from Lowther Castle to Exeter. 583 



state of the trees, they appeared to have borne an excellent 

 crop. 



There is a house built here, of the most extraordinary dimen- 

 sions, for the purpose for which it Avas built, that I have ever 

 seen. It covers a quarter of an acre and eight square yai'ds of 

 ground ; 303 ft. long by 23 ft. wide, with a span roof, glass 

 ends, and front sashes nearly to the level of the ground, and it 

 contains 14,978 ft. of glass. There are large folding-doors at 

 each end. There is a gravel walk down the centre of this 

 house, wide enough for a lady to drive her carriage and turn 

 round at each end of the house without going out of it, or in 

 the centre, as may be convenient. The house is heated by hot 

 water, and fitted up with stages sloping from each side ; a 

 trelliswork is fitted up all round the front and ends, and an 

 immense quantity of peas and strawberries are forced in it with 

 the greatest success; as Mr. Smith told me he had green peas 

 every day, if he wanted them, from the middle of December 

 until they came in out of doors, and strawberries from the 

 middle of February until they were fit to gather in the open 

 air. The stages are filled with small greenhouse plants, gera- 

 niums, cinerarias, bulbs, and other winter-flowering plants ; 

 and below the stages are grown seakale, rhubarb, asparagus, 

 and salads of various descriptions, which afford an ample sup- 

 ply for the table. There are also trees budded at certain heights 

 to suit the stages, such as cherries, plums, and apricots, the 

 trees being planted in a border below the stage ; but, as the roof 

 is a fixture, they found they could not give the trees that rest 

 which nature requires. I was glad to hear from Mr. Saunders 

 that Mr. Smith is building a house 90 ft. long for forcing cher- 

 ries, &c. ; and that all the trees are about to be removed from 

 the large house, which, in my opinion, will much improve it. 



The stables, as might be expected, are good ; each horse has an 



enclosed box by himself, as Mr. Smith allows none to be tied up. 



There is also here one of the largest rides I have ever seen, 



for exercising horses in bad weather, covered in and kept in first •- 



rate order. 



The dog-kennels are good, and as clean as any place of the 

 kind can be. The water which supplies these kennels, the 

 house, and the gardens, is raised from a deep well on the top 

 of the hill, by an engine of several horse-power. While look- 

 ing at the kennels, I could not but contrast in my mind the 

 splendid lodgings appropriated for Mr. Smith's dogs, and the 

 miserable damp hovels, in back sheds, generally set apart for 

 under-gardeners. But, in my ojoinion, the gardeners are much 

 more to blame than their emj)loyers. I speak from experience 

 when I state, I never had any difiiculty in the situations I have 

 held, on having the thing properly explained to my em- 

 ployers, of having proper places built for that purpose. When 



