Jttaa 7, 1877. ] 



JOUBNAL OP HOBTIOULTDBE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEB. 



425 



Near the entrance to the mansion there is a spaoiona oorridor 

 140 feet long, which opens into other houaea. It has a fine 

 ornamental exterior, and internally it is iitted no with great 

 elegance. The promenade is famished with Minton tiles, 

 and along each side there are recesses for flonrering and 

 foliage plants. Here are fine specimens of Aralia Sieboldi, 

 Begonias of the tuberous-rooted section, the best being Vesn- 

 vins, a very fine Chorozema varium, Grevillea robnsta, Bhodo- 

 dendrone, Taosonia Van-Volxemi trained to a large wire frame, 

 Bosea in pots in large profusion, Clerodendron Balfonrii, and 

 Bongainvillea glabra. The two latter plants quite enlivened 

 the oorridor with their glowing brightness, and though they 

 aie inmates of our stoves they appeared quite at home in their 

 cool situation. The first compartment leading out of the 

 corridor is the Orchid house. It contained a mixture of 

 Brazilian and Mexican Orchids, and was quite aglow with 



plants in bloom. Of Cypripedinma there was a good assort- 

 ment, and I was fortunate to find so many of them in 

 dower. C. villosnm was one mass of colour, and vennstum, 

 barbatum, and others were well represented ; but for simple, 

 beauty C. niveum bears the palm — its waxy white flowers 

 marked with minute chocolate spots rising above its marbled 

 green leaves are very effective. Dendrobiums were strong in 

 numbers, and of those in flower I noticed D. lituiflorum, 

 D. cryatallinum, D. heterocarpum, D. nobile, D. Bensoniss; 

 and such as D. thyrsiflorum, D. chrysotoxum, D. speciosum, 

 and others were making excellent growths. Odontoglossnm 

 Koezlii is a great favourite ; it is a charming Orchid from 

 New Grenada, resembling the beautiful Odontoglossnm vexil- 

 larium. It had made three growths and contained nine blooms ; 

 and Odontoglossnm Phalanopsis had twenty-five blooms ex- 

 panded. There was a good plant of Oncidiam flexuosum. 



Fig. eu.—liiDDiNas HOU 



which is fine for cut flowers ; and 0. papilio, the Butterfly 

 Orchid, was quite attractive in its way. Calanthe vestita, 

 Vandas, and Cattleyas were all in strong force. In striking 

 contrast to the Orchids were a few fine-foliage stove plants for 

 table decoration, and a large plant of the brilliant Authurium 

 Scherzerianum, the finest of all stove plants, of easy culture, 

 and a most abundant bloomer. We next enter a greenhouse. 

 Down the centre is a bed planted with Camellias interspersed 

 with CaUas, Spiriea japonica, S. palmata. Calceolarias, Yuccas, 

 &c. Communicating with the corridor is the stove, 30 feet long, 

 furnished with a large bed in the centre for specimen plants, 

 and benches all round for half-specimens and such as are used 

 for dinner-table ornamentation. Of those that will probably 

 have to do duty in the exhibition tent during the season I 

 noticed fine examples of IxoraDixiana, I. Williamsi, I. coccinea 

 Buperba, Croton interruptum, C. anguatifolium, C. Johannis, 

 C. variegatum, AUamanda Hendersoni, A. Schottii, A. grandi- 

 flora, Dipladenia amabihs, Pandanus ornatus, and P. Veitohii. 

 Of plants for the dinner table there was a large assortment, 

 including many of the leading Dracienas, Crotons, and email 

 Pandannees. 



Leaving this block of houses we came to another range, 

 80 feet long, in two compartments. The first is an orchard 

 house containing large standard Peaches, Nectarines, and Plums 

 planted down the centre. In front of these are smaller trees 

 in pots, and the back wall is clothed with Peaches and Necta- 



rines. The standards and trees in pots are carrying heavy 

 crops, and those on the wall moderate crops. Some of the 

 Plums are quite loaded with fruit. The second compartment 

 also contains Peaches and Nectarines planted out as standards, 

 and others trained on the walls. 



The Palm stove, which is also in two compartments, is 50 feet 

 long. Here are capital examples of the elegant Latania bor- 

 boniea, Seaforthiaelegans, Phcenixdactylifera, Arecalutesoens, 

 and Kentia Fosteriana ; also a mixed collection of stove plants, 

 including healthy examples of Eucharis amazonioa, Vincas, 

 Celosia pyramidalis, Begonias, Marantas, and the singular 

 Reidia glaucescens with its curious flowers depending from 

 the under side of the leaves. Near this house is a new pro- 

 pagating pit that Mr. Ward has just had erected. It is 30 feet 

 by 12, in two compartments ; a hot-water tank supplies the 

 bottom heat, and over thia is cocoa-nut fibre for plunging 

 in the pots. It is glazed without putty on the outside, and is 

 perfectly free from drip. Bound all the houses we have just 

 passed through there are pits of various depths, about i feet 

 wide, all famished with hot-water pipes. These pits are filled 

 with Pelargoniums, Zonal Geraniums, and a few greenhouse 

 plants, such as Erythrina Criata-galli and Statice profuaa. 



We now pass to the opposite side of the mansion, and 

 enter the Fern house and conservatory, each 40 feet long 

 and 18 feet wide. The latter communicates with the man- 

 sion, and in the evening when Mr. Oakea entertains his friends 



