Wobum Farm, Si. A?i?ie's Hill. 1 13 



an hour's conversation with Mr. Richardson. Your description 

 o^ Walton in Vol. X. p. 335. preckides the necessity of my 

 enterinff into any details respecting it. I will, therefore, only 

 notice a few things which came under my observation. Here, 

 grapes, in most seasons, ripen well in the open air ; and, in con- 

 sequence, a good portion of wall is devoted to them. Many 

 of the bunches, I observed, were protected with bell glasses, the 

 bunches being introduced through a hole at the top of the 

 glasses when young, and then the glasses hung to the wall. In 

 order to secure the grapes from the birds, Mr. Richardson 

 sticks a line of rods into the ground, about 4 ft. from the wall, 

 at proper distances. These rods are bent at their tops to the 

 wall, and fixed under the coping; and over them a net is 

 thrown. A convenient aperture, or doorway, is formed at one 

 or both ends ; so that a person, on entering, can walk the whole 

 length of the wall, beneath the netting, without disturbing it. 

 There is a good fig wall here, which, by a mode of pruning 

 rather peculiar to Mr. Richardson, and somewhat on the spurring 

 system, produces annually a fine crop. He still cultivates the 

 dahlia with ardour, and with corresponding success; having, 

 from time to time, been successful in bringing some good va- 

 rieties into notice, some of which are well known to the flori- 

 culturists. 



Wobum Farm. — Having, about thirty years ago, passed 

 nearly six weeks at this place, I was anxious to have a view of 

 some of the fine specimens of trees which I remember to have 

 seen, as well as once more to take a walk over the high grounds, 

 to have a view of the Thames, and the fine tract of country 

 which they command ; including Harrow on the Hill on one 

 side, and Windsor Castle on the other. However, I could not 

 succeed, as Mr. Anderson, the bailiff and gai'dener, informed 

 me, that he had not been long enough in the service of the 

 Dowager Lady King and her family to ascertain their feelings 

 upon the subject. All, therefore, 1 could see was, that a new 

 lodge had been built at the entrance of the avenue, and that the 

 whole of the house presented quite a new aspect to what it did 

 formerly. By taking away trees, shrubs, &.C., in order to have 

 another approach to the house, they have completely exposed to 

 view the stables, which stand nearly opposite the avenue; and 

 it must be some years, at least, before they can be again ob- 

 scured : at present, they have a very unsightly appearance. 

 However, it may be, perhaps, in contemplation to I'emove them 

 to some other situation. A great deal of work seems to have 

 been done to the house, and which still appears to be going- 

 forward. 



St. Anne's Hill ; Mrs. Fox. — The afternoon bein<; far ad- 

 vanced, it subtracted considerably from the gratification 1 should 

 Vol. XIII. — No. 84. i 



