376 



NEW ENGLAND FA31MER. 



Aug, 



way, a band of music on this occasion played for 

 the entertainment of the thousands of "fair women 

 and brave men," who were seated on benches and 

 chairs in the shade, or wandering in the labarin- 

 thine walks around. Still beyond, as one looks from 

 the windows, is seen a semi-circle of closely plant- 

 ed willows, of some hundred feet span, in the back 

 ground of which, in deep shadow, upon pedestals, 

 three colossal human figures of marble look grave- 

 ly down upon the vanities of lifq beneath them, 

 while on either side, to complete the semi-circle, 

 are stone seats at regular intervals, and busts of 

 ancient sages ; among which are those of Homer 

 and Hesiod, with their names inscribed in Greek 

 characters beneath. 



Still further to the right, separated somewhat by 

 irregular groups of trees, are beds of flowers, and 

 at the opening of the wood, as if by accident, a fig- 

 ure of Venus, upon a pedestal some twenty feet 

 high, meets the eye ; and farther on, is a dark 

 wall of about fifteen feet height, having the outline 

 of a castle wall, with here a projecting round tow- 

 er, and there a curved recess in the wall, the curves 

 as regular, and the angles as sharp as if of brick 

 and mortar. This wall is of living trees, of dark 

 green like our hemlock, covered with verdure from 

 the ground to the summit, cut square on both sides 

 and on the top, with occasionally an arched door- 

 way through it, leading to the grounds beyond. 

 Looking out at the angles, is here and there seen a 

 stone bust of some classical personage, almost hid- 

 den in a frame of evergreen, which is cut away to 

 form a little niche about him. 



A little way on is a clean gravel walk some three 

 hundred feet in length, and perhaps ten in breadth, 

 between straight living walls of this same hedge, 

 about twelve feet high, which is called yew, al- 

 though it seems not to be like the large yew trees. 

 At the end of this walk stands a small temple, 

 with a marble figure, hardly discernible in the dis- 

 tance. I walked alone down the dark unvaried ave- 

 nue of sombre evergreens, and as I approached 

 the temple, recognized the figure of Napoleon, 

 alone in his glory. 



In another part of the grounds are extensive 

 green-houses, full of rare plants and flowers, in 

 front of which is a most beautiful flower garden, 

 laid out in somewhat regular forms, in beds full 

 of masses of single varieties of flowers, all, it seemed, 

 at once in full blossom. But of the flowers 1 will 

 not attempt a description. Thronging this part of 

 the grounds were the noblemen and ladies of Eng- 

 land, most of whom attend the Chiswick show, and 

 the people of England, wherever I meet them, are 

 a more interesting study, even, than her trees and 

 flowers. Turning from the crowd, I struck into a 

 narrow path into a dense wood. In a few moments 

 I was alone, in a forest of huge horse chestnuts 

 and elms and oiks of a century's growth, and cov- 



ered with English ivy from the ground to the 

 branches, filled with a thick undergrowth of holly 

 and laurel and oleanders, tangled like a "forest 

 primeval" of our own country. Alone, I walked 

 on, on, it seemed a half mile, determined to see 

 the end of the path, till the music of the band died 

 entirely away in the distance. There was scarcely a 

 mark of cultivation — except that the pathwry, which 

 was only wide enough for one person, seemed to 

 have been newly swe]/t — till I emerged from 

 the shade upon an extensive meadow, where cattle 

 were quietly grazing around a long irregular pond, 

 in which were, swans, sailing majestically on the 

 surface. I retraced my steps in part, and turning 

 oif, came to a bridge of elegant architecture, about 

 which I found many of the company carelessly 

 strolling. Passing along another path which as- 

 cended a hill, I observed a long series of arches, 

 resting on round pillars of some two feet diameter, 

 all of solid living green of the yew tree, and under 

 each arch, a small tree cut into a regular pillar, all 

 as systematic as if of stone. . Upon careful exami- 

 nation, I perceived that rods of iron supported the 

 arches, and long branches were trained out, and 

 bound to these rods to form the covering. A lit- 

 tle further on, was a hill or mound, some twenty 

 feet high, appearing to be composed of laurel, and 

 I should have passed it by as merely a pointed 

 group of trees, had I not suddenly noticed a half 

 dozen young girls quietly perched on its summit. 

 I presume upon a mound which they ascended by 

 a hidden staircase. 



But 1 may as well close abruptly. My purpose 

 has been to give some idea of the refinements in 

 landscape gardening, and rural ornament, so com- 

 mon in England ; and which make the homes of 

 England's nobles so delightful. Doubtless my has- 

 ty sketch from memory is full of inaccuracies; 

 but if it fails to give a correct idea of Chiswick 

 Place, it will give some slight impression of what 

 is everywhere seen about these old mansions and 

 castles, and give our countrymen some hints for 

 the adornment of their more simple though happier 

 homes. ii. f. f. 



Toads in the Garden. — Never destroy the 

 toad. We are assured that "nothing is made in 

 vain," and a very slight knowledge of natural his- 

 tory will show us that even the toad — the most 

 universally depreciated of all reptiles, perhaps, with 

 the exception of the viper — may be of some use. 

 In the first place we discover that toads feed on all 

 kinds of grubs and worms; consequently they serve 

 to protect the vegetable kingdom from the ravages 

 of its most insidious and destructive foes. The pes- 

 tiferous canker worm is a favorite food with him, 

 and he devours, indiscriminately, all kinds of gar- 

 den-grubs, and in large numbers, for his dilating 

 powers and capacity of deglutition almost rival 

 those of the anaconda. Craving only the protec- 

 tion of a turf or chip, he labors incessantly for man's 

 benefit, and demands for his invaluable services no 



