106 KINGSBRIDGE 



recesses must increase the difficulty of securing the fruit- 

 fulness of the trees by avoiding over luxuriance. 



Perhaps one of the largest specimens of Acacia dealbata 

 in England once ornamented the grounds. It was, unfor- 

 tunately, broken down and uprooted by the weight of 

 snow in an unusually heavy fall in December, 1859. It 

 measured fifty-four feet in height, and the trunk was more 

 than five feet in circumference. From the heart timber 

 an ornamental drawing-room chair has been manufactured. 

 A very large species of Eucalyptus, a native of Tasmania, 

 has stood the last winter well, and bloomed profusely in 

 the spring of the present year, while Embothriums coccineum 

 and lanceolatum have been gorgeous with their scarlet 

 flowers, and Camellias prodigal of bloom. Desfontainea 

 spinosa has done well, and Opuntia Rafinesquiana grows 

 and blooms in the open air. Many more plants, shrubs, 

 and trees, deserving notice must be omitted, but we will 

 observe that the Datura arborea in the conservatory had four 

 hundred of its noble flowers open simultaneously. In the 

 open ground we saw specimens of Cycas, huge bushes of 

 Camellias, species of Aralia, Bamboos from the Himalaya, 

 Abutilon vitifolium, all of which endure the winter un- 

 protected. We also noticed a deciduous Conifer, the name 

 of which is doubtful. We think it is the Glyptostrobus 

 pendulus, a native of China; at all events it is hardy at 

 Combe Royal, and we should like to be certified of its 

 name. We must note one bed of Phlox Drummondi in 

 front of the conservatory. We never saw a bed of crimson, 

 scarlet, purple, and pink flowers so brilliant. Beds of 

 verbenas on each side looked poor and paltry in comparison. 



Almost equalling the orangery in interest is the American 

 garden, formed by the present proprietor in a branch of 



