92 Notes and Recollections of a Tour. 



they are quite too far from the glass to receive the full eflfect 

 of light and air which is indispensably necessary to the good 

 health of the plants ; some of the large trees which tower up 

 forty feet, succeed as well as in their native clime; but the 

 smaller ones draw up and become etiolated, and do not look 

 healthy. If conservatories are to be erected, to cover a large 

 spot of ground, they should be built in the style now pro- 

 posed for the great house at Kew, and the Regents Park, of 

 which we shall speak hereafter. Unless for palms and trees 

 alone, twenty to thirty feet is the highest they should be 

 erected ; and much less for most kinds of plants. 



Retracing our steps, our attention was directed to the arbo- 

 retum ; but with this we were disappointed ; the many im- 

 provements which have been in progress have caused this to 

 be neglected, and we found many of the specimens quite 

 small and stunted, and the roots overgrown with grass. 

 From a description of it by Mr. Loudon, we had been led to 

 anticipate a rich treat ; but with the exception of a few of 

 the new pines, we found very little to interest us, and our 

 ideas of an arboretum had been formed altogether too high, 

 if this was a specimen. Descending now to the lawn front 

 to the south, we had a fine view of the long canal, the outlet 

 of the water from the fountain, bordered on each side by a 

 row of large trees. On the turf, which was like the softest 

 velvet, were groups and beds of rhododendrons and some 

 single specimens of that graceful tree the Cedrus Deodara ; 

 two rows of the Laurel, trained as standards, were placed 

 along the walks. 



A wall separates the lawn from the Italian garden on the 

 west front, which is reached by a descent of several steps. 

 Just at the entrance are the two trees planted by Prince 

 Albert and Queen Victoria, during their late visit to Chats- 

 worth. The garden is surrounded by a wall ; in the centre 

 is a beautiful fountain supplied from the waste water from 

 the canal. Eight large raised beds, with architectural walls 

 are filled with the most showy flowers, and the appearance 

 of this garden, looked down upon from the walk, is very or- 

 namental, and admirably unites the pleasure ground with 

 the park. 



The kitchen garden occupies about twelve acres of ground, 



