92 



warm wall or other protection in winter. It was severely cut 



by the hard frost in February 1895. 



From the cluster of old Yew trees at the corner, near 

 the gymnasium, the view shown on ^Plate XX U may be 

 seen. The old building in the foreground has been used for 

 stables for many years, but was occupied as barracks by the 

 soldiers in the time of Cromwell. The circular erection is a 

 later addition used for exercising horses in frosty weather. 

 Beyond these buildings is a fine stretch of grass land in the 

 county of Lincolnshire. Many churches, farms and villages 

 may be distinguished when the air is clear, and on the best 

 days Lincoln Cathedral can be plainly seen ; it is twenty- 

 seven miles distant. 



On the next wall above, at the west end, a fine plant of 

 Azara microphylla grows. This has a more healthy appear- 

 ance than the plants in the Duchess Garden (see page 72) ; 

 several plants of Magnolia conspicua Soulangeana grow along 

 this wall. One of them is shown in flower on Plate XXI} I. 

 They flower abundantly in spring before the leaves appear, 

 and are sweetly scented. The plant is quite hardy ; large trees 

 of it in the bush form are sometimes seen in the southern 

 counties. The flowers are sometimes damaged by frost, and 

 the shelter of a wall is always desirable for this plant north 

 of London. Magnolia grandiflora also flowers here. It is a 

 native of North America and bears enormous white flowers 

 which are very sweetly scented. It is the finest of all the 

 Magnolias, and has nice glossy green leaves which remain 

 thoughout the winter. There is a variety of this which never 

 flowers ; two plants have grown on this wall, not far from the 



