312 Notice of a Range of Green-houses 



done her part. The lawn is kept exceedingly smooth, and ah-eady appears 

 green and velvety. There are some curious old trees scattered over it (no 

 one knows how old), peculiarly cared for by their noble owner. The flowers 

 had not blossomed ; but birds of foreign climes, in gaudy colours, sat here and 

 thereupon the grass, basking themselves in the sunshine. When I considered 

 this place, I thought the general curse that was pronounced against the soil 

 had fallen lightly here, it was all so beautiful. Every thing, in short, in this 

 noble demesne bespeaks a refined taste, and almost unbounded wealth. Because 

 the proprietor loves his trees, he will not have them cut down ; no matter how 

 great a price they might be worth : as they sprang of the earth, so they are 

 allowed to return thither. 



In front of the flower-garden there is a sweet chestnut, 63 ft. high ; diame- 

 ter of the trunk, at 1 ft. from the ground, 6i ft. The largest trees on the estate 

 are oaks : they stand in an open thinly planted spot, about a mile from the 

 mansion. Near Newee Gate there is one of them, called the Roan Oak, of very 

 singular appearance. The branches are almost all decayed, and the efforts of 

 remaining vegetation have wrought all manner of fantastic shapes and figures 

 at the top of the stem : among these, there is a figure of a twisted serpent, 

 and a tolerable representation of a lion cowering. The trunk of this tree is 

 8 ft. 9 in. in diameter. The Magii Oak, which is connected, I believe, with 

 some tale of enchantment, is in a like state of decay : the trunk, which mea- 

 sures 29i ft. in circumference, is hollow and open. An old woman at an 

 adjoining alehouse told me that the owls and all the spirits of the wilderness 

 gather into this tree in particular, and hold conference in the darkness of the 

 night. The other tree, which stands in a ravine called the Gutter, is the 

 largest I ever saw, and, perhaps, the largest in England. The trunk, at 1 ft. 

 from the ground, is 13 ft. 2 in. in diameter. Like the others, it is decayed and 

 hollow, so that a person can walk into it ; and it is so roomy within, that the 

 man who accompanied me observed, that, with a \itt\e fitting up, it might be 

 made to contain his wife and family comfortably ! 



Elford Park, the Seat of Colonel Howard. — This estate forms a portion of 

 one of the richest plains in Staffordshire. The mansion and pleasure-grounds 

 are beautifully situated on the banks of the Tame, and bear a striking resem- 

 blance to some of the pleasant residences on the river side at Richmond. The 

 kitchen-garden is extensive and well kept, and particularly distinguished for 

 its earliness. The flower-garden is laid out after the manner of ancient times, 

 and exhibits a specimen of what is known amongst gardeners as the geome- 

 trical style. The scientific gardener here has become well known in this part 

 of the country as a successful competitor at prize flower shows. His col- 

 lections of auriculas, anemones, and polyanthuses, which are now in flower, 

 are really splendid ; and, had I seen them sooner, I should have certainly qua- 

 lified my previous opinion regarding the culture of flowers in this quarter. In 

 this, as in all the other places, however, the introduction of ornamental trees 

 and shrubs is almost neglected : it would appear that a taste for such a thing 

 has yet to be created. I trust that my endeavour to form an arboretum at 

 Lichfield will be aided by all gardeners and lovers of trees, and that it will 

 stimulate others in this quarter to similar undertakings. 



In my next communication I shall enter more into the details of this place, 

 and enumerate the remarkable trees which it contains. 



Lichfield, May 1. 1836. 



Art. IV. Notice of a Range of Green-houses recently erected in 

 Barratt's Subscription Botanic Garden at St. John's, Wakefield. 

 Drawn up from a Communication by Mr. Barratt. 



Mr. Barratt^s Botanic Garden consists of about three acres in the 

 suburbs of the town of Wakefield. Three sides of the garden are bounded 



