Garden Memorafidums. 



681 



164 



rises considerably from the site of the dome, there never was a better 

 opportunity for carrying the smoke flue under ground, like a drain, to 

 some distance, something in the manner practised at the lead works of 

 Messrs. Hall and Co. near Richmond, Yorkshire, as seen by us there in 

 1811. The drain or flue might be carried to such a distance, as that any 

 soot, not burned by some of the best devices for that purpose, might be 

 deposited before the smoke escaped into the atmosphere. We wonder, 

 indeed, that a situation was not fixed on midway between the culinary 

 hot-houses and the botanic hot houses, all of which it might have heated 

 as far as was desirable. It might also have steamed hay and roots in the 

 ftirmery, heated water baths, or produced vapour ones, &c., in the house, 

 and thus done away with the numerous chimneys and clouds of dense 

 smoke which at a distance give Bretton Hall the air of an iron foundery ; 

 in part, no doubt, owing to the nature of the coals, which give out a 

 quantity of soot more than double that of the coals of Newcastle. The 

 situation of the dome is excellent; it is finely backed by wood, supported 

 by a group of three fine old oaks, and contrasted by a massy stone-built 

 conservatory, which only requires the back to be made exactly the same as 

 the front, to be widened, raised, and to have the roof entirely of glass. 

 When this is done, Bretton will contain two of the most magnificent plant 

 structures in the kingdom, in two distinct styles, and both excellent of their 

 kind. [Both are now (1829) surpassed by the range of botanic stoves at 

 Syon.] We might notice a number of things in the pleasure-ground and 

 kitchen-garden here that reflect credit on the late and present gardener. 

 There are a number of American trees and shrubs in a very thriving state; 



we never saw scarlet oaks in finer autumnal 

 tint. Cytisus purpureus, grafted standard 

 high on the laburnum, is singular and fine. 

 Groups of iJhododendron arboreura have 

 stood several winters protected by a cover 

 of wickerwork {fig. 165.), and one of the 

 plants has flowered. 



The case or cover consists of two parts ; 

 the sides which have an iron rim at top 



165 



