Octoler 29, 1874. 1 



JOUKNAIi OF HOBTIGDLTURE AND COTTAGE GAKDENEB. 



38S 



addition. The carriage-road I have alluded to, after some 

 gentle and easy curves, is carried along by the side of a piece 

 of water, on the opposite side of which Kerna luxuriate as 

 Ferns only do in Cornwall, and a water-wheel for the purpose 

 of supplying the mansion and offices with water adds to rather 

 than detracts from the scene before us, while ever and anon 

 the eye is arrested by a fine Douglas Fir. This might possibly 

 in time rival those in Western America were it not for the 

 mischievous Cornish winds. But we pass on, and leaving 

 some of the offices to the right, find ourselves confronted by 

 a noble mass of Ferns, in which many of those elsewhere 

 grown under glass were here luxuriating in great abundance. 

 Notable as one of the most conspicuous, and said to be still 

 more so at Christmas, was the dark-leaved Magellan Fern 

 (Lomaria magellanica), which I was told was exceedingly fine 

 in midwinter. Dicksonia antarctica and Woodwardia elegans 

 were also amongst the outsiders, as well as many others, the 

 apace being large. A peep over the fencing at this place also 

 revealed some magnificent specimens of Hydrangeas in the 

 front garden of the Agent's house, and, contrary to my ex- 

 pectation, they were mostly jjink, or with only a small pro- 

 portion of blue ones ; and although I subsequently met with 

 many of the brightest azure colour, the idea that all Hydran- 

 geas in Cornwall are blue is an erroneous one. 



But our way is stUl onward, and passing through the shade 

 of some noble trees of various kinds, the mansion is before 

 us, the carriage entrance being open to the park, as is often 

 the case. The general aspect of the house is Grecian. There 

 is a noble portico with a glass door on the other side, which 

 carries the eye of the visitor right through to a court or 

 flower garden. A broad walk pointing in the direction we 

 have beeu looking is bordered on each side by a set of circular 

 beds edged with Box, with paths of equal widths between 

 them of coloured gravel, the whole forming a series of the 

 letter S, or what in gardening phrase is often called the 

 Florentine chain; a good mai'giu of grass flanked the figures, 

 the whole being enclosed in a Laurustinus hedge, cut, not to 

 shape, but to some condition of order. I was told that with- 

 out such a screen as this flowers could not exist in such a 

 place owing to the winds, the bulk of the flower garden being 

 in another place. We emerge out of this enclosure, and by 

 a circuitous route pass many noble trees, the private chapel 

 of the family, and get some charming views of the dis- 

 tant country, while a tidal river runs between, which at the 

 time of high water is very interesting, rich and healthy 

 foliage fringing it to the very edge; from another place the 

 position of Penryn is pointed out at no great distance, and 

 the more modern Falmouth a little beyond. Many of these 

 old names conjure up ideas of this county's importance at a 

 time when the present busy hives of industry had not made 

 themselves a name, for it may be mentioned here that of so 

 much consequence was the county at one time, that as mauy 

 as twenty of its boroughs sent two members of Parliament each, 

 this ancient town, with its narrow and precipitous streets, 

 being one. 



Following our intelligent leader, Mr. Palmer, the able gar- 

 dener at this place, we find we have been making a circuit 

 of the mansion and its adjuncts, and returning near to the 

 front of the dwelling occupied by the Agent, we find we are 

 in the immediate vicinity of the gardens. Frst of all we enter 

 upon one of the two terraces which compose the flower garden 

 proper, and here we pause and look around us ; a cursory view 

 will inform us that we are on the side of a gentle incline, which 

 at a time when the formal flower garden was the rule of the 

 day, had been made into two terraces, both being surrounded 

 by substantial stone walls, low in the case of the one between 

 them, and also the front of all, while the ends are somewhat 

 higher, but not so high as the back one of all, which, with 

 other accessories, acts as a shelter. A basin fountain occupies 

 the centre of one, if not both, of the parallelograms, with 

 ample flights of steps between and leading out of these. The 

 whole of the wall is of the ever-prevailing " granite," and 

 although it has been built most likely half a century, its appear- 

 ance is still good — certainly more so than the whitewashed 

 plaster objects we often see in a similar position elsewhere. 

 We are soon absorbed in the contents of the beds, or rather in 

 their surroundings, for we have seen so much of the fashionable 

 gardening of the present age that we turn with something like 

 relief to any departure from the beaten track, and here we find 

 Mr. Palmer has judiciously worked-in everything hardy that 

 could with advantage be used. A fine glaucous Sedum, superior 

 to the ordinary S. glauoum, was so employed ; while its confrlre 



Eoheveria secunda glauca was said to be all but hardy here, 

 only succumbing in very severe winters. Golden Thyme was 

 also so used, and an Ajugawas brought into requisition ; while 

 perhaps the most ornamental plant of all at the time of my 

 visit was the dark-leaved tall Lobelia called, I believe, L. St. 

