508 Notes on Arboretums. 



the surface of the garden in the manner done in irrigating grass 

 lands. Two peach borders, extending along two sides of the 

 garden, were in the act of being watered in this manner while 

 we were there. We cannot help remarking here on the order 

 and neatness which we observed in the walks, the edgings, the 

 lawn, the back sheds, and, indeed, in every part of what was 

 under the care of Mr. Giddings. 



Donald and Westland's Nursery^ at DorJcing, is, as usual, in 

 high order, and stocked brimful of good things. We were much 

 struck with a magnificent plant of Erythrina Crista galli, with 

 the collection of dahlias, and with that fine plant Ceanothus 

 azureus, which here, and in all the nurseries that we have visited 

 since we left London, forms a beautiful hardy shrub, flowering 

 the whole summer. Mr. Westland has built some additional 

 houses since we were last at Dorking, and has heated them in 

 Kewley's manner. In one of these he grows pines and grapes, 

 and the other is devoted to heaths. 



Deepdejie is suffering from drought ; but still it is a delight- 

 ful place. We were sorry to hear that certain alterations are 

 proposed in the house and grounds, which, if we understand 

 them rightly, will so far alter the character of the place as to 

 render it no longer the work of the late Mr. Hope. We care 

 little about what may be done to the interior of the house, but 

 we think every part of the exterior ought to be held sacred to 

 the memory of the great and excellent man, the impress of 

 whose mind it bears. The situation of the house precludes it 

 from ever being made better than what it is ; and, if it is thought 

 objectionable in its present state, it appears to us that it would 

 be much better to build another than to attempt to alter it; 

 preserving the present one as a temple of virtii, and rendering it 

 a depository of sculpture, architectural antiquities, paintings, and 

 books. There must surely be many fine sites on an estate na- 

 turally so varied in surface, and now rendered so extensive by the 

 addition of that of Betchworth Castle. The rooms in the present 

 house at Deepdene are mostly low, and never can be rendered 

 magnificent by increasing their length or area: a low room is 

 only made worse by rendering it longer. Mr. Wood has raised 

 a fine new dahlia, which he has named the Viscountess Beresford, 

 and of which a notice will be found elsewhere. The Horticul- 

 tural Society at Dorking is, we are happy to learn, in a most 

 prosperous state. 



The Epsom Nursery we found in the very highest order ; and 

 we certainly think we never saw the plants before so finely 

 grown. Nowhere, that we know of, are such plants as Clian- 

 thus puniceus, Deutzm scabra, Bentham/a fragifera, Berberis 

 ^quifolium, and various others, equally rare and beautiful, to be 

 had by the hundred, except at Epsom. The collection of spe- 



