98 



A fine group of Cedars of Lebanon are close by the 

 principal entrance to the kitchen garden. It is seldom this 

 tree is found with such long straight stems ; probably the 

 great depth of soil here is one reason for this unusual growth, 

 and being raised from seed here they would not suffer by 

 transplanting, so much as those carried long distances. The 

 tree on the N.W. is 774 feet high and 7j feet in cir- 

 cumference. 



The Kitchen Garden was laid out in 1816. Some of the 

 soil was carted here from the old garden, which occupied the 

 site of the present orchard between the stables and the Peacock 

 Inn. Andrew Lack was head gardener here at that time. 

 The walls enclose nearly seven acres of ground, they are well 

 furnished with fruit trees on both sides; the walks are arranged 

 in an excellent way, so that the workmen can always get to 

 their work without using the principal paths ; the latter are 

 thus kept clear and free from soil, a necessary precaution here 

 on this heavy clay. The situation is cold and wet. Owing 

 chiefly to the clay soil it is by no means an ideal place for a 

 kitchen garden, as everything is so late in coming into use 

 in the spring and early summer. A fine view of the 

 Castle may be seen from the East entrance (see plate 

 XXIX) . The soil has improved very much during the last 

 twelve years. I find burnt refuse to be one of the best things 

 to accomplish this. After dressing the first spit all over with it, 

 the second spit has been systematically done, and a liberal 

 supply of manure has also been added to it. By doing a portion 

 each winter we have gone over the whole thoroughly in a 

 few years and are amply repaid by the improved growth and 



