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appearance, that there should be promi- 

 nent parts at certain intervals, or that 

 the wliole should be divided into re- 

 cesses and projections. The latter, by 

 being of limited dimensions, would 

 serve for the display of the more hardy 

 plant, and also afford additional shelter 

 to the remaining portions. If, more- 

 over, the whole be surmounted by an 

 appropriate coping, its beauty will be 

 greatly enhanced. 



"Much has been said of the conser- 

 vative wall at Chatsworth, the leading 

 characteristics of which are a practical 

 illustration of the opinions now ad- 

 vanced — large retiring compartments, 

 covered with a neat trellis, and relieved 

 by occasional small stone projections or 

 piers ; and as the wall stands on a steep 

 slope, each of the piers is raised con- 

 siderably higher than the one below it, 

 thus constituting as it were a series of 

 very broad ascending steps on the top. 



" The advantage of having a slight 

 wooden trellis against the wall, instead 

 of fastening the plants to it in the usual 

 way, need scarcely be pointed out. 

 Independently of its superior appear- 

 ance, which is a point too frequently 

 neglected in such matters, the greater 

 ease with which the branches can be 

 attached to it, and removed or altered 

 at any time, is quite sufficient to give it 

 the preference, while the destruction 

 and defacement of the wall consequent 

 on the use of nails, and the injury they 

 often occasion to the shoots of the 

 plants, give a value to any system by 

 which they can be discarded. The 

 extra expense of the trellis is too tri- 

 fling to be regarded. 



" It has been found, in attempting to 

 grow exotics against open walls, that 

 whatever tends to preserve the border 

 in which they are planted comparatively 

 dry, during the winter, does more to- 

 wards sheltering them from the frost 

 than extensive protection of any other 

 kind. 



" As the fluids of plants are, for the 

 most part, imbibed through the roots, 

 and as the heat of vegetable bodies 

 escapes mainly in proportion to the 

 fluids they contain, protection to the 

 medium in which they grow is perhaps 

 even more necessary than to the stems 

 and branches. It will therefore be seen, 

 that the portion of the border where the 

 roots lie must be covered, and that, if 

 the canvas or other protection actually 



given to the wall does not extend over 

 the border, a coating ofdry litter should 

 he spread over it, as soon as severe 

 weather commences, and be retained 

 on it until the spring. 



"The wall is composed of alternate 

 prominent and retiring compartments. 

 Each of the former includes two stone 

 pillars, which stand out a little beyond 

 all the remainder, and are to be left un- 

 covered ; while, between these, is a 

 division, over which is extended a trellis 

 for supporting the hardiest sorts of 

 climbers and those that demand no pro- 

 tection. 



" The recesses are capable of being 

 covered in cold weather with glazed 

 sashes, which can be placed out of sight 

 in a moment, whenever it is safe to re- 

 move them, by sliding them hiphind the 

 other divisions. In these recesses the 

 tenderest green-house plants may be 

 cultivated, and trained against a trellis. 



" Thus are combined a handsome 

 architectural elevation, and the means 

 of having some of the finest exotic plants 

 exposed in summer, without danger, 

 and in a condition incomparably more 

 healthy and attractive than they ever 

 attain in the green-house. 



" If glazed sashes are too expensive, 

 canvas, or other screens, can be readily 

 substituted ; but, in that case, the j)lants 

 will suffer from being kept in darkness 

 during the winter. Where it is thought 

 preferable, another set of rails, on the 

 outside of those for the sashes, can be 

 prepared, to carry some kind of cover- 

 ing in rigorous weather. Where this is 

 done, the necessity tor fire heat will be 

 trifling ; in fact it might be entirely dis- 

 pensed with." — Paxton^s Magazine of 

 Botany. 



PLANTS FOR A CONSERVATIVE WALL. 



Abutilon striatum ; Acacia angustifolia, 

 armata, cultiformis, dealbata, decur- 

 rens, juniperina, lancelota, longissi- 

 ma, lunata, and mucronata. 



Bignonia capreolata, grandiflora, and 

 tweediana; Billardiera longiflora; 

 Bossia;a linophylla and scolopen- 

 drium ; Brachysema hybridum and 

 undulatum ; Brugmansia sanguinea 

 and suaveolens; Budleya Lindleyana. 



Camellia Japonica; Ceanothus azureus; 

 Ceratonia siliqua ; Clematis azurea 

 grandiflora, and sieboldi ; Correa 

 bicolor, Harrisii, Lindleyana, and 

 pulchella. 



