34 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTUBE AKD COTTAGE GARDENEB. 



[ January 13, 1876. 



September, 1871, by Messrs. Paul & Son of Cheshunt. Fruit 

 roundish oblate, about IJ inch in diameter, with numerous 

 shallow ridges, most evident towards the eye ; stalk half an inch 

 to three-quarters long, set in a moderately deep acute hollow; 

 eye prominent, with long acute calyx-lobes, set in a broad 

 shallow cup. Skin yellow, almost wholly covered with bright 

 red, the outer part more deeply coloured, very deep crimson, 

 with a thin bloom. Flesh yellowish, firm, tender, and mode- 

 rately juicy, with a fresh and rather rough acidity. 



"Messrs. Paul & Son have obligingly communicated the 

 following particulars respecting this very ornamental fruit- 

 bearing plant : — 



" ' The Imperial Crab was a seedling raised by Mr. K. Laing 

 of the Twickenham Nursery, a cross between the Red Astra- 

 chan Apple and Siberian Crab. As I understand Mr. Laing, 

 it was accidental, the two trees standing with interlaced 

 branches in one of the old walled squares of the nursery. It 

 fruited, and was exhibited at the Pomologioal Society's meet- 

 ing about the year 1865, where it was much admired, but did 

 not receive any official recognition. Struck by the fruit on 

 the young grafted trees, which I saw and admired three or 

 four years successively, I persuaded Mr. Laing to let my firm 

 send it out in conjunction with him. Hence when distributed 

 in 18C9 it became generally known as Paul's Imperial Crab. 

 Its handsome foliage and vigorous habit, coupled with the 

 brOhantly tinted fruit, have gained for it general favour. The 

 fruit almost declares its parentage, so vividly is it coloured, 

 while the Astrachan-Apple blood gives it the quality of being 

 the earliest-ripening of the Crabs. It makes a handsome 

 standard or free pyramidal bush. Miss Laing adds: — "The 

 fruits preserved in various ways like the Siberian Crab make 

 an agreeable and ornamental dessert dish ; they may be also 

 preserved like Morello Cherries, in gin, with a flavour of 

 brandy, or boiled in syrup.' " — {Florist and Pomologist, 3 s., 

 ix., 13.) 



MELBOURNE HALL, 



THE EESIIiENCE OF W. P. FANE, ESQ. 



Melbourne is a small market towu of Derbyshire, contain- 

 ing about three thousand inhabitants ; it is situated in the 

 valley of the Trent, on the borders of Leicestershire. It is 

 eight miles from Der'oy, and is easily reached by railway, since 

 there is a branch line opened which runs through to Ashby- 

 de-la-Zouch. The whole district is full of interest to the 

 traveller. At Ashby-de-la-Zonch, only seven miles distant, are 

 the splendid ruins of the old castle of the Zonches ; while 

 within an hour's walk of Melbourne Hall is Calke Abbey, the 

 elegant residence of Sir John Harper Crewe ; also Cole Orton 

 Hall, BO recently figured in these pages ; and Staunton Harold, 

 the costly seat of Earl Ferrers. 



Melbourne is noted for its fertile market gardens. Straw- 

 berries are grown in great abundance, and we are told that 

 forty tons are sent to Derby and other towns during the sea- 

 son. It is from this place that Viscount Melbourne derived 

 his title, as well as the thriving city of Melbourne in Her Ma- 

 jesty's far-off dominions of Australia. It is remarkable that 

 during the last twenty-six years Melbourne Hall has been the 

 residence of two Prime Ministers whose titles have become 

 extinct — Lords Melbourne and Palmerston. 



The Hall, which is in the Italian style of architecture, was 

 rebuilt by Sir Thomas Coke about the close of the seventeenth 

 century, who served in Parliament and held important offices 

 under Queen Anne. Sir Thomas so distinguished himself and 

 became so great a favourite with his Sovereign that she pre- 

 sented him with a pair of vases that are placed in the gardens. 

 The carriage entrance is a small enclosure entered through a 

 pair of iron gates. At each side of the gates are two grand 

 old Cedars. Passing through a narrow gate the visitor finds 

 himself on a broad tirrace walk, 24 feet wide, immediately in 

 front of the mansion. Turning to the left is the lawn, laid 

 out in separate terraces or parterres. Ornamental beds are 

 cut out in the turf, and groups of shrubs and single coniferous 

 plants, with vases and figures of fine sculpture, are judiciously 

 arranged in different parts of the grounds. By the side of the 

 central walk I observed some grand Red Cedars 2.5 feet high, 

 equally fine Irish Yews, and several clumps of large Yuccas. 

 At each corner of the upper terrace are two fine Deodars from 

 30 to -10 feet high, the largest being 90 feet in the circum- 

 ference of its branches. 



