May il, 1«71. i 



JOUENAIi OF HORTICOLTUEE AND COTTAGE GAKDENEB. 



407 



loyal and charitable, erected a mansion here about the year 1650. 

 This was pulled down, and another residence erected, partly 

 with the old materials, in the year 1704. This was superseded 

 by the present noble mansion. Within sight of the entrance 

 to the mansion, on rising ground, is an obeLi.sk CO feet high and 

 18 feet square at bottom, with the following inscription — 

 In honour of 

 Sir. ISAAC NEWTON, 



Who was born in Woolsthorpe, a neislibouiing liamlet, and acquired 

 tho first rndimenis of his education in the parish of Stoko. This obelisk 

 was erected by 



Charles Tcrnor, A.M., F.E.S. 



A.D. MDCCC3U.VII. 



May the inhabitants of the surrounding district recollect with pride 

 that so great a philosopher drew bis lirst breath in the immediate noigh- 

 bourbood of this spot, and may such feelings be long perpetuated by thia 



monument, which records the veneration of posterity fur the memoi7 of 

 that illustrious man. 



Upon the mantlepiece of the room in which Newton was 

 born at Woolsthorpe is placed a marble tablet commemorativo 

 of the fact, beneath which are Pope's lines — 



'* Nature and Nature's laws lay hid in night ; 

 Ood said, ' Lot Newton bo ! ' and all was light." 



Much might be written abont this great man, who first dis- 

 coTered the law of gravitation through observing an Apple 

 drop from a tree. In the library is a chair made from the 

 wood of the Apple tree which lirst led to the grand discovery 

 by Newton. However, I shall leave the mansion and turn to 

 the gardens and pleasure grounds, as it is of them that I wish 

 to detail a few particulars. 



Adjoining the mansion there is a largo conservatory full of 



FLOWER GARDEN, STOKZ EOCHFORD.* 



fine plants. Amongst others I noticed fine plants of Cytisua 

 racemosus well covered with yellow flowers ; Brugmansia ean- 

 guiuea planted out in the borders, this is very conspicuous, 

 having fine dark trumpet-like flowers (this plant is one of the 

 largest in Englaud) ; Polygala latifolia, large bush; and some 

 noble plants of Dicksonia antarctica, the New Holland tree 

 Fern. Trained up the pillars were a number of large Fuchsias, 

 which have a very good effect when treated in this manner. 

 Bignonia Chirere, one of the finest climbers we have : this is 

 growing freely. There are also some fine pots of Aspidistra 

 lurida, a Chinese plant with handsome variegated leaves. In 

 the season there are many very fine plants of Azaleas intro- 

 duced here when they are in flower. Near the conservatory 

 are the flower gardens, which were planned by Nesfield. There 

 is a Box garden, and on the west side of the mansion is a 

 flower garden well filled with spring flowers ; in it there are 

 some very handsome variegated Holly trees, which add much 

 to the effect. By the sides of the principal walk are planted a 

 great number of very large standard Portugal Laurel trees like 

 real Orange trees. There is a very pretty Rose garden with 

 Box edgings round the beds, a croquet ground hidden with 

 Yew hedges, with the turf of faultless smoothness. In the 

 pleasure ground are some fine plants of the broad-leaved Holly ; 



* From a photograph by Consins & Priest, London Boad, Grantham. 



Pinus excelsa ; the lofty Bhotan Pine, good plant ; Picea Pin- 

 eapo, of dense growth and very healthy, Abies orientalis, 

 about 12 feet high, good healthy plant ; a weeping Tew grafted 

 on the common, very interesting and pretty ; Pinus Lamberti- 

 ana, good ; fine trees of Cedar of Lebanon, and also of Cedrus 

 Deodara, or Indian Cedar, a noble plant : towering above 

 others Cnpressus virginiana, or Bed Cedar, from CO to 70 feet 

 high ; Thujopsis borealis, a fine compact variety ; Picea Nord- 

 manuiaaa ; P. nobilis ; Thujopsis glauea, very fine ; and a great 

 number of Irish Yews, some of them 20 feet high. In the 

 pleasure grounds, but hidden from the mansion, Mr. Dell has 

 built a pretty hardy fernery. It is under a glass roof. Stone 

 arches lead to it. "^ The walls are hidden with stones of aU 

 shapes and sizes. There is no means of heating, so the Ferns 

 all are of a hardy nature, but in great variety : all is in good 

 taste and keeping. This must be a very pleasant retreat in a 

 hot summer day, and is no doubt much appreciated. The 

 pleasnre grounds, gardens, and walks were in excellent order, 

 and everywhere bore evidence of a liberal employer, and also 

 that Mr. Dell is a lover of his profession. 



The kitchen garden is reached from the mansion through 

 the grounds and park, over a bridge on each side of which are 

 ponds of bright and clear water. At this point, in taking a 

 view of the surrounding scenery, one might fancy himself 

 in Wales or in Scotland and not in Lincolnshire, which i.s 



