November 21, 1865. ] 



JOURNAL OF HOETICTJLTUEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEK. 



425 



out of tlieir gardcna and pleasure grounds ; for now, as then, 

 the most striking fciiture in a lioman garden is tlio lines of 

 large trees planted in regular order, with closely clipped hedges 

 of Yew and Cypress, formed into walks, with statues, pyramids, 

 fountains, and summer-bouses interspersed. 



A lioman garden at first appears like a very wilderness, 

 beautiful indeed, yet still a wilderness ; but after a time the 

 oyo becomes accustomed to the stylo, and is able to appreciate its 

 fitness to the climate and to the habits of the j'Cople. Passive 

 enjoyment is not in the nature of Italians ; they always want to 

 embody their thoughts, and with the lower minds talking takes 

 the place of that action which in the higher shows itself in 

 some noble work of art. The long alleys and walks suit the 

 talkers ; and alas ! the day lor that higher development seems 

 clouded over for Italy, and the names of foreigners — Story, 

 Gibson, Overbeck, and Flat?, occupy the jilaces once accorded 

 only to Italian Michael Augelos or Raphaels. The skill of the 

 ancient "topiarius," or ornamental gardener, used principally 

 to be exerted in the cutting and twisting the shrubs into the 

 figures of animals, &o., such as we may sometimes still see in 

 the old-fashioned manor-house gardens in England. Speci- 

 mens of this peculiar art are frequently to be met witli in 

 ancient paintings and in the bas-rcUefs. Modern Home is like 

 a broken mosaic : it requires labour, but that labour of the 

 most delightful kind, to gather up the fragments of precious 

 stones hero and there, out of wluch to restore the perfect 

 piotui'e of what ancient Home was. 



Before I take my reluctant farewell I must tell a pretty story 

 that was told me "about a wild flower. I may not remember 

 it perfectly, but I will tiy my best. Beyond the Porta Pia, on 

 the Campagna, a botanist went wandering in search of flowers. 

 Alter a while he came on one peeping up from the grass that 

 lie had never met with before excepting when gi-owing on a 

 wall. Some theory or other was started, so ho gathered the 

 flowers and sent them to the Linuean Society. They, too, 

 were astonished, and sent them back to some of their learned 

 members then in Rome. They went to the spot, found the 

 flowers, and dug for their roots, when they fovand traces of an 

 ancient wall. Then archaeology put in a word. It was con- 

 jectured that long years ago some great man had been buried in 

 that locality and the precise spot forgotten. The little flower 

 spoke again, and guided by her voice they dug away, and dis- 

 covered the ancient sarcophagus and the traces of a basilica, 

 the tiny flower spreading all round where the walls lay. 



As my first greeting on entering Rome was from the English 

 chmch, my last greeting on leaving shall be to her. Amidst 

 all the attractive dissipation sm-roimding the stranger in Rome 

 there is a quiet witness for the truth daily pleading for recog- 

 nition, and most touching in their iiure simplicity do the 

 English services seem to English hearts after the gaudy deco- 

 rations of the Romish ritual. The little church is always 

 crowded. One congregation is scarcely out ere another takes 

 its place. Many have to go away for want of room ; and when 

 the hymns are sung it is like the voice of many waters ascend- 

 ing to the Throne 



" Whore Sandalpbon, the Ansel of Glory, 



SandalphoD, the Antrel of Prayer, 

 Is Ratheriug tlae prayers as he stands. 

 And they chani^c into flowers in his hands. 



Into garlands oi purple and red ; 

 And beneath the great areh of the portal. 

 Through the streets of the City Immortal, 



Is wafted the fragrance they shed." 



And so I quitted Rome. 



The railway route from Rome to Civita Vecchia has left but 

 one impression on my mind, and that is Koses — Roses every- 

 where, cHnging to Vines, to trelliswork, to hedges, to houses — 

 Roses ready for imaginary crowns for imaginary victors, when 

 Rome, emerging from ancient and modern trammels, shall 

 once more shine out with radiance worthy the Eternal City. 

 Civita Vecchia has not much to recommend it ; it savom-s on 

 all sides of quarantine, and the people and sailors have a 

 watchful look as if on the alert for fevers. 



Early morning foimd us once more on the road, the noisy 

 peremptory railway having given way to vetturina, and the 

 shrill whistle to the driver's whip flourishing over the horses' 

 heads in a frantic whirl of reverberating cracks. Now I could 

 look at the dear country in peace ; now I could w.alk up the 

 hi l ls gathering wild flowers, or have my lap filled with blossoms 

 put through the window by the courier. From Rome to La 

 Nmiziatella I reaped a perfect harvest. Asphodelus micro- 

 carpus assiuned shrub-like proportions ; we cut down quite 

 branches of it, only to let them fade away in the hot sim. 



