Marcu 2, 1895. 
— 
of Aloes to to add to the value of lands which, Soh 
their poorness or dryness, have herto 
ons, 
other marauders of the desert, 
mptible enemies, as the recent fate of Colonel 
Bonnier and his comrades too plainly show. It is to 
the swiftness of their horses that the marauders owe 
an 
invaders. Think of a plant the height of the Ameri- 
can Agave, with erect leaves, hard as wood, garnished 
on each side with strong Booka; and terminating ina 
tally wounding & man, 3 or camel. A belt of 
Agave, two or three, or but one row deep, 
would withstand an arm ro make a breach 
artillery would be necessary, and the desert wan- 
derers have no guns to drag after them, The 
possession of = mbuctoo is so important as effect- 
ing our future relations with the interior 
Africa that it mat ere long, be completely assured, 
Situated betw the 
similar to 3 in elimate, it 
important centre of colonisation, but it e 
secured from all incursion and rendered tolerable to 
Europeans, by tree-planting (Eucalyptus in par- 
ticular), The country needs shady and health- 
the “ Revue ciences Naturelles Appliquées.” 
PATSHULL, STAFFORDSHIRE. 
Tur seat of the Earl of Dartmouth, on the north- 
, West side of Wolverhampton, and about seven miles 
from the itself, has b wo known for many 
years among horticultu although it has 
rists ; 
passed through many palatine, — has not 8 
been maintained condition, it h 
neverthe b 
different periods, The E 
been 1 for their lavish hospitality; while 
Patshull is remarkable for its natural position, which 
is high ig . and for its gardens, well- 
planted pleasure- 
there being something like 
1 acres u ra rine 0 
. Many of these have thriven 
Well, and, when on a hurried visit 
m of many of our finest trees fo 
n ornment, Of , C. deodara, 
ee “oan — has been largely p 
9 (rar trees are looking well. 
* sempervirens is well repre- 
eae and of Abies, 
8 Araucarias have thriven 
t 
8 trees of 
planted alternately 
THE GARDENERS’ 
months 
e 4 
CHRONICLE. 
273 
Abies nobilis on the side of a walk. speci- 
mens of Sequoia at elend a. are 
ob here with 
ticularly healthy 3 r e would be 75 fect 
high or upwards, with a ee bole, and well- 
furnished with branches to the bas 
Abies Douglasi, A. cephalonica, vie Cupressus noot- 
kaë nsis, have all succeeded well. Robinia Pseudo- 
acacia, is plentiful round the front of the house, and 
Rhododendrons and Hollies abound in great numbers, 
especially the latter, which oe very freely,andsome 
excellent varieties have b when planting, 
mong the deciduous trees, he Beech may 
tioned as being pees remarkable, there are fine, 
sturdy old trees in numbers, proving that ae and 
site have been een to its growth. site in 
front of the ok claims especial attention vi the 
vi isitor, it bei 
attrac of 
portion of the hall are ian. e plants, most 
of them remarkable for thei 
men- 
Roses, Chimonanthus fragrans, Pyrus japonica, &c. 
A terrace wall 25 feet high, in the centre of the 
front, and the terrace itself, with well-filled borders 
of herbaceous plants under the wall, 5 4 in — 
taste; and the view from the hall o 
extending over the park, which is — 
well wooded, and thence to Pattingham, where the 
little church of the Mere can be seen apparently 
nestled in the midst of the trees, is quiet and 
refreshing. The grass dae en under the terrace 
pt in first-rate ord d the fi s and 
surroundings. Large Orange trees in pots and tubs are 
placed here in suitable positions during the summer 
time, on are accommodated during the colder 
n a large orangery or ed, built a 
time si re several very 
ve and pleasing walke i in various directions from 
he front; one of these, called the “ Ladies Walk,” 
isa donne to ee ones 8 on the estate, and 
drons and 
argined R ns 
Laurell that iow a kind T 285 most of the extent. 
The kitchen garden is fairly oy apa g gte, 
between eight and nine acres, and its a 
shar clearly tell that it is not a ane of pate ine 
but was for ery many years ago. A curious 
, Faden it is, — from each part it slopes rather 
eeply to the centre; indeed, it suggests that it might 
save been made on the site of a dried-up pond. It 
runs from east to west. Unfortunately, this depo z 
the garden—and in this remark we include the 
door fruit area—has been 8 at various timen, 
and the fruit trees have n en renewed, but o 
= and in some cases 5 Apple and a 
s, have been allowed to remain round the borders 
a ‘after they have ceased to be profitable, 
The glasshouses are fairly ag AoE and e 
pared with the kitchen een y have ee 
considerable attention from 4800 s gardeners 
that have had charge of ring oe during the last 
f hag i 
angery, built like other 
large old-fashioned EREN and this contains 
s, large specimens of Chamærops, 
considerable efforts 
made to brighten this house by the 8 of 
flowering plants, and it has been made a 
semi- show house, which has greatly e its 
appearance. 
The next house deserving m a is an excellent 
lean-to orchard-house, which together with a portion 
that has been divided for the Aer adden of early 
Peaches, is about 120 yards long and 10 feet wide. 
hese houses yielded abundant crops of 
Peaches, Nectarines, and Figs, and a shelf along 
the entire length is usefal for storing wherries, 
f a dozen vineries, all 
Ke. There are abou 
lean-to structures, crops of Grapes are 
obtained. The span-roofed stove and greenhouses 
btai 
are carefully looked after, and contain some fine 
decorative plants of medium size, suitable for the 
furnishi ing of the house, which, at Patshull, is a large 
business during the time the family are at home, 
Other houses of less cons sequence are useful for 
Cucumbers, Melone, Gardenias, Carnations, and such 
subjects for supplying flowers for cutting purposes, 
Reference has already been made to the 
in the gardens — and he did very much to 
restore parts o garden that needed attention. 
During pa eae 2 of thistime he was assisted 
Mr. Farr, w 
— 
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— 
Lex J 
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B 
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m, 
means and labour at disposal the most is made. 
THE SEED TRADE. 
THOD 
d TAE. — Some twenty-five years en er 
since i Adulteration of Seeds Act came into force 
(agut i » 1869), with subsequent amendments 
were added in hese for 
gigas of 3 crushing out a trade in 
old and worthless samples that was increasing to an 
a stirring article which appe in the Journal of 
the Royal Agricuitural Society, and although the 
subject was handled more in its application to agri- 
o was conducting 
of experiments with various grasses, and the 
ahaa he thought fit to bring upon the whole of 
the seed trade were ane by many at the time 
to be both unjust and unfair, and it was the opinion 
pt a ge p proprietor in Kent, 
had either to fall away, or start upon a more modern 
is. 
raw . 
From this is beginning really came about all we now 
h f and cleaned seeds, not only in our own | 
country, but aa system that is perhaps more closely 
follow ; we , it isto 
been 
"A 2 a that at Zarich in Switzerland wee 
