69 



every turn of the path. Such results could not be obtained 

 by any arrangement on the level ground. The elevation of 

 456 feet above sea level also gives a drier air and considerable 

 immunity from early frosts in autumn and late frosts in spring. 

 At such times the villages near at hand often get four or five 

 degrees more frost than occurs at Belvoir. Meteorological 

 observations taken during the years 1877 to 1906 give the 

 average yearly rainfall as 25 '47 inches ; the average mean 

 temperature for the ten years 1895 to 1904 was 48'01 ; 

 the average temperature of the earth at a depth of 3 feet, for 

 the ten years 1891 to 1900 was 48 '5 5; and the average 

 sunshine for the ten years, 1894 to 1903, was 1511 hours 

 55 minutes. 



THE DUCHESS* GARDEN. 



This occupies a natural hollow, on the side of a hill, 

 about half a mile from the castle, and is about 8 acres in 

 extent. Its shape is rather like a horse-shoe, with the open 

 part at the bottom of the hill facing south east. It has a 

 fall of one hundred feet from the top to the bottom and is 

 well sheltered on all sides by forest trees. It is chiefly owing 

 to the natural formation, and the shelter of the trees that so 

 many tender shrubs and plants can be grown here. This 

 site was chosen for a garden by the Duchess Elizabeth, wife 

 of the Fifth Duke of Rutland. Her portrait by Hoppner may 

 be seen in the castle; she is painted as if leaning against the 

 column which now stands in the centre of this garden, and 

 is inscribed with some lines dedicating it to her (see plate 

 XIII.) On the right of the column is a large tree of 

 Araucaria imbricata planted in 1 842, this is 59 feet high, 



