August 1, 1878. J 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
85 
adopted for counteracting their effects—namely, all the 
principal crops were timely and heavily mulched. In crop- 
ping the sensible plan is adopted of growing extensively a 
very few varieties of vegetables—those that have proved them- 
selves best adapted to the situation, and which are of approved 
quality. Pyramid fruit trees fringe the walks—handsome well- 
trained specimens, just arriving at a bearing state. A few have 
good crops, but the blossom in such a low position often suffers 
by late spring frosts. This garden is bounded on the west by 
the walled kitchen garden, and here on one of the borders, 
which is very wide, a capital plan was adopted of preserving 
fruit from birds. 
The wall is covered with fruit trees, and the border is also 
planted with bush fruit trees bearing heavy crops. Along the 
front of the border next the walk a few neat posts and battens 
are fixed, and from this framework other battens reach to the 
top of the wall; the whole is then covered with netting, made 
secure at the top ends and bottom, By opening the netting at 
one end the fruit can be gathered both from the wall and 
bushes with the greatest convenience, the height of the netting | 
affording ample head room for the gatherers. The same mode 
of growing and protecting fruit is practised at Potholm near 
Langholm, N.B., Mr. Taylor’s small but good garden, lately 
managed so successfully by Mr. Bole, now of Somerleyton. 
The bushes grown on the borders do no more harm to the wall 
trees than the trees sustain by the usual and generally heavy 
vegetable cropping that is practised, and a valuable supply of 
fruit is prolonged to a late period of the year. The south wall 
of this the old kitchen garden is both lofty and substantial, as 
it is the supporting medium of a large terraced tlower garden, 
which is laid out in front of one of the chief ranges of glass, 
access to which is had from the lower garden by flights of 
stone steps. From the balustrade at the top of the steps a 
commanding view is had of the flowers on the terrace, the 
flowers below which are tastefully planted in ribbon and 
carpet fashion on the wide borders of the central walk cross- } 
ing the garden (with the large fountain in the centre), and of | 
the flowers beyond the walls disposed on grass in the pleasure | 
grounds. The kitchen garden under notice is cropped simi- 
larly to the other with vegetables and fruit trees, and the side 
borders where not occupied with summer flowers are employed 
as nursery strips for spring-bedding plants, of which seventy 
thousand are required annually—the Valeriana Phu above 
noticed, Aubrietias, Daisies, Pansies, and Wallflowers appearing 
to form the staple sorts. Everything in the kitchen garden 
department looks well, except weeds ; of these there are none. 
When the culinary department of a garden is kept in the 
high order that prevails at Lambton it is as enjoyable as any 
other portion of an establishment under the gardener’s care, 
Still pursuing a westward course on the lower ground we 
pass from the kitchen garden to an open lawn, across which a 
broad curving walk traverses flanked with wide flower borders. 
These borders are arranged in a series of beds of the Floren- 
tine chain pattern edged with Box, the narrow paths between 
the scrolls being surfaced with white and red gravel. It is 
not necessary to particularise the mode of planting, but it 
may be remarked that although no rain had fallen since the 
beds were planted the yellow Calceolarias were flowering 
splendidly, the earth moisture being sufficient thus far to 
sustain the plants; but unless a change speedily occurs and 
showery weather succeeds their beauty will soon be over. 
Another plant is worthy of mention—Harrison’s Giant Musk. 
Although exposed to the full influence of the sun the plants 
are growing luxuriantly and flowering profusely, and Mr. 
Hunter has great hopes that this Musk will make a valuable 
bedding plant at Lambton. The beds referred to are very 
large, the design probably exceeding 12 feet across, and its 
considerable length and graceful curves render this portion of 
the garden remarkably cheerful. On the lawns on both sides 
of the walks are a few Conifers, and on three sides out of 
four isa dense background of trees. But although ornament 
is the essential feature here it is made to contribute to utility : 
on one side of the walk is a miniature pond for aquatics with 
a rocky margin for various hardy plants of semi-aquatic 
nature. The overflow from this circular pool is conveyed 
under the walk, and is turned to account behind the shrubs for 
the growing of Watercresses. In an open and ever-running 
stream of clear water an abundant supply of “sweet Cresses” 
is always ready for cutting. Near this point a suspension 
bridge crosses the Wear, and is both useful and ornamental. 
