328 



JOURNAL OP HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



[ October 12, 1676. 



specimens of the Cedrus Deodara, which is so becoming on 

 grass. Cedrus atlantica is also growing freely, and this is 

 found to do well in every position. In some of the shrubbery 

 beds the Pampas Grass is growing most luxuriantly, and this 

 is the more surprising as the Pampas is generally supposed to 

 be very partial to a moist situation, while here it is the very 

 reverse of this, as it is growing on light sandy mounds. 



The flower garden is all within sight of the principal windows. 

 It is not extensive, but is tastefully designed and effeofcive both 

 in its character and the style in which it is planted. Clema- 

 tises, especially C. Jackmannii, were exceedingly showy, and few 

 flowering plants are more attractive in July, August, and Sep- 

 tember. There are many different kinds of climbers trained 

 about the lower portion of the house, the beautiful variegated- 

 leaved Ivies and the coral-berried Cotoneasters being very 

 conspicuous. The conservatory, which is attached to the west 

 wing of the mansion, is a very spacious building, being 102 feet 



long and 26 feet wide, with a centre dome 40 feet high. It 

 was erected by Messenger of Loughborough, and has only been 

 finished about two years. Most of the plants in the interior 

 are planted out in beds, and the best of the specimens consist 

 of Musas of the ensete species, two enormous-sized plantB, 

 having only been turned out of their pots while quite small 

 last year ; Dicksonias in splendid condition, Camellias, Palms of 

 the Seaforthia, Latania, and Areca sorts, PhormiumB, Ficuses, 

 Dracaenas, &c. Most of these are planted back from the centre 

 path, and the front along the edges is kept gay with dwarf 

 flowering plants. The roof is well draped with ornamental 

 climbers, the Tacsonias, the old Cotcea scandens variegata, 

 Plumbago capensis, Bougainvilleas, and Lapagerias being a few 

 of the finest. 



The kitchen garden and fruit houses lie in a northern direc- 

 tion from the mansion, and about 500 or 600 yards distant 

 from it. They are reached by a well-kept gravel walk, which 



Fig. 43.— Besxwood lodge. 



runs through a young plantation that is chiefly planted with 

 Larch and Scotch Pines. There are a good many young 

 plantations of this kind, planted both for screen and shelter. 

 But the rabbits make sad havoc among the Scotch Pines ; yet 

 it is found they do not interfere with the Corsican variety 

 (P. Laricio), and this kind is now being substituted for the 

 Scotch. There is a front range of glass houses along the whole 

 width of the kitchen garden. The width of the range is 16 feet, 

 and it is divided into a number of 33-feet lengths, and the 

 Btyle of the roof is three-quarters span. Beginning at the 

 west end, the first house in the range is planted with Eoyal 

 George Peaches and Elruge Nectarines. The second division 

 is also planted with the Bame fruits, with the addition of 

 the Noblesse Peach. The trees are planted in the front and 

 trained against a half-circular trellis, and there are others 

 against the back wall. The Noblesse is found to be fine in 

 flavour but rather uncertain of bearing good crops annually. 

 There is a variety named Chancellor in the first house, which 

 must not be forgotten. Mr. Edmonds, the gardener, says it 

 is the most certain bearer he has ever seen, as it never misses 

 a splendid crop of superb fruit. This is a Peach seldom met 

 with, indeed I am of opinion that few know it. I find it de- 

 scribed in Dr. Hogg's " Fruit Manual " as follows : — Fruit large, 

 oval, pale yellow, dark crimson next the sun. Flesh free, pale 

 yellow, very deep red at the stone, sugary, rioh, and vinous," 



The borders are made with the natural soil of the locality, 

 which is a very light sandy loam, with the addition of a little 

 manure. There was a splendid crop on every one of the trees 

 this season, and this is the case every year, the fruit being 

 much above the average in size. During the time it is swelling 

 the borders are supplied with large quantities of cow-dung 

 water, and just after the fruit is formed the entire surface of 

 the border is sprinkled over with a good dose of salt, which 

 is watered into the soil, and Mr. Edmonds says he finds it to 

 be one of the best manures that can be applied to Peaches, 

 and the enormous size of the fruit proves his assertion to be 

 comet. 



The next division is planted as a vinery with Lady Downe's, 

 Black Alicante, and Trebbiano. The latter is considered to 'be 

 a superior late white Grape when well ripened, but it is found 

 to take a great deal of heat to accomplish this properly. There 

 was a fine crop in this house. The next house in the range 

 is the centre one, and it is ereoted in the form of span-roofed 

 greenhouse, running north and south, and therefore projecting 

 from the others. It was well filled with Geraniums, Liliums, 

 and other softwooded plants, which render the greenhouse 

 attractive in summer. The north end of the house is a Btone 

 wall with olimbers growing against it, Heliotropes being 

 amongst the principal, as yielding Bweetly-scented flowers 

 nearly all the year round when planted out, and the flowers 



