Hamilton Court Gardens^ Teddington. 9 



days may be seen humble vehicles of all descriptions brimful 

 of visitors, to the amount, on a fine day, of from two to three 

 hundred : many of these are vans, which hold from twenty to 

 twenty-five persons each. 



The house which contains the large vine at Hampton Court, 

 having been widened about 8 ft., the branches have been laid 

 out so as cover the whole of the trellis beneath the glass ; conse- 

 quently, the bunches of grapes (whether they are so, or not) ap- 

 pear by far less numerous than heretofore: added to this, a kind 

 of rust has spread itself over a vast number of the berries, which 

 lias prevented their swelling; so that, altogether, the vine with its 

 fruit does not present such a striking effect now as it has 

 done in former years. This disease, whatever it may be, has 

 been still more fatal in its effects in a vinery at Bushy Park, in 

 which nearly every bunch of grapes has been affected ; and it 

 has so prevented the fruit from swelling, as that the berries of 

 the black Hamburg; in some of the bunches are not larjjer 

 than marrowfat peas. It seems that tlie disease is nearly, if not 

 quite, confined to the late crops, as in a house adjoining, which 

 has been forced, nothing of the kind has appeared. It is to be 

 hoped that the cause of this disease will be ascertained, as, if not, 

 and should it increase in future on the vine at Hampton Court, 

 it must, in a ^ew years, greatly detract, not only from the beauty, 

 but from the value, of that celebrated vine. 



Teddington. — In this comparatively quiet and peaceable 

 village are several small places that are interesting, two of 

 which have more particularly come under my view, namely, that 

 of Parle House, belonging to Miss Mercer ; and Teddington 

 Grove, the residence of J. M. Strachan, Esq. The former is 

 comprised in less than four acres of ground, including the 

 kitchen-garden, stables, &c. Considerable taste has been here 

 displayed in the formation of the walks and shrubberies ; and 

 there is as much variety in them as could be well introduced into 

 so small a place. The house, with a conservatory attached, is 

 beautifully situated, immediately opposite the entrance to Bushy 

 Park ; and from the upper rooms there is a delightful view of 

 the grand avenue leading to Hampton Court. Bushy Park may 

 therefore be considered as a valuable appendage to this place. 

 Unfortunately, for want of ground on the west side, the stables 

 and kitchen-garden are so placed as to render it necessary to go 

 through the pleasure-ground to get to them ; which is objection- 

 able, and should always be avoided if possible. Hence the lawn, 

 which surrounds three sides of the house, is divided by a shrub- 

 bery, in order to have a walk through it as private as may be to 

 the stables and kitchen-garden. One portion of the lawn, 

 bounded by a shrubbery on one side, and a walk on the other, 

 forms something like an oval of about 100 ft. in length, in the 



