September 12, 1878. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER, 
207 
with Lady Downe’s, Ashburne Seedling, Gros Colman, and Gros 
Guillaume ; in pots or tubs are Auckland Castle and Negro 
Largo Figs carrying a second crop of fine fruit. The next 
house is Lady Downe’s carrying a splendid crop of very even- 
sized bunches and berries without a trace of scald. The last 
house 1n the range is planted with Madresfield Court in 
capital order without a “flaw” of any kind. Mr. Crament 
tells us it does best on the Black Hamburgh stock, and he has 
good reason for that opinion. Champion Muscat is fine and 
exceedingly well coloured, Calabrian Raisin has bunches 
15 inches by 18 inches; but Duke of Buccleuch is not held 
in high esteem at Ashburne. We noticed that there were 
no scorched leaves and no trace of insects, that fermenting 
material had been employed for starting the Vines in some 
of the houses, the borders outside were wider than usual, and 
though the surface showed a neat loose appearance it was only 
so much skim to hide the rich top-dressing beneath ; very 
copious supplies of water are given to the Vines, and the roots 
are encouraged to the surface of the borders. 
Behind the vineries were 250 plants of Azalea indica vars. 
in various sizes from the bush of 2 feet in diameter up to the 
pyramid of 5 feet by as much through at the base, all clean and. 
healthy and well set with buds. The plants had canvas 
stretched on laths to protect them from the midday sun. 
Hundreds of Chrysanthemums in 10-inch pots were trained to 
one stem, and very strong and healthy they looked. There 
was also a quantity of dwarf Chrysanthemums in 8-inch pots. 
named Perpetual White; in July the plants were well set. 
with flower buds, and they bloom profusely in September, 
and are then very useful. Sedum Sieboldi with its pink 
flowers is grown in quantity for conservatory decoration in 
late summer. 
In the stove, 50 feet by 24 feet, is a number of uscful 
decorative plants, such as Aralia gracillima, Campsidium filici- 
Fig. 34—_ASHBURNE HOUSE—VIEW IN PLEASURE GROUNDS. 
folium, Maranta Marnockiana; Dracenas amabilis, Chelsoni 
and Baptisti, Cocos Weddelliana, Croton majesticus, C. Weis- 
manni, Pandanus Veitchii; Palms suchas Livistonia altissima, 
Areca sapida, Latania borbonica, L. aurea, Dcemonorops fissus, 
and many others. Specimens—Alocasia Veitchii, 6 feet high 
and 4 feet over; A. metallica, 4 feet through; Cycas revoluta, 
6 feet across the fronds; Cocos Weddelliana, 5 feet through 
and 6 feet high, and many others. In fine condition are Musa 
Cavendishii, Bambusa stricta, Crotons, Anthurium Schertzeri- 
anum, A. crystallinum, Bougainvillea glabra, Stephanotis 
floribunda and other flowering plants: also Ferns useful for 
cutting from, notably Adiantum gracillimum, &c. 
In a long border are hundreds of East Lothian Stocks, which 
are very fine in spike, flower, and continuance, the perfume 
being delicious. Winter-flowering Heaths and Epacrises were 
in cold pits or frames, healthy plants, promising well for 
bloom. In a cold pit we were shown Todea superba in splendid 
condition, having a spread of fronds of 4 feet; also other 
“Wilmies,” the secret of success being to keep them cool and 
sprinkled overhead three or four times a day. 
A low span-roofed house is devoted to Poinsettias on one 
side, and on the other were Eucharis amazonica, Pancratiums, 
and the eyer-flowering and very sweet Tabernemontana coro- | 
naria plena, Allamanda Wardleana, Dipladenias Brearleyana. / 
amabilis, and splendens, all in good condition. Another span- 
roofed house is devoted to Orchids, among which we noticed 
good examples of Odontoglossum Bluntii, Ceelogyne cristata, 
Oncidium macranthum, a variety of Cattleyas, Lelias, Pha- 
lenopses, Cypripediums, besides Nepenthes in all the best 
varieties, and a fine Adiantum farleyense, 4 feet through, in 
very good colour. 
In the Peach house, 30 feet by 18 feet, was a capital crop of 
fruit just ripe, consisting principally of Royal George and 
Noblesse Peaches and Elruge Nectarine ; next to which is the 
greenhouse of about the same size, the roof being partly 
covered with Maréchal Niel Rose, from one plant of which 
three hundred blooms were cut this season ; and the other part 
of the roof is occupied with Lapagerias rosea and alba. The 
stages were very gay with zonal Pelargoniums, Fuchsias, 
Tuberous Begonias—what a fine show they make ! and a num- 
ber of other plants. Time forbade our noticing the Cucumber 
and Melon pits, and taking more than a cursory survey of 
the kitchen garden, which appeared well cropped and very 
neat—indeed, we saw no weeds anywhere ; but there, as in the 
pleasure grounds, everything appeared to the best advantage 
from the neatness and order that prevailed. Fruit crops out- 
doors appeared to be thin. To Mr. Crament we would, in 
conclusion, tender our thanks for his courtesy, and have only 
