OCTOBER. 471 



west portion being high, and affording fine views of Man- 

 chester and the country north and south ; the river Medlock 

 washes the north and a portion of the east sides. 



The drive skirts around the boundary for two thirds of its 

 length ; then follows nature's indications for the balance of 

 the distance. The latter arrangement I give the landscape 

 gardener and contractor credit for doing, because they could 

 not get money enough to dig a tunnel and build a viaduct. 



A small rivulet, dammed several times, forms pretty sheets 

 of water in the ravine ; but the genius who directed the 

 improvements was not satisfied with the fact of these being 

 there, and with their visitors getting a few fine glimpses of 

 them in passing over the grounds, but must take them two- 

 thirds around each piece of water in a path running parallel 

 with, and just one yard distant from the water's edge, and 

 exhibit all the stiffness in its outline, the smoothness of its 

 banks, &-c., until they are tired and disgusted. 



The original flower garden is a sort of labyrinth in plan, 

 which often compels the stranger to retrace his steps and 

 commence his journey anew. 



Two thirds of the plantations are of Canadian poplars, and 

 many thousand suckers are growing from them already. 



In a kind of amphitheatre in the low ground, is a very 

 respectable rosary and garden, lately made by the present 

 gardener. 



Cricket grounds, skittle alleys, gymnasiums, circular 

 swings, and the maze, form attractions for a large class of 

 the young people, of both sexes, pleasant summer even- 

 ings ; Saturday afternoons and Sunday afternoons especially, 

 these parks are thronged with the operatives and their fami- 

 lies, instead of going to beer shops and gin palaces. 



The dense smoke pouring constantly from the thousands 

 of tall chimneys in Manchester and its vicinity, is very de- 

 structive to most of the Conifers and many of the evergreen 

 shrubs. Those that are best among the latter are rhododen- 

 drons, hollies, araucarias, box, ledums; among the former, I 

 do not think I saw a healthy plant in either of the parks. 



Among the deciduous trees, elms, sycamores and limes do 

 the best ; the deciduous shrubs do better than evergreens. 