It is a remarkable fact that several other Cedars planted at 

 the same time on the lower terrace, and only some 10 or 12 feet 



from the same level, were killed during the severe frost of 1860, 

 while those on the upper terrace survived. 



On the lower terrace the first objects of interest are four 

 Catalpas, fine deciduous trees for large lawns; the largest is 

 CO feet in the diameter of its branches. A little distance from 

 this spot is a circle of grass, with a fine image of Mercury in 

 the centre mounted on a massive pedestal. A little lower 

 down is the pond or lake, but generally called the canal. At 

 the opposite side of this sheet of water from the house I noticed 

 an alcove formed of wrought iron of most elaborate design, 

 and bearing the arms of the Coke family ; it was like a huge 

 birdcage, and had stood the storms of nearly two hundred 

 winters. These lawns and terraces are encircled with a Yew 

 hedge 12 feet high, and I mounted a ladder to ascertain the 

 width at top, when I found the hedge to be 10 feet across. 

 The lower part of the pleasure gardens are encircled again with 

 a background of Scotch Firs planted in the time of William III., 

 but many of them are fast falling into decay. Leaving the 

 lower terrace we come to a spot where five walks branch in 

 different directions : three of them terminate with fine sculp- 

 ture, or bubbling fountains. Old alcoves are observed in re- 

 cesses cut in the Yews, but restored from time to time. 



Wandering on we find ourselves on a gentle eminence with 

 a long and charming avenue at our very feet. Half-way down 

 this long vista is a fountain perpetually playing. Turning a 

 little to the right is a junction of three glades flanked by 

 gigantic Limes cut every five years to the stumps. Beyond 

 the first glade across the park is another vista, through rows 

 of Spanish Chestnuts. From the second glade is another 

 view cut through the park to catch a glimpse of the distant 

 hills. On this eminence is placed one of the vases before 

 named which was presented by Queen Anne. It represents 

 the four seasons, and is one of the finest examples in model- 

 ling in existence. On the pedestal is the monogram " T. C," 

 of the Thomas Coke to whom this handsome present was 

 given. 



Turning to the left we reach the western terrace, and here 

 the scene is entirely changed in character. In one part of 

 the walk is the Elm avenue, though many of the trees are de- 

 caying with age. Down in a deep dell I noticed some fine 

 specimens of Pinus cembra, very bushy, but not so propor- 

 tionately high, for the leaders were frequently destroyed by 

 late spring frosts. To the left is the large lake, 22 acres in 

 extent, with a grand irregular margin, an island in the centre, 

 and on its surface boats and waterfjwl. In a secluded comer 

 we come on a mineral spring, over which is erected a charm- 

 ing rustic grotto by the Hon. Mrs. G. Lamb, formed of tufa, 

 stalactites, and spars, and bearing on a marble tablet over thu 

 water the following lines by the Hen. George Lamb ; — 



" Rest, weary stranger, in this shady cave, 

 And taste, if languid, of the mineral wave. 

 There's virtue in the draught ; for Health, that flies 

 From crowded cities and their smoky skies, 

 Here lends her power from every glade and hill. 

 Strength to the breeze and medicine to the rill.'' 



Passing through groves of deciduous trees and evergreens 

 of every shade we cross a narrow brook that intersects the 

 pleasure grounds in a subterranean culvert, and empties into 

 the large lake at the lower end of the lawn in front of the 

 mansion. Here we found a snug Rose garden ; all the beds 

 contained three rows of plants — standards in the centre and 

 dwarfs on either side. 



Another remarkable feature of these gardens is the Yew 

 tunnel commonly called the Lover's Walk. It is formed of 

 an avenue of Y'ews 150 yards long and 10 feet wide. It is a 

 literal tunnel, for the branches are so grown and intergrown 

 one into the other that it is only here and there that the 

 ancient branches can be pierced with the rays of light. On 

 the opposite side of the grounds is the library garden. At 

 the top of the avenue of Wellingtonias and Cedars is the muni- 

 ment room, where it is said that Baxter wrote his " Saints' 

 Rest." On a low wall near to the conservatory is perhaps 

 the largest Wistaria in England, its branches extending 

 300 feet. Formerly it extended SCO feet, but the large Cedars 

 overshadowing its branches have caused them to die-off. 



The kitchen gardens are about three acres in extent, and on 

 the walls I noticed some good examples of Pears, Plums, 

 Apricots, and Cherries. Round some of the quarters were 

 bush Apples and Pears that produced good crops of fruit. 

 Strawberries here are extensively grown, and from the appear- 

 ance of tho beds fine crops may be expected the coming sea- 

 son. The usual quarters devoted to vegetables I found as well 



