340 Gardeti of Catwnmills Cottage. 



which they are matured. Tortoises are _ 



of a most extraordinary longevity ; and _ • ,•'•? ■_ ^ ,-" "", : "'j^ 



one was ascertained to have lived in the >J'''*i'-''' "'^••r'''''. • \f, 



gardens of Lambeth to the age of 120 "^''■'» C'^T ^'-/(r*?'! •"'"Tl 

 years. They answer, in some measure, ,-^ '^^ %'*^' "' ^- *-i{* "-V .' 

 the purpose of a barometer, and uni- ^^^■^^'^k^'^kJ^^^s^^J^'^ 

 formly indicate the fall of rain before ^^J^^^^^^^- 



night, when they take their food with ^>i^ ''^^''C^'■,:v^ 



great rapidity, and walk with a sort of \ivV^- l-j, ^Sn^ 



mincing and elate step. The tortoise 



appears to dislike rain extremely, and is discomfited and driven back only 

 by a few, and scarcely perceivable drops, 

 ^rinaceus europse^us 1/., the European, or common, hedgehog, is found useful 

 in the open garden, for clearing the ground of snails and slugs, and the 

 houses of beetles, cockroaches, &c. 



In the spring of the present year, a railroad was projected be- 

 tween Edinburgh and Newhaven, and the line of direction laid 

 down was unfortunately through Dr. Neill's garden. It may 

 easily be conceived what an appalling circumstance this must have 

 been to one so completely devoted to his plants, birds, and hot- 

 houses as Dr. Neill; for, though it was proposed, in order to injure 

 the garden as little as possible, to carry the railroad under it in a 

 tunnel, yet, the soil being a deep dry sand, there was every reason 

 to fear that its execution would be impracticable, without open- 

 ing the ground (as the miner's phrase is) " to the day." Dr. 

 Neill petitioned parliament on the subject, and came up to Lon- 

 don to watch the progress of the bill through the house; but, 

 though some concession in his favour was made by the committee 

 to whom the bill was referred, yet he was obliged to submit, and 

 allow it to pass through his grounds. The following extract from 

 the printed petition presented by Dr. Neill on this occasion 

 presents a summary of the contents of the garden, drawn up by 

 his gardener, and will form a very suitable conclusion to this 

 article. 



'* Extent of Glass, and Number of Plants in Pots, at Dr. Neill's, 

 Canonmills, April, 18.86. — A span-roof conservatory, or cool 

 green-house, 30 ft. long, 17 ft. wide, and 14 ft. high, containing 

 upwards of 500 pots. A stove, or hot-house, 20 ft long, 15 ft. 

 wide, and 12 ft. high ; above 400 pots. A vinery, or warm green- 

 house, of same dimensions as stove ; 320 pots. A large brick- 

 built forcing, or warm, pit, 20 ft. long, with five double lights ; 

 400 pots at present, often above 100 more. A Cape bulb-frame 

 of three sashes ; plants in the border. An orchis frame of four 

 sashes ; plants in the border. An alpine frame, of four sashes ; 

 210 pots. A glazed house 10 ft. high, for protecting plants in 

 winter. The amount of pots with plants, at present, is above 

 2030 ; and the number of species and varieties of plants, in- 

 cluding trees and shrubs, in the open ground, greatly exceeds 

 1000. — W. La>wson." 



