NOTICE OF A VISIT TO PITMASTON. 275 



the 'Gardener's Chronicle,' No. II,, 1848, p. 171 ; its circum- 

 ference at the base is 5 feet 10 inches. 



The soil appears to suit the Pinus tribe. A remarkably hand- 

 some specimen of Abies Douglasii was 31 feet 8 inches high, 

 according to the means I had of ascertaining; its growth must 

 have been unifomi, judging from the regularity of its outline. 



A weeping-ash, at some distance from the conservatory, had a 

 very good effect from its dome-like appearance ; its trunk ap- 

 peared to be upwards of 4 feet in circumference, and was 5 feet 

 clear to the branches. The top of its crown was from 28 to 30 

 feet high. 



There is a magnificent tree of the White Willow (Salix alba) ; 

 the trunk is large and very deeply furrowed, partly owing to 

 limbs having been occasionally broken. This tree was fre- 

 quently noticed attentively by Mr. Knight, from its affording 

 evident indications of the courses of returning sap traceable 

 along the trunk towards the roots. 



A Mulbeny-tree, which formerly produced more female 

 flowers than male, has been observed by Mr. Williams to produce 

 the contrary within the last few years. It is growing on the 

 lawn, and has undergone no change of circumstances as regards 

 its situation, nor has it been in any way interfered with. Mr. 

 Williams therefore concludes its character must have been 

 altered by the seasons. 



Yellow roses have generally an unpleasant odour ; but Mr. 

 Williams has one, the Pitmaston odorata, which is agreeably 

 scented. 



In the conservatory the orange-trees exhibited a very healthy 

 appearance. Their foliage was of a darker green than is usually 

 to be seen on large orange-trees in this country. They had 

 flowered most profusely ; and enough still remained to scent the 

 air to a considerable distance outside, on the lawn and around 

 the house. The conservatory adjoins the house at the south- 

 west end. It is 33 feet in length, and 28 feet wide, with a 

 dome in the centre, consequently a large surface of glass is ex- 

 posed to radiation. But fire-heat was only applied during three 

 nights in the course of last winter, which was by no means remark- 

 ably mild ; for on 75 nights the thermometer was below freezing, 

 frequently below 24°, and even as low as 17° Fahr. The floor 

 of the conservatory is grated ; and underneath the grating there 

 is a chamber with which a large drain communicates. This 

 drain is 70 yards in length, from the conservatory to the place 

 where its further extremity is exposed to the open air. Pure 

 spring water, out of the sandstone, flows constantly along the 

 drain, imparting its temperature to the air passing over it into 

 tlie chamber below the conservatory. The running water en- 



