34G 



JOUBNAL OF HORTICDLTUEE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



( November 7, 1867. 



path by ourselves, and there wait awhile. The reason is soon 

 clear, for at our feet is the bed of a brook nearly dry, while above, 

 half hidden by foliage, is a waterfall minus the water. Some 

 distance from the top of the hill we see broken rocks arranged to 

 meet and divide the falling waters, the rocks covered with damp, 

 draggling, sea-green-like weeds. Soon Mr. Spencer lets ofi' the 

 water from the lake. Down it comes, forcing its way through 

 various subterranean passages, and tumbling headlong, broken, 

 and broken again by the irregular masses of stone. I thought 

 of Southey's line — 



" How does the water come down at Lodore ?" 

 This cascade, so well arranged, and having so great and deep a 

 fall of water, has a very pleasing effect, and a useful purpose, 

 as it carries oil the surplus water of the lake into the Avon. 



On we must go ; so lingeringly we part company with the 

 cascade and stroll on, turning every now and then to take 

 another look, the last being a distant one through a vale of 

 Cedars, and, seen through the dark branches, the falling water 

 looked like a sheet of silver. Passing on up the lawn, with 

 the lake to our left, we presently reach the house, stroll past 

 the left wing, and stand on the steps of the grand entrance of 

 the chief part of the building — that erected by Adams in the 

 time of John, Earl Shelburne, grandfather of the Lord Lans- 

 downe. Going on farther we reach what is most interesting 

 in a horticultural light — namely, the left wing, for within the 

 square formed by three sides of the building, the centre of the 

 house being one side, is the Italian garden laid out some years 

 since by Mr. Spencer. The contrast is very pleasing from an 

 English park to, so it seems, the quiet, trim, but by no means 

 tame beauty of a garden of some old Italian noble. I feel that 

 I ought to have a copy of Dante in my hand, or a volume of 

 the sonnets of Petrarch. 



We ascend a terrace to reach the upper garden. There 

 standing and turning round I notice two special beauties, and 

 each arising from a simple cause. The wood on the further or 

 hill side of the lake has been in different places cleared away, 

 giving large patches of green turf, which relieve the eye and 

 let in the distant downs. The other beauty is close to me. 

 Up the high wall of the centre portion of the building is a Vir- 

 ginian Creeper growing mingled with Wistaria. The clear 

 green leaf of the latter growing among the rich-coloured leaves 

 of the former takes off their almost painful richness of hue. 



Crossing the upper garden we enter the orangery, a place 

 not often seen now-a-days, and which forms the whole back of 

 the square, and taking a peep through the glass door at the 

 chapel we enter the house, for by my good host's kindness I 

 am to see the far-famed pictures. — Wiltshire Eectoe. 

 (To bo continued.) 



DEPTH OF PLANTING KOSES. 



In reference to Mr. Eadclyffe's remarks on this subject at 

 page 3B1, will you allow me to record a fact which tends to 

 show that deep planting is not always fatal to the Rose on the 

 Briar? About eight years ago a standard Rose (on the Briar), 

 about .5 feet high, was planted in a garden in the usual way — 

 namely, about 4 to 6 inches deep. It grew very little for several 

 years — in fact, I thought at one time it would die outright. 



About three years ago, however, I determinedto make a raised 

 bed on the spot where this Rose stood. That bed, about 3 feet 

 high, the base being about feet, and the top about 3 feet in 

 diameter, was made, leaving this Rose in the centre. The first 

 year after this was done, the Rose improved, the next it grew 

 better still, and this, the third year, it has made some strong 

 wood, and is evidently on the high road to become a very strong, 

 robust plant. It is a Hybrid Perpetual, a very old variety, 

 somewhat like Jules Margottin in shape, but not so bright in 

 colour. How is this singular fact to be accounted for ? — ]?. 



[We should think that your soil is light, and that the great 

 depth of it kept more moisture about the roots of the Rose. If 

 the roots of the Rose had remained near the surface, and been 

 well manured, mulched, and watered, the shrub would have 

 flourished still better.] 



