and its Gardens and Grounds. 651 



the south, and are sheltered from the north by a large wood 

 of fine oaks, beeches, &c. The walls (brick) which surround 

 them are 15 ft. high. There is a very fine cross wall, with 

 aspect south by east, appropriated entirely to peaches and 

 nectarines ; the crop of fruit in some seasons is immense : at 

 present some of the trees seem to be stunted in their growth, 

 and want renewing. A very large and beautiful mulberry tree, 

 trained within the very obtuse angle of a wall with the greatest 

 symmetry, bears abundant crops of fruit. The range of forcing 

 pits, for asparagus and culinary fruits, as cucumbers, capsi- 

 cums, &c. is very commodious, and on a very extensive scale. 

 The forcing department for fruit consists of a vinery, with 

 the glass-work at a very great angle ; the forcing commencing 

 when the sun's meridian altitude is at the lowest. The vines 

 are, of course, trained to light open trellising, a little detached 

 from the wall and flues. Adjoining, in the same range, is 

 another vinery for the latest crop of grapes, to succeed the 

 general crop in the pine-houses. There are four considerable 

 houses for the forcing of peaches, nectarines, and figs : the trees 

 introduced are both trained and standards ; the latter are in 

 very large pots, and are exceedingly fruitful. Slight hotbeds 

 of decayed leaves are made in the front of the houses, on which 

 the pots are placed. Abundance of fine mushrooms are grown 

 on the beds. The " old stove," as it is called, a large house, 

 exhibits a fine assemblage of pines, of the best varieties. A 

 muscat grape fills all the rafters in the house, and bears abund- 

 antly ; the bunches, thinned to six or seven on each rafter, very 

 large and well grown. In this stove are many rare plants : 

 the plantain (Musa sapientum), allspice {Pimenta officinalis), 

 silk cotton tree (Bombax heptaphyllum), striped-leaved arrow 

 root* (Maranta zebrina, or Calathea zebrina of Loudon's 

 Hort. Brit.), and other tropical plants, are cultivated with great 

 success. The limodorums (Tankervill<^ and hyacinth inum), 

 very large and strong plants. Gloriosa superba, very ram- 

 pant, with the largest flowers I have ever seen, iverium 



* Perhaps I may be pardoned for here mentioning that of the beautiful 

 order Scitamineae the stoves of John Smith, Esq., of Hungate, in the city 

 of York, afford many fine specimens, grown and managed in a superior man- 

 ner. Mr. Smith is entirely blind; he is, nevertheless, an ardent admirer of 

 plants, and an assiduous collector, which may be thought a singular pursuit 

 for a person under so pitiable a bereavement. The precision and quick- 

 ness of his touch in recognising plants in other collections than his own, are 

 altogether surprising; and his knowledge of botany and floriculture is no 

 less gratifying to the gardener or amateur, than his urbanity and kindness 

 in showing his collection of rarities. I regret to hear that Mr. Smith's 

 health is seriously impaired, attributed to his unceasing attention to his 

 favourite pursuit in his stoves and green-house. 



