Calls at Suburban Gardens. 325 



SCOTLAND. 



Tyranny toivards Gardeners. — One of our readers, remarking on what we 

 have stated, p. 162., respecting the tyranny of Russian noblemen, informed us of 

 a fact which we could not have believed possible ,• viz. that, at a place in Perth- 

 shire, where he was journeyman a few years ago, the gentleman, who has 

 died since this was written, would not allow his servants to see any newspaper, 

 notwithstanding they paid for it, unless it was one of a certain tone in politics, 

 which they were compelled to purchase, if they wished to have a newspaper 

 at all. The same gentleman forced every servant, whether in-door or out- 

 door, whatever his religion might be (and several of them were sectarians), 

 to go to the parish church in the forenoon. Of course, before they could return, 

 and get their dinners, it was too late to go to their respective chapels for the 

 afternoon service. 



Art. IV. Calls at Nurseries and Suburban Gardens. 



Claremont. — May 15. The leaves on the forest trees being now fully 

 expanded, without excepting (in consequence of this early season) even the 

 ash and the acacia, this place is in its greatest summer's beauty. About the 

 end of October, when the foliage of the oaks has assumed all that variet}' of 

 brown and red of which it is susceptible, and the elms their rich yellows, 

 Claremont will be in the height of its autumnal beauty : at about Christmas, 

 when the splendid hollies, with their coral berries, bays, Portugal laurels, 

 box, laurustinus, silver firs, cedars, &c, and, above all, the undergrowth of the 

 common laurel, give it the appearance of a wood of evergreens, it is in its 

 greatest winter beauty. In the winter season, indeed, Claremont looks better 

 than at any other time, on account of its profusion of magnificent evergreens, 

 and its undulating surface of turf, green all the year round, from the shade 

 above and the moisture beneath. Altogether, it is a noble place ; it is only to 

 be deeply regretted that it is not also a healthy one to live at. If the place 

 were thoroughly drained by the frequent drain system (IX. 447.), and the 

 ponds filled up, with a few more of the trees cut down, and more of the 

 surface cleared of underwood, there can be little doubt that the salubrity of 

 Claremont would be greatly increased. 



The main entrance to the kitchen-garden, for the family residing in the 

 mansion, or for strangers, is through the gardener's house ; the ample passage 

 across which serves as a telescope to the view along the broad walk of the 

 garden. This was, no doubt, an arrangement of Sir John Vanbrugh, made with 

 a view to effect, though the privacy of the dwelling is utterly destroyed by it. 

 The garden walls were also built by Sir John Vanbrugh ; and we suppose that, 

 in his days, the feelings of out-door servants were not so much thought of as 

 they are at present. The kitchen-garden commences with a small flower- 

 garden, laid out, and, in part, planted, during the time of the late Princess 

 Charlotte. A circular clump of azaleas, said to have been planted by the 

 princess's own hands, is now in full bloom, and makes a very splendid appear- 

 ance. The azaleas in this clump form one grand irregular tuft ; and, in order 

 to prevent this irregularity from degenerating into a tame orbicular mass, 

 which it soon would do, Mr. M'Intosh proposes to adopt Mr. Garnier's mode 

 (p. 124.) of taking up the plants, cutting them in a little, and then replanting 

 them farther apart from each other. The basin in this garden, the side walls 

 of which are built of brick, and lined with cement, having leaked for some 

 years past in its upper part, that part has been recently covered with lead, let 

 in under the coping, and into the stonework at the bottom ; and the water is 

 now effectually retained. As a substitute for a shelf round this pond, Mr. 

 M'Intosh has adopted a most convenient pothook ; by lengthening or shorten- 

 ing which, the pot containing the plant can be suspended at any depth, and 

 taken out and examined at pleasure. Fig. 64. shows a perspective view of 