IiAEOE Peab. — I have this year gathered a perfect specimen 

 of fruit from a pyramidal tree of Marechal de la Cour grown in 

 a_ pot in my orchard-house. It weighed 2:! ozs. ! and was quite 

 ripe, the flesh being very tender and melting, richly flavoured, 

 and with a fine perfume. I have also had some fine fruit 

 flOIU Gansel's Seckle, a most deUcious Pear, which is double 



the size of the ordinary Seckle ; the fruit obovate, the skin 

 yellowish brown, smooth, and shining. It is handsome-look- 

 ing, and delicate and perfect in flavour. No collection is 

 complete without this excellent Pear. — Wm. Newton, Newark- 

 on-Trent. 



RESULTS OF PLANTING POTATOES LATE. 



I ENCLOSE an account of a simple experiment with two Pota- 

 toes. Being aware that much has been said and written about 

 the early planting of Potatoes, I had often wondered whether 

 the experiment had been tried as to how late Potatoes could 

 be planted, and with what result. I can vouch for the correct- 

 ness of the account of the experiment herewith sent, and I 

 have been very cautious in observing from day to day whether 

 any symptoms of disease were exhibited, but no such symp- 

 toms ever appeared. 



It was almost an accident that caused me to plant the two 

 shrivelled and apparently worthless tubers at all. Being in 

 the habit of going to the soft-water tap frequently, I observed 

 the two old Potatoes lying on a ledge near the lavatory. I 

 wondered if they were put in straightway whether they would 

 come to anything or make new tubers (or any at all), before 

 the frosts came. I put them in the earth at once (July 24th), 

 and if I am spared till another summer I shall certainly try a 

 few rows of Potatoes planted late, say from June 19th to 

 July lyth, not later, as the early frosts in October undoubtedly 

 stopped the growth of the two I planted this season. 



The question that occurs to me is, How was it that these 

 two Potatoes, planted at such a late period of the season, es- 

 caped the disease when the complaints are almost universal as 

 to the havoc which the disease was and is making ? 



I am quite inclined to think that the mysterious Potato blight 

 appears at or very nearly at the same time every year ; and I 

 further believe, as a rule, the haulm of the Potato is not 

 visibly affected until the tubers have attained a considerable 

 size. Peculiar conditions of the atmosphere, we are told by 

 the faculty, produce particular diseases in the human family ; 

 and supposing there is a peculiar condition of the atmosphere 

 — something mysterious and entirely undetected — producing 

 the Potato disease at a certain period every year, or as near 

 as may be, the experiment I have recorded leads me to believe 

 that if the plant is in an early and vigorous state of growth at 

 the particular time of the year (August), when the disease 

 usually appears, it may so happen that at this particular period 

 of its growth it may not be so liable to be attacked by the 

 disease as when more fully matured. I do not assert that this 

 is so ; but I think it would be well it experiments were made 

 next season to try whether very late planting, as well as early 

 planting, is effectual to resist the disease. — E. Shepheaed, 

 Kiqiton, liurjhij. 



July 24th, 1867. — Planted in my garden, without manure, 

 but in soil of medium richness, two Fluke Potatoes, one of 

 ordinary size, the other a small weak " set." The plants grew 

 rapidly, and were kept well earthed-up. October 30th they 

 were dug up. From the larger set there were thirteen tubers. 

 Eight of these would do very well for the table, ten would 

 make good sets for planting, and three would be too small for 

 use ; weight, after cleaning, 1 lb. The small weak set pro- 

 duced five tubers. Three of these would make sets for plant- 

 ing, and two were too small for use ; weight, quarter of a pound. 

 All the tubers were free from disease, sound, and healthy. 

 Seven weeks from the time of planting to the blossoming of 

 the larger Fluke. The early frosts of October affected the 

 haulm, but the weakest set much more than the strongest. — E. S 



PROLONGED HORTICULTURAL SHOWS. 



Just a few lines in reply to your correspondent, who seems 

 to doubt the accuracy of my statement respecting the Royal 

 Botanic and Horticultural Societies. I can only say that I 

 should not have made the assertion if I had not been well ac- 

 qainted with the affairs of both institutions. 



" An ExniniTOR " asks me how I account for the satisfactory 

 financial state of the York, Leeds, and Glasgow Societies? To 

 which I reply, that there is no analogy between the Societies 

 ho names, and say the Royal Botanic, Horticultural, Man- 

 chester, Birmingham, and others that might be named, inas- 

 much as the former hold their shows in a field or room, and 

 there is an end to the connection with horticulture ; but the 

 latter have gardens to keep up, and, of course, have to dis- 



