bo well, had during 

 his long life delighted to draw around him poets, painters, 

 singers, sculptors — in short, every one in any way eminent in 

 art or literature. Bowles, the gentle and eccentric poet, wag 

 near Bowood, at BremhiU ; Tommy Moore still nearer, at Slo- 

 perton ; while Macaulay sat for the borongh of Calne. Hence 

 Bowood is not only indelibly connected with the great Lord 

 Lansdowne, but al.so with those whom he delighted to gather 

 near him or under his roof. Fox early foresaw the distin- 

 guished abilities of this nobleman ; for in 1802, jnst after his 

 (Fox's) return from Paris on his memorable visit to Buonaparte, 

 then First Consul, he writes, " Never did I see a young man 

 I liked half so much as Lord Henry Petty. Whatever disap- 

 pointments his father may have had in public life, and in a 

 still more sensible kind in his eldest son, he must be very 

 unreasonable if lie does not consider them all compensated in 

 Lord Henry." This highly-spoken-of young man became the 

 trusted friend of his Sovereign, and the father and guide of the 

 House of Lords. 



But while thinking of these things, and talking to my Rose 

 and orchard-house-loving friend, a turn and a sharp pull bring 

 us to Mr. Spencer's house. We are in good time, and bo 

 wander round the garden until our host and luncheon arrive. 

 A pretty creeper-clad house it is, placed on a little knoll. The 

 view from the garden is charming, as the country around ia so 

 diversified — little hill and little valley, then through openings 

 other little hills and valleys, and through one opening is seen 

 the square tower of Calne church. Soon comes our host with 

 a warm welcoming English grasp of the hand. Luncheon dis- 

 patched, and many Bowood Muscats dispatched as well, the 

 time for walking comes. First we look into Mr. Spencer's own 

 pet house of Zonal Pelargoniums and admire many, while we 

 wonder how the seedlings will turn out. Then on past Lady 

 Lansdowne's school, where the children are in full joyous play, 

 afternoon school having not yet begun. A little farther, and 

 wo come to a closed gate, to which the steward's key says, 

 " Open, sesame." Straight forward through fine timber grow- 

 ing out of the smooth lawn, and by a turn to the right we come 

 to the head of the lake, one of tlie finest features in Bowood 

 Park. Standing near a Grecian summer-house I survey the 

 scene. The lake in its length lies before us— not its full length, 

 for at no point can that be seen, and it reminded me of one of 

 the reaches of UUswater. Tiio water was lit up by the sun- 

 fhino ; the sunbeams striking it along the centre made a hne of 

 liquid silver. There I first entered into the meaning of Ten- 

 nyson's words — 



" The long light shakes across the lakes." 

 The breeze was fresh, so the groups of wild fowl were tossing 

 like little navies. Truly the view before me was wonderfully 

 beautiful. The lake is artificial, doubtless, bnt its art is so 

 like nature that it seems artless. On the left edge of the water 

 is a line of richly, and in some places heavily, wooded hills ; 

 one spur, dense and dark, comes down crag-like into the water, 

 and almost cuts the lake in two. On the right edge of the 

 water is the long lawn planted with choice trees of well-oon- 

 trasting foliage ; whilo far to the right on a gentle rise stands 

 the house, which, seen at this point, looks imposing from ita 

 length. Think of this view, not only lit np by a bright sun- 

 shine, but this early in October, when 



" Autumn's hand of tire has passed among the leaves.'* 

 Bnt not yet can it be said that 



" The rotting woodland ilrips, and the leaf Ifl stamp'd in day.** 

 Oh, the glorious autumnal tint^ of the trees before me ! The 

 bright golden leaf of the Elm, the very life of an antomn scene ; 

 the russet of the Beech, and the rich brown of the Oak, and 

 the yellow brown (another colour quite), of the Horse Chestnnt 1 

 while amidst these deciduous trees were the dark green of the 

 Cedars, and Pines of every shade of green, each beantiful, bat 

 more beautiful standing together. Well, I mast leave this, lor 

 there is much to see. 



Back again a httle way, and we are directed to go down a dark 



