654t Observations on several Gardens 



figs, chiefly a white fig, known in Mr. Lee's nursery as the 

 " White Sidney Fig," and introduced some years ago by a 

 member of that noble family. It is an exceedingly rich juicy 

 fruit. The fig trees are planted against the walls, at about the 

 distance of 1 2 ft. ; the border is entirely appropriated to them, 

 across which they are trained, in the manner of espaliers, at 

 the distance of 5 or 6 ft., at the same time keeping the wall full 

 of branches to preserve the young fruit and branches from 

 frost. The trees are carefully covered at the approach of 

 winter, and not uncovered until the beginning or middle of 

 April. By preserving the young fruit, Mr. Moffat is enabled 

 to gather the crop earlier, and to continue doing so equally 

 late with an abundant supply ; he has also a certainty, even in 

 the worst seasons, of having ripe figs. I conceive it to be a 

 practice well worth the attention of the gardening world, and 

 more particularly when the state of fig trees in general this 

 season (from the effects of last severe winter) is contrasted with 

 those at Frognals. I observed a very fine plant of the Eccre- 

 mocarpus scaber at the end of an orange house in full flower, 

 which had stood there during the winter; also a Magnoh'a 

 grandifiora, 30 ft. high, against the front of the mansion. It 

 had suffered considerably from the severity of the weather. 



Mr. Moffat has erected a range of excellent pits, the walls 

 of which are built of layers of turf, each layer well beaten down, 

 and pegs, at intervals, are driven through the turf to consoli- 

 date the whole. When the walls are raised to a convenient 

 height, a slight frame is put on for the reception of the light. 

 They are only used for the preservation of half-hardy plants 

 during the winter months, and with a slight covering they 

 effectually exclude the frost. 



There was a good crop of wall fruit, which Mr. Moffat be- 

 lieved he had preserved by applying cold water to the trees 

 before sun-rise on the mornings of the 1st, 2d, 3d, and 4th of 

 April, during the severe frost which occurred at that period. 



Wliite Knights,, near Reading; June 21. — Once so famous 

 amongst gardens, and still rich in splendid specimens of the 

 American family. The conservatories are stripped of their most 

 valuable tenants, and are now fast falling to decay. The pre- 

 sent stock contains chiefly young plants, of which there is a 

 good collection, and many of the newer varieties : they form 

 the main prop by which the garden is upheld. The fine wall 

 of Magnolia grandifiora has suffered considerably by the frosts. 

 There are some remarkably fine specimens of Magriolm glauca, 

 conspicua, acuminata, tripetala, and macrophylla, as standards, 

 studded thickly throughout the grounds, and many of them 