The temptation was so great I could not resist making up 

 one lovely bouquet after another, intermixing the wliilo As- 

 phodel with the brilliant blue of the Anchusa ofliciualia and 

 the rich amber of the Cerinthc aspera, all of which grew in the 

 greatest profusion. The Cerintho of the Campagna seemed 

 different from the Roman one. The leaves were cordate instead 

 of ovate ; and though in both cases they wcje stcm-claeping, 

 yet in the Roman Cerinthe thii^ was not so observable, because 

 the leaves were fewer and narrower at the base, and embraced 

 the stem without opposition. I am inclined to think the Cam- 

 pagna Cerintho may be C. major. In both specimens the 

 leaves are fringed with sharp white teeth ; and the same sort 

 of teeth or tubercular hairs are spotted over one side of the 

 leaf, the reverse side being covered with raised white spots. 

 The whole plant i.s exceedingly striking, and would be a hand- 

 some addition to English flower-borders. By-aud-by the Ce- 

 rinthe and Anchusa would give place to the Reseda pliyteuma, 

 like our garden Mignonette, only more white and not so 

 sweet ; the little Narcissus intcrmedius ; the brilliant Litho- 

 spermum purpureo-coeruleum, which is said to grow at Mary 

 Church in Devonshire; with the Helianthemums vulgare and 

 guttatum, and a lovely white Cistus, the name of which I do 

 not know. Then the last bouquet would be thrown away, and 

 there would bo a Teucriima of brightest blue, a brickdust- 

 coloured Vetch (Lathyrus erythi'inus), Ornithopus scorpioides, 

 with its very big toe in the centre of the ternate leaflets, 

 together with Erodiums and a red Convolvulus. 



These and a grand Orchis (pyramidalis), gladdened our route 

 to Nimziatella. But even vetturina traveUiiig has its draw- 

 backs. If it were all up-hUl it would bo pleasant enough ; but 

 down hill, and level ground put botany to flight, and a passing 

 glance and a cry of " Oh, look there ! " was all I could give to 

 many a rare bloom I longed to possess. Wherever it was 

 practicable I grubbed up roots and bulbs, to the intense amuse- 

 ment of the contadini, who looked on, grinning approval of 

 the "Inghlesi' who had such a strange fancy for weeds. I 

 have promising plants of Anemone hortensis both from seed 

 and bulb. Grape Hyacinths, and Asjihodels. I have just planted 

 my Cyclamens, which are not yet above ground. 



On om' way to Nunziatella we passed the Papal frontier. 

 The invisible barrier had scarcely been gone over when I saw a 

 cap thrown in the air, and heard a joyful cry of " Viva Vittore 

 Emanuele!" I put my head out of the window and cried 

 "Viva" too; and had it not been for the carriage roof and 

 luggage I do believe my bonnet would have followed the " cap 

 of liberty," such a rehef was it to feel that one might gi'owl in 

 peace without a spy at one's elbows, or the vision of a passport 

 before one's eyes. 



Wliile waiting for the train at NimziateUa I had an hour's 

 flower-himting in the fields around. The prettiest specimens 

 I found were those of the Vetch tribe — one of pale yellow, 

 Vieia lutca ; one of blue, Vicia uniflora ; one of red, V. angus- 

 tifolia ; and one of dark red, almost black, which I suppose 

 was Orobus niger. There were some others, but I only kept a 

 few ; yet they were all beautiful from the tender grace of their 

 delicate foliage. The total absence of any Ferns on the entire 

 route was most remarkable. I felt all day that something was 

 wanting to complete my satisfaction ; it was as though I 

 missed the kindly greeting of old friends amidst a bevy of 

 passing acquaintances. At night we were in Florence. — Filix- 



FffiMINA. 



ARCHERFIELD. 



[ContimuHl from page 401.) 

 The hothouses occupying the north wall of the kitchen 

 garden, it has been already stated, are of unequal width, the 

 central houses being wider than those at the ends, and the 

 border in front of the range has been made to correspond, the 

 central portion of the border extending 8 feet, or more, farther 

 into the garden than the ends. The continuity of the walk in 

 front of the range is consequently broken to suit the outline of 

 the border, and the latter being necessarily divided into three, 

 the opportunity is afforded of planting each part separately. 

 This has been done in a manner differing in many respects from 

 the usual practice, Mr. Thomson being an advocate for what has 

 been designated panel planting, a plan which gives scope tor 

 great variety. The border in front of the houses, as well as 

 that on the opposite side of the walk, has been so treated this 

 year with perfect success. Perhaps the only fault that any one 

 would be disposed to find is the planting such heavy crops of 

 flowering plants on Vine-borders. The good condition of the 



