March 13, 1873. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GARDENEE. 



227 



the 1st of Edward IV. 's reigu, and the lands given to Eton 

 College. 



The principal approach to the mansion of Stratfieldsaye is 

 from the north, through an avenue a railo long planted with 

 noble Elms. The roadway is about 12 feet in width, and 

 passes over a gently undulating surface, so that at lirst the 

 fuU length of the avenue is not seen ; the trees are some 4u feet 

 apart in the line, and stand bad; on each side 1'.) or 20 feet 

 from the road. They were planted between the years ICOti and 

 IGlis by the Sir William Pitt before alluded to, and though so 

 old and in some eases rather stag-headed, they are generally 

 quite sound, which is more than can be said of most of the 

 Elms near London. Mr. Loudon states that they are a broader- 

 leaved kind than the common English Elm, and not so tall, 

 but as the foliage was otl the trees at the time of our visit 

 there was uo opportunity of examining it. So keen an observer 

 as Jlr. London was not likely to have been mistalcen ; but 

 probably after all, the greater breadth of the leaves which he 

 remarked was due to local circumstances, wdiieh appear to have 

 had an influence on other trees which will be hereafter noticed. 

 The height of the Elms certainly did not appear to be so great 

 as that of others of similar age elsewhere, but where all the 

 neighbouring trees are so tall the eye is a]it to be deceived ; 

 their girth, however, was great, being from 1.^ to 24 feet. Be- 

 tween the Elms, Horse Chestnuts were planted alternately by 

 the first Duke in order to replace the Elms when these could 

 stand no longer, but, from being so much overshadowed, the 

 Horse Chestnuts have attained no considerable height, nor 

 has their progress in other respects been enthely satisfactory. 



A continuation of the avenue, about oUO yards in length, 

 between Yews and Oaks brings us to a carriage ring round a 

 wide circle of turf, and in fnmt of the principal entrance 

 to the house, which is on the left. To the right are the 

 kitchen gardens concealed by plantations, and on the same 

 side are the stables and other buildings, while terminating the 

 drive is seen in the distance the parish church. Near the man- 

 sion we noticed a group of remarkably fine Elms, upwards of 

 100 feet in height, and from 15 to 20 feet in circumference of 

 stem. These form stately objects well worthy of attention, 

 and not less noteworthy is a deciduous Cypress immediately in 

 front of the conservatory attached to the south end of the 

 house. This magnificent tree is 05 feet in height, and its 

 girth at the base of the stem is 1) feet (i inches. The conserva- 

 tory just alluded to contains some healthy fruiting Orange 

 ti'ces. Camellias, Azaleas, Yuccas, Araucaria Bidwillii, and a 

 variety of other inmates which serve for its more teniporar5' 

 adornment. 



We now reach the east side of the mansion, of which the 

 accompanying is a representation, engraved from a photograph 

 by Jlr. Cf. H. H.ay, of Hanover Place, Upper Baker Street. It 

 will be seen from this that the house is not remarkable for its 

 architectural character, and its height is small in proportion 

 to its size, but it is commodious, and in every sense comfort- 

 aljle. From the gravel terrace in front the grass slopes down 

 to the river Loddon, which is hero widened by means of weirs 

 so as to present a good breadth of water instead of its natural 

 very limited dimensions. Southwards there is a broken water- 

 fall, and beyond the river in all directions fine Oaks and other 

 timber trees meet the eye, though from their numlier and size 

 they somewhat confine the view, especially as the ground rises 

 from the valley in which the river flows ; still there is sufficient 

 breadth between the mansion and the river, and the river and 

 the trees, to give a better idea of the great extent of the park 

 than can perhaps be elsewhere gained. Here, however, we 

 must pause, deferring till next week the notice of otlier and 

 more important features of this noble domain. 



mixing, also cut straw or gas tar, but in this ease there is 

 rather more trouble in mixing. — O. Ohpet, Cirencester. 



fWe have known fire balls made advantageously of clay and 

 cinders. — Eps.l 



CHEAP FUEL. 



The present high price of coal has led many to economise 

 their fuel, and I being one of the number have adopted a very 

 simple mode of doing so. I had heard that clay and coal dust 

 mixed would burn, and as I had a few loads of clay at hand, 

 I thought I would try it in this way. Tci one wheelbarrow 

 load of small coal I put two of clay, mixed it up together as 

 one would to make common brick, and cut it in the same-sized 

 lumps. After the fire had burned clear I put on several lumps 

 quite wet, and they made an excellent fire ; and I find if they 

 are stacked in a shed to dry they burn nil the better. The 

 boiler I have is a saddle boiler, and with these bricks and a 

 little dust of coal a fire would last ten or twelve hours. If 

 there is a quick draught another load of clay may be added in 



rOLTRAITS OF PL.\NTS, FLOWERS, AND 

 FRUITS.] 



