126 Notes and Recollections of a Tour. 



completely across the river, and its umbrageous foliage form- 

 ing a perfect arbor beneath. The conservatory, which is 

 span-roofed, is attached to the drawing-room, and is entered 

 by a glass door, reaching to the floor. In it are some very 

 fine specimens of plants. AVe gathered seed from an Acacia 

 armata, upwcirds of ^ew/ee/high, and the seedlings are now 

 upwards of a foot high ; fuchsias, ten feet ; white and double 

 striped camellias, eight feet ; SkXvla patens, and numerous 

 other plants. The back wall is trellised over, and covered 

 with climbing plants, which, running on arches, overhang the 

 walk, in wreaths of foliage and flowers. 



The kitchen garden next attracted our attention. Sir Ar- 

 chibald is deeply interested in agricultural improvements, and 

 by the Scottish system of draining and subsoil ploughing, has 

 greatly increased the value of the lands which form part of 

 his demesne. The kitchen garden is walled in, and contains 

 four or five acres of ground. On the wall were various kinds 

 of fruit trees, and we found a tree of Coe's golden drop plum, 

 in greater perfection, even in this climate, than we had ever 

 seen it previously. One tree was entirely covered with a fine 

 crop; though the gardener informed us he had taken from 

 it several dozens of fruit: it was matted over to keep off" 

 wasps and other insects. We tasted several of the speci- 

 mens, and found them nearly or quite equal to the green gage, 

 and this, too, on the 11th of October. This variety cannot 

 be too highly recommended : its size, beauty, long keeping, 

 and its superior flavor, all entitle it to a place in every good 

 collection of plums. Perhaps, if a iew trees were to be 

 placed on an east or west wall or fence, where a netting 

 could easily be stretched over the branches, the fruit might 

 be kept much longer than when grown as a standard : the 

 experiment is worth trial in our climate. 



There is a range of houses in the garden for grapes, peaches, 

 and plants : some fine gloxinias, achimenes, and other plants, 

 which we have before noticed, were in bloom. The garden 

 was in good keeping, and the plants in the houses well grown. 

 Having passed four or five hours in our visit here, we started 

 on our return to the city, which we reached about dark, de- 

 lighted with our day's tour. 



(To be Continued.^ 