We pass onwards through the shrubbery, which is a dense 
thicket of vegetation. Rhododendrons are the predominating 
evergreens. The ground is boldly undulated. On one hand 
are mounds steep and high, on the other such dells as Nature 
alone could form. Ferns luxuriate and wild flowers grow in 
refreshing masses between and amongst the trees. In the 
spring the ground is coyered with a dense carpet of blue—the 
wild blue Scillas, which grow in countless millions all over the 
place. Here and there are openings of lawn studded with 
choice Conifers, which grow fairly well in this country of 
coal, These shrubs like a pure clear air, but in Durham they 
have to struggle with an atmosphere more or less contaminated 
with smoke. Coal mines are all around us and beneath us— 
the Earl of Durham owning sixteen pits—yet so well is the 
estate wooded that not one chimney is visible and smoke is 
seldom seen, but the Conifers feel it. We reach the Castle— 
a huge strong pile with its plain grayelled terrace on the south 
side, und expansive flowerless lawns on the west and north. A 
few, very few, flowers are planted near the walls on one side, 
and a few others are arranged in handsome stone vases made 
on the premises, but the lawns contain, and properly so, no 
flower beds. There is something incongruous when modern 
carpet bedding is associated with severe Norman architecture, 
with which only fine trees irregularly planted fittingly harmo- 
nise. There is plenty of room for flowers on such grounds as 
these without unduly encroaching on the Castle, and flowers 
there are, for a hundred thousand plants are planted every year. 
Allusion has been made to the great expenditure of labour 
that has been necessitated in forming the grounds and gardens, 
but the most stupendous task of all has been in rendering the 
Castle firm and secure. The ground for miles has been honey- 
combed for coal, and although the seams are some hundreds 
of feet below the surface, yet the immense weight of the 
massive stone pile was too great for the crust on which it was 
built. The sinking of the building was, of course, unendur- 
able, and equally unendurable was the thought of its abandon- 
ment. A gigantic work was undertaken, even nothing less than 
building up from the firm seams deep down in the earth to the 
base of the Castle. In this work fourteen millions of bricks 
were used, and relays of men were uninterruptedly engaged 
night and day for seven years. It wasan extraordinary under- 
taking, but it answered the purpose, and the Castle is safe. 
Returning on higher ground we find ourselves on the terraced 
flower garden aboye mentioned as overlooking the kitchen 
garden. Itis a Jong expanse of flowers about 18 feet wide 
arranged in a pleasing design. It reminds us of the fine 
borders at Archerfield, where Mr. Hunter formerly practised 
under a skilled tutor, Mr. David Thomson. We pass along the 
terrace to the east front of the long range of glass, enter, and 
again travel westward. 
The Grapes of Lambton are of nationalfame. At the greatest 
exhibitions in the three kingdoms they have won high honours, 
and Mr. Hunter is by general consent placed high on the list 
of successful British cultivators. A glance at the Vines that 
haye produced such remarkable fruit as history has recorded 
cannot fail being interesting. Weare in a grand vinery 100 
feet long, lofty, and with a good length of rafter. For years 
past the Vines in this house have produced splendid Grapes. 
The secret, if it is any secret, of Mr. Hunter’s success is not far 
to seek. Itis stamped with tolerable clearness on the Vines 
themselves. They are in a good larder, that is clear ; for their 
strong rods, stout but not gross laterals, and fine but not exu- 
berant foliage, speak plainly on that point. They have good 
soil, are well drained and copiously watered. So much for 
the roots ; now to the disposition of the branches. As may be 
expected they are thinly trained. The rods are wide apart, 
and the laterals are so arranged that every leaf is permitted 
to expand on which the sun can shine, no more nor no less. 
That is a great pointin Grape-growing. Overcrowding of the 
laterals and foliage is a great evil, perhaps the greatest and 
most common of all errors in Vine culture. Let the border be 
ever so good, there can be no fine Grapes unless the foliage is 
perfectly developed, and there can be no really good foliage 
unless every leaf has full exposure to light and air. But while 
overcrowding is so pernicious, another eyil, it may be a lesser 
evil and less prevalent, but still an eyil, is overpinching. 
“ Pinch the shoots at one leaf beyond the bunch” was at one 
period in history rather stereotyped advice. It was, however, 
and is unsound advice if the Vines are thinly planted and the 
rule-of-thumb pinching is so rigidly adhered to as to leave long: 
lines of glass a foot wide visible from below. The unutilised 
light is so much loss to the Vines. At Lambton the laterals 
are in the first place thinned sufticiently that the leaves of one 
do not when expanded overlap those of the other. They are 
