530 Notes of a Visit to Oatla7ids, 



to the right, through an avenue hedged with privet, and 

 bordered with ornamental trees. 



Our visit was somewhat hurried, — but, in the brief time we 

 were allowed to make the circuit of the place, we noted down 

 many things, though far less than we could have wished; 

 for Mr. Manice is an enthusiastic admirer of plants and 

 trees, and has gathered within his extensive grounds a rare 

 collection of plants, a choice assortment of fruit trees, and 

 many of the beautiful ornamental trees and shrubs of recent 

 introduction to notice; sparing no pains to possess every thing 

 which could add to the interest or beauty of his residence. 



The hothouse is about forty feet long and twenty wide, 

 with a span roof, and stands about twenty feet from the 

 house. The conservatory is a large and lofty building, sixty 

 feet by thirty, and fourteen feet to the eaves, with a span 

 roof The interior arrangements are a narrow border on the 

 sides and ends, with a broad walk all round, and a large 

 paved bed in the centre, on which the plants are placed. The 

 conservatory and stove are both heated with a powerful hot- 

 water apparatus, by which a good temperature is easily ob- 

 tained, though so many cubic feet of air are to be warmed. 

 The conservatory connects with the stove, transversely, from 

 which it is entered at one end, opening at the other to the 

 flower garden. 



The stove, at this early season, (Oct. 8,) had scarcely been 

 arranged for the winter, and but few specimens were yet 

 in bloom. The collection contains several of the Orchidacese, 

 a few only of which were in flower, but they were all in 

 good health, under the care of the gardener, Mr. Parnell, 

 and gave evidence of good bloom during the ensuing spring 

 and summer. We here saw a fine specimen of the lovely 

 Gardenia Stanleydna in flower, a plant we have already no- 

 ticed, (Vol. XII, p. 28,) but which we had never seen in bloom. 

 It is even more beautiful than the representation of it in the 

 Botanical Register. It is, undoubtedly, the finest plant in the 

 country. Gongora atropurpurea, Stanhopea insignis, Cdt- 

 tleya crispa and Cyrtoceras reflexa, the last in bloom, were 

 some of the best orchids. Fine specimens of >S'tatice macro- 

 phylla, Clerodendron splendens, Napoleona imperialis, and 

 many others equally rare, made part of the stove collection. 