 Clair, very fine crimson. There were also good purple ones 

 elsewhere, while I was pleased to see the Calceolaria quite 

 itself in Cornwall. Of course Geraniums of the usual class 

 were duly represented, and a very pretty carpet bed formed the 

 centre of one of the gardens, in which Golden Feather, Alter- 

 nanthera, and other low-growing plants did their part ; but, 

 inquisitive like, I looked over the wall, and partly over it and 

 partly upon it was one of the most magnificent Pampas Grasses 

 I ever met with, which was just showing its plumes ; but what 

 made it more remarkable was the fact of its ripening its seeds 

 and their sowing themselves, and coming up in all manner of 

 places, some on the gravel walks, and some in the interstices 

 between the stones of the wall, although the latter was very 

 closely jointed. Mr. Palmer told me he had planted many of 

 those self-sown plantsont.and they did very well. — J. Eobson, 



NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 

 The want has long been felt of a common centre for all who 

 are interested in horticulture, and various suggestions have 

 from time to time been made on the subject. We are glad to 

 find that at last something is likely to be effected. A new 

 Club, which will most probably be called "the Loudon," ia 

 contemplated. It will be located in some central position near 

 Charing Cross, and will afford its members the facilities and 

 conveniences of a west-end club. Matters are so far advanced 

 that several gentlemen well known in the horticultural world 

 have consented to act on the Council, and a meeting to deter- 

 mine rules, &R., will shortly be held. The probable subscrip- 

 tion to country members will be two guineas, to town members 

 something more. After tho first hundred names are enrolled 

 there will be an entrance fee. Gentlemen wishing to give in 

 their names can do so at once to the following members of 

 the Council — Rev. S. E. Hole, Caunton Manor, Newark ; Dr. 

 Masters, Gardenent^ Clircmiclr : Dr. Hogg, Journal of Horti- 

 culture : Mr. Harry J. Veitch, Chelsea; W. A. Lindsay, Esq., 

 Royal Horticultural Society; Mr. James Cutbush, Highgate; 

 Sir Edward Lee, Alexandra Palace; Thomas Laxton, Esq., 

 Stamford ; Mr. Charles Turner, Slough ; or to the Rev. H. 

 Honey wood Dombrain, Sec, Westwell Vicarage, Ashford, Kent. 



It is stated in an American paper that a chalk mark, 



at least half an inch in breadth, around the upper edge of a 

 sugar bucket, barrel, or other vessel will exclude Ants from 

 the interior, as these pests cannot pass the bar. It is equally 

 efJectual along the edges of shelves. Those who are troubled 

 by ants can easUy try this mode, and we shall be obliged by 

 their informing us of the result. 



Mr. Johm Hokne, of the Botanic Garden, Mauritius, 



who is now on a botanical expedition in the Seychelles, writing 

 to Dr. Hooker, says that he has visited the islands of Silhouette, 

 Praslin, and Felicity, searching them from the seashore to 

 the tops of the highest hills, in Silhouette up to 2200 feet, at 

 which elevation PiTcnER-rLANTS abound, hanging in immense 

 clusters over every stone, bush, and tree. Flowers of these 

 Nepenthes were obtained, and arrangements made for procur- 

 ing a good supply of plants. When these materials come to 

 hand it will be seen whether the Nepenthes of Silhouette is 

 different from the N. Wardii which grows in Mahe. Tho tops 

 of these mountains where the Pitchers grow have a perpetual 

 moisture hanging over them, being almost constantly enveloped 

 by mist and rain. — {Nature.) 



AoooRDiNO to the Belgique Horticole, Dr. Candezi has 



invented a small photographic apparatus, which he calls a 

 " scENOGRAPH," which consists simply of a stick and of a camera 

 the size of an opera-glass. To photograph a plant or other 

 object, it is sufficient to place it in the focus of the scenograph 

 for a minute or two. The negatives, it appears, can be pur- 

 chased ready prepared. 



Vert few people are aware of the immense extent of 



land occupied by Vineyards in France, Spain, Germany, and 

 elsewhere. The following statement made by a correspondent 

 of the Times will give some idea of the extent of its Vine- 

 srowths : — " This is a season when the thoughts of millions of 

 Frenchmen are fixed upon the vintage — a subject of immense 

 importance in this great wine-growing country, the wealth and 

 prosperity of which depend so largely on the results of the 



