Tajplffw House. 659 



other walks. Among the trees not planted by Mr. Springall, 

 may be notked a magnificent plane, 100 ft. high, with 

 branches extending far on every side, and sweeping the 

 ground; a tulip tree, 70ft. high, and some noble elms. We 

 were particularly struck with the vigorous growth of every 

 description of plant introduced in the flower-beds; and we 

 were informed by Mr. Springall of the cause ; viz., that he 

 takes out the soil every year to the depth of 2 ft. or 3 ft., and 

 renews it entirely. He does not introduce a single bed, or 

 even a single plant, however common may be the kind, with- 

 out this precaution. On observing the flower-stems and 

 remaining flowers of Gladiolus byzantinus very strong, Mr. 

 Springall stated that he never puts dung in his compost for 

 these plants, but only uses yellow loam with a little sand. The 

 different dwarf blue-flowered lobelias, such as L. unidentata, 

 Sellidifolia, eriniiides, &c., grow here so much larger than we 

 have seen them any where else, that they appeared like 

 distinct varieties. The same may be said of the different 

 verbenas and of most of the other usual lawn plants. 

 The masses of blossom shown by single pelargoniums were 

 remarkably fine ; some of them were 3 ft. in diameter at the 

 base, and 6 ft. high, forming a complete cone of scarlet 

 flowers. These plants continue in bloom all the summer, 

 a particular variety being used for that purpose, v>^hich is ob- 

 tained in the following ingenious manner : — It is well known 

 to gardeners that variegated-leaved pelargoniums flower more 

 freely, and for a greater length of time, than any of the 

 varieties which are not variegated ; but then these variegated 

 plants never grow large, or produce strong wood and vigor- 

 ous leaves. To obtain strong wood and luxuriant foliage, 

 as well as a continuance of bloom all the season, Mr. Springall 

 chose a cutting from a variegated plant which had run, or 

 returned to its original green ; and from this cutting he pro- 

 pagated the plants which he trains as cones. We may observe, 

 that here, as at Dropmore, the walks were brimful of gravel, 

 and the grass edgings clipped, and not pared, which, as we 

 have often before said, is one of the greatest beauties in the 

 details of walks, though we cannot get it attended to half 

 so much as we could wish. Mr. Springall is enthusiasti- 

 cally devoted to his profession, and is in his garden, as he 

 informed us, from four o'clock in the morning till it is dark at 

 night. His master never interferes with his management, 

 and this will always be found to be the case, when the garden 

 is so well conducted as it is here. Mr. Springall lives in a 

 pretty thatched cottage by the road side, with an octagon front, 

 and a veranda ornamented by creepers ; he has also a very 



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