Biography. 383 



pleased. As I should like to have as complete a house as possible when I 

 set about it, and as I make it a rule to employ the labourers and trades- 

 people in my immediate vicinage, I would willingly pay something for an 

 elevation and complete working plan for such a house ; but, I think, you 

 could not gratify your subscribers more than by having such engraved in 

 one, of your early numbers, with all the proper dimensions for different- 

 sized houses clearly figured out on a large scale. — B.M.H. Dec. 14. 1827. 



Plans of Flower-gardens. — As one of your subscribers, you would 

 much oblige me, and no doubt many others, by giving plans of flower-gar- 

 dens or parterres, something in the style of fig. 75. p. 250., only less curved 

 and cut out. I like the appearance of nursery-gardens, where flowers of 

 sorts and colours are kept distinct and in masses. You, who visit so many 

 gardens, must have seen a variety of parterres, and could readily draw them 

 out, consulting always economy in execution, ease of access, and effect. 

 Perhaps you would likewise number the borders or divisions, and specify 

 what flowers would please both the sight and the smell, and how to manage 

 the beds so that there might be a constant succession from spring till the 

 close of autumn, which might readily be managed by forcing seeds or bulbs 

 either in a hot-bed or forcing-house. — Id. 



We recommend our correspondent to communicate with Messrs. Bailey 

 (p. 575.) or Mr. Main. (p. 578.) — Cond. 



Art. X. Biography. 



William Speechly, gardener to His Grace the Duke of Portland, at 

 Welbeck, in Nottinghamshire, was born at a village near Peterborough, in 

 Northamptonshire, and was the son of a respectable farmer, who gave him 

 a good education. He had a strong natural genius, and was remarkably 

 industrious, employing all the leisure of his youth in drawing plans, de- 

 lineating fruits and flowers, and engraving them on copper plates. He also 

 had a taste for music, but he laid that aside at an early period of life. 



His unconquerable predilection for the profession of gardening led him 

 to begin his studies early in the gardens at Milton Abbey, now Earl Fitz- 

 william's ; from whence he removed to the extensive grounds of Earl 

 Carlisle, at Castle Howard, in Yorkshire. How long he studied at each of 

 these places, and how long he was head-gardener to Sir William St. Quin- 

 tin, before he was recommended to the Duke of Portland in 1767, is not 

 exactly known. 



In 1771, through the kindness and liberality of his noble employer, he 

 made a tour to view some of the principal gardens in Holland. Soon after 

 this the large improved pine and grape stove was erected at Welbeck, from 

 Mr. Speechly's designs, and under his own immediate inspection. In 1779 

 his Treatise on the Culture of the Pine-apple was published, which opened 

 quite a new era in that department of horticulture, and laid the foundation 

 for the improvements which have followed, in rapid succession, to the pre- 

 sent time. The same may be said of his Treatise on the Cidture of the 

 Vine, which was published in the year 1789. The value to gardeners of 

 these two books can only be estimated by a knowledge of the want of in- 

 formation at that epoch on the subjects treated of. In 1796 he published 

 a second edition of his Treatise on the Pine-apple. After this he was en- 

 gaged on some papers on domestic economy, at the request of Sir John 

 Sinclair, President of the Board of Agriculture, which were to have been 

 published in the Transactions of that Honourable Board; but the pub- 

 lication did not take placfe, and ths papers were returned to him in 1 800. 



