556 THE MAGAZINE OF HORTICULTURE. 



but this is to be done without cutting off or shortening any 

 of tlieir shoots. The reason for not removing decaying 

 leaves is, that a great part of the beauty of all trees and 

 shrubs consists in the change of color which takes place in 

 the leaves in the course of the autumn, and more especially a 

 short time before they drop off." 



The Derby Arboretum has now been in successful opera- 

 tion fifteen years. The shrubs and many of the trees now 

 exhibit forms and characteristics well developed, forming fine 

 studies for the landscape gardener, the planter and botanist. 



Each plant has a tally, Avith a number corresponding to 

 the one preceding the name in the printed catalogue ; the 

 native country, year of introduction, and height of plant in 

 its native country. The catalogue gives a brief and interest- 

 ing account of the plants, and for those who wish to study 

 deeper into the subject, Mr, Loudon gave a copy of his Arbo- 

 retum Britannicum which is kept in the public room of one 

 of the lodges. 



Mr. Loudon's instructions so far have been scrupulously 

 carried out, and the grounds present as neat, clean and 

 healthy appearance as any I have seen, except a few noble- 

 men's parks. An addition of six acres of land has been 

 made and appropriated as a lawn and play-ground. A fine 

 new entrance has been built on the east side, both of which 

 have been mostly done with the funds that have accumu- 

 lated from admissions ; and negotiations are now on foot for 

 another addition of land. From all of whom I inquired 

 respecting the value placed upon this garden by the public, 

 the universal reply was that it was highly prized by all, high 

 and low, and that the older it grows the more interested the 

 public become in it. 



The grounds are open gratuitously on Wednesdays all day, 

 and on Sundays, except from ten to one o'clock. Four 

 thousand is the usual number of admissions on Sunday after- 

 noons ; on other days sixpence is the admission fee, which 

 forms a fund for keeping up the grounds. Mr. Loudon 

 planted over one thousand species and varieties of trees and 

 shrubs, exclusively of the belt and old trees, since which 