Pnii.onExriiiON rdrens (Ruddy Philodendron). Xtit. ord., 

 Aroidea>. IJiiii., Moncecia Triaudria.— A native of Venezuela 

 and Trinidad, Spadix white ; spathe crimson internally. 

 Plant about 2 feet high.— (J.'<.(. J/n;/., (. C021.) 



Aei'Ophyli.cm snc.vruM (Spiked Arpophyllum). Xat. nid., 

 Orchidacea^ Linn., Gynandria Mona?cia. — A native of Mexico. 

 Flowers dark rose. It was introduced here by Hartweg in 

 mi':i.—(Ihi(J., t. C022.) 



ABISABU5I vui.G,»r.E (Common Arisarum). Nat. unh, Aroidese. 

 T.iiiii., Monacia Polyandria. — Native of islands and regions 

 near the Mediterranean. Dr. Hooker says, -'The specimens 

 here figured are from Marocco, where the plant abounds, and 

 where my attention was directed to its root by Mr. Hunot of 

 Safli, as affording a food to the natives during their frequent 

 seasons of famine ; when they are dug-up, washed, and cooked, 

 notwithstanding their poisonous properties. The Arab name 

 is Ironne. A similar use is made of the roots of the gieat 

 Arisa'as in the Himalaya." — {Ihid., t. (J02:j.) 



Ntoularu-m srECTABiLE (Showy Nidularium). Nut. ord., 

 Bromeliacea^ Liiiii., Hexandria Jlonogynia. — It is a native of 

 Brazil. Flowers crimson, pink, and purple. "The genus 

 Nidularium was established by Lemaire in 1854, and includes 

 various species of the old genera BromeUa, Billbergia, &c., 

 together with others, of which a dozen are enumerated by 

 Morreu in his valuable ' Catalogue des Bromeliaei'es cultivees 

 an .lardin Botanique de PUniversite de Liege ' (1«73). N.spec- 

 tabile was imported by IMr. Bull from the interior of Brazil, 

 and flowered in his establishment in December, 1872. It is a 

 very striking plant, allied to N. Meyendorllii, I.emaire (111. 

 Hort., t. 245), but very distinct; and may at once be recog- 

 nised from any species hitherto cultivated in England, by the 

 singular bright blood-red ends of the leaves, which form a 

 clearly defined and singular contrast both to the bright green 

 of the upper surface and the glaucous dull green of the.lower 

 surface of the leaf."— (/;<('t(., (. C024.) 



Akeia pumila (Dwarf Areea). Nut. orrf. , Palmacea\ Linn., 

 Mono'cia Monadelphia. — Native of the Malayan Archipelago. 

 It is an elegant little Palm not more than 4 feet high. — (Ibid., 

 t. C025.) 



PicoTEKS, :\[rs. Ilnrnlii/ — Mm. Furdlinm. — " They were raised 

 by Mr. Turner, of Slough, by whom splendid examples were ex- 

 hibited last season, which secured for them the highest awards. 

 Mrs. Hornby is a Ught-edged red variety, of large size, and the 

 finest in its class ; it is a charming flower, on account of its purity 

 and even marking, as well as for its finely-shaped smooth petals. 

 Mrs. Fordham is a largo and well-marked flower of the medium- 

 edged bright rose type, also a grand and effective flower for 

 general cultivation, and the finest in its particular style, the 

 flowers being large and full without confusion. The admirers 

 of this delicately-beautiful and fragrant flower will find both 

 these varieties to be grand acquisitions to their collections." 

 —(Florist and PomoIo(jist, 3 s., vi. 49.) 



A PLEA FOR THE ROSE MRS. RIVERS. 

 I HAVE often noticed in the columns of the .Tournal that 

 Mrs. Rivers is counted a bad and weak grower. Now, I cannot 

 agree with your correspondents in that conclusion, for I have 

 Mrs. Rivers growing in a bed with twenty-two other varieties 

 -viz., Acidalie, Alfred Colomb, Abel Grand, Bonle de Niege, 

 Comtesse de Chabrillant, Charles Lefebvre, CC-line Forestier, 

 Duke of Edinburgh, Exposition de Brie, Gloire de Dijon, John 

 Hopper, Miss Ingrain, Madame Cieorge Paul, JIadame Victor 

 Verdier, Madame Boll, Madame Eugenie Verdier, Madame Mar- 

 gottin, Monplaisir, Pierre Notting, Prince Camille de Rohan, 

 Senateur Vaisse, and William Grifliths. With me Mrs. Riveis 

 is quite equal in growth to any of the above varieties, with tie 

 exception of Gloire de Dijon and Boule de Niege. I budded 

 them all in September, 1871, on the Briar; and in 1872 Mrs. 

 Rivers produced some first-class blooms of the finest quality, 

 fit for any exhibition stand. It m.ade, notwithstanding, a 

 good strong growth from the buds, the shoots measuring 3 feit 

 ;i inches in length, and 1} inch in circumference at half their 



