22 Country Seats near St. Andrew^ s, Fifeshire. 



broad, with uncommonly neat box-edgings, and covered with 

 sea gravel mixed with shells ; on each side are proportionate 

 flower borders, with alleys of 2 ft. between them and the vege- 

 tables. The wall trees are remarkably healthy, and are beau- 

 tifully trained in the horizontal and fan manners. Here is a 

 Calcutta pine-pit, the pines in which are very small, owing, 

 in my opinion, to their being kept in too small pots (12 in. 

 by 12 in.) to fruit in ; and a melon-pit, forced by the steam 

 of dung, confined underneath the bed. The back and front 

 walls are arched, and the soil is supported by pieces of wood 

 and wicker-work. The dung is well prepared and put under 

 at the arches, and closely shut up to keep in the steam. The 

 whole has a very clean, neat appearance. There are also two 

 vine-houses, one on the old system of training all over the 

 glass, the other on the pendent trellis system with peach trees 

 on the back wall ; the old plan is preferred. The Black Da- 

 mascus grape, in general, is a bad setter of its fruit ; here it 

 is fecundated with the pollen of the Black Hamburgh, and 

 sets freely. I have seen this garden three times during the 

 season, and have not seen a single weed in it. As a whole, it 

 is in the first-rate style of keeping and high order, and reflects 

 great credit on the endeavours of Mr. Young, the gardener. 



Largo House, the seat of General Dirom, beautifully situated 

 on the banks of the Forth, commanding a fine view of that river. 

 This garden is extensive, and well stocked with fruit trees of 

 all descriptions. What attracted my attention most was the 

 system of training apple trees on the walk borders downwards 

 on conical trellises, which has a very neat appearance, and is 

 preferable [?J to the straight espalier method, or to dwarf stand- 

 ards, especially when let out of bounds. Those making. new 

 gardens would do well to adopt this plan of training. [?J There 

 are a small pine stove at present filled with stove plantsj a 

 circular vine-house, a peach-house, an orangery just forming, 

 and a fine green -house attached to the mansion house, with 

 very extensive pleasure-grounds, all kept in first-rate order 

 by Mr. Steuart. 



Cunnoquhie, the seat of Col. Paterson, is pleasantly situated 

 on an eminence rising gently from the plain beneath, and has an 

 extensive view of the surrounding country. The garden and 

 pleasure-grounds are greatly improved of late. Here is one 

 of the far-famed steam chamber pine-pits. Pine-apples and 

 melons have been grown in it to great perfection ; and, as a 

 proof of its superiority, the gardener has gained many prizes 

 for both fruits at different horticultural societies. There is a 

 portion of this pit planted with pines in a bed of prepared 

 soil merely to fruit in, which are clean and healthy, have a 



