Petisoorth House. 



ST. 



garden courts in the back front of the house are some fine old specimens 

 of exotics, a basin rockwork and fountain, and a conservatory. Against 

 the house is the largest Glycine frutescens which we have ever seen; two 

 large plants of Magnoha grandiflora, and a very fine M. purpurea. In the 

 conservatory is a magnificent Brugmansia arborea, some good camellias, 

 and Calla sethiopica, bearing seed. The beds in this conservatory are about 

 two feet higher than the paths, and they are enclosed in cast-iron plates, 

 painted green, which, though executed about a dozen years ago by Messrs. 

 Bailey, of Holborn, do not yet show the slightest symptom of rusting. In 

 another garden court is a large standard fig-tree, which bears tolerable 

 crops annually, without anj' care whatever, though it can have very little 

 sun after two o'clock in the day. In a conservatory in this court there is a 

 lemon tree, trained against the back wall, which, in consequence of Mr, 

 Harrison's mode of pruning, bears large crops, and has all the year fruit 

 of different sizes, together with blossoms. Mr. H. finds that the Citrus 

 tribe bear best on weak side and terminating shoots of an inch or two in 

 Jength; and his object in pruning is to produce these shoots regularly all 

 over the tree: this he does by pinching in strong shoots wherever they 

 appear. In this garden a tortoise has lived for many years ; it is fed on the 

 leaves of lettuce, Szc. occasionally, but derives the greater part of its food 

 from the grass and plants with which it is surrounded. In winter it buries 

 itself in the soil below the depth to which the frost penetrates. In a third 

 court is a small flower-garden recently formed, and a Pelargonium house 

 containing a variety of new sorts raised here from seeds. The beds of the 

 flower-garden are planted with the choicest new half-hardy annuals, such as 

 i^erbena Melindres (or chamssdryoides, as it is named by Sweet), Clarkia 

 pulchella, (Salvia spl^ndens, and also a new variety of this iSalvia raised here 

 from seed, and of which a drawing was made for us {Jig. 1 1 6.) by Miss 

 Sarah Perry. On the north side 

 of the house the shrubbery com- 

 mences, and consists of a walk 

 with glades of turf, shrubs, and 

 lofty ti'ees on each side, among 

 which are some fine old hollies 

 and four silver firs of extraordi- 

 nary dimensions. Farther on is 

 an open grove of various trees, 

 among which are twelve large sil- 

 ver firs, and a Grecian temple, 

 commanding an extensive pro- 

 spect. On the glades in different 

 places small groups or patches of 

 different sorts of ferns are planted, 

 which, rising in tufts through the 

 turf, have a good effect. 



The kitchen-garden had been 

 for manj' years behind the rest of 

 the place, from the delicate feel- 

 ings of the proprietor, who would not superannuate an old servant. 

 Two years ago it was put under the management of Mr, Harrison, late 

 gardener at Wortley Hall, and author of one of our best treatises on 

 fruit ti'ees, who is renovating every thing, and has already made im- 

 portant improvements. The peach and apricot trees were naked and 

 almost worn out; and it became necessary to renew the borders and plant 

 young trees, which are gradually taking the places of the others. The 

 pear, plum, and cherry trees against the walls were covered with spurs 

 eighteen inches in length, which Mr. Harrison has cut in according to his 

 system. {Encyc. of Gar d.^ 4454, Gard. Mag, vol. iii. p. 1., and Treatise 



Vol. V. ~ No. 22. p p 



