404 Notes and Recollections of a Tour. 



them is the construction of a new conservatory, to be the 

 largest in the country, and of which a model was exhibited 

 in the rotunda in the pleasure grounds ; it will cover a 

 square of an acre or more, and will be formed of four circu- 

 lar houses on the corners, and one in the centre, all with 

 domical roofs, the largest and highest in the middle; these 

 will be united by a continued line filling up the four sides, 

 and so arranged as to admit of two broad avenues crossing 

 each other in the centre, and opening on the four sides. It 

 will stand on a broad open lawn, and if the plan is carried 

 out, it will exceed any thing of the kind in Europe. 



In the grounds there is one of the most complete collections 

 of British plants, arranged according to the Natural System ; 

 but we were not able to notice it particularly. Several new 

 ornamental trees and shrubs have been planted out, and Kew 

 possesses one of the largest and finest araucarias. Every de- 

 partment was in excellent condition. 



Wi7nhledon House^ Mrs. Marry ntt, Oct. 2d. — Wimbledon 

 Honse is situated about seven miles from London, within a few 

 minutes walk of the Wimbledon Station, on the London and 

 Southampton Railway. The estate once was the property of 

 Bond Hopkins, Esq., and is upwards of one hundred acres 

 in extent, pleasantly situated, and contains one or two fine 

 pieces of water. The lawn slopes away from the house, the 

 walk to the left leading to the flower garden, and that to the 

 right through the pleasure grounds and park. Mrs. Marryatt 

 is an American lady by birth, and from her enthusiastic ad- 

 miration of flowers, she was some years ago elected an hon- 

 orary member of the Mass. Hort. Soc. The gardener is Mr. 

 Redding, who has been in Mrs. Marryatt's employ upwards 

 of thirty years, and whose skill is best attested by the many 

 medals which have been awarded him by the London Horti- 

 cultural Society. 



The entrance to the lawn is through the saloon of the 

 house ; passing to the left, the walk conducts to the Garden 

 which covers about three acres of ground. A range of 

 houses, consisting of graperies, greenhouses and stoves, occu- 

 pies the south wall, and in front sof them, laid out in beds 

 on turf and divided by walks at right angles, is the flower 

 garden. We first entered the orchideous house where we 



