120 Notices of some Country Seats 



The Farmers of the Isle of Thanet are, in general, a well 

 educated and rather superior class. Their gardens are well 

 supplied with showy flowers, and, in many cases, laid out with 

 considerable taste. Many of the farm houses and buildings are 

 of flint; and this material gives a picturesque and pleasing effect 

 to simple forms. 



As I write merely for the benefit of my brother-gardeners, I 

 shall not refer to the numerous published descriptions of the 

 Isle of Thanet farther than to observe that they either omit, or 

 give a very slight notice of, the village of Dumpton, between 

 Broadstairs and Ramsgate, and by far the most woody and 

 rural spot in the isle, generally so bare of trees. 



The Villa of R. Croft, Esq., presents no particular feature of 

 beauty, and is suffering much from neglect ; but near it is one of 

 the prettiest farm houses I have ever seen. It is a genteel and 

 commodious building, with stuccoed front and cottage roof, pro- 

 jecting considerably. A dell, formerly a chalk pit, is in front of 

 the house, and produces an excellent effect of shadow under 

 two fine specimens of the ash and walnut ; and very agreeably 

 deceives the eye as to the extent of ground. 



As to Nurseries, there are none which can interest the scientific 

 gardener or botanist. Fraser's, at Ramsgate, contains a fair 

 assortment of common and showy plants, and the usual kinds 

 of fruit and other trees. Mr. Fraser himself is a man who 

 deserves to be placed in a more favourable situation : he has 

 travelled much ; his manners are pleasing, and his attainments 

 considerable ; but there is no demand or custom in the neigh- 

 bourhood for anything out of the common way ; and necessity 

 compels him to devote his attention to the growth of that which 

 will remunerate him. 



The Growth of Ivy here is, I think, superior to what I have 

 ever seen elsewhere, both in rapidity and vigour. The soil, 

 being for the most part a very thin layer of loam on a sub- 

 stratum of chalk, is admirably adapted for all evergreens. Of 

 trees, the walnut, the ash, common elm, and wych elm, espe- 

 cially the latter, attain the highest perfection. To sum up the 

 whole, this is the land of agriculture, not of horticulture. 



I am, Sir, yours, &c. 

 Ramsgate, Oct. 3. 1833. Calycanthus. 



Art. III. Notices of some Country Seats in the North-Eastern Counties 

 of England. By G. W. 



Sir, 

 In your tour through England, in 1831, you did not visit the 

 north-eastern counties, where there are some very splendid 



