February 3, 1863. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



M 



tivated land, and Hue 9piral trees in the foreground. Return- 

 ing eastward by a fine curved walk, backed with masses of 

 Rhododendrons and specimen Cypresses, &c., along the sides, 

 leaving a Boxed bulb garden and a splendid fountain on -our left, 

 we again cross the lawn and come near the steps at D and E to 

 obtain a good view of the Araucaria-avenue. 



This avenue is at present 600 yards in length and 50 feet in 

 width from tree to tree, the trees standing 30 feet apart from 

 each other in the row. One charm of this avenue is the sloping 

 rising ground on which it is placed — somewhat Bimiiar to what 

 i£ Has e shown in the pleasure ground. A second charm is its 

 being ^backed on each side with masses of fiat-headed and spiral 

 trees ; a third consists in the present termination being some- 

 what closed by a John-O'Gaunt arch, formed by a fine old 

 .Scotch Fir on each 9ide ; and a fourth charm will be found in 

 the mode of planting for securing health and a natural appear- 

 ance to the trees. Note here that most if not all of those plants 

 had previously been planted in different places at Woodstock ; 

 but they bad fallen into a very unhealthy state, the hard foliage 

 being crusted with green slime through deep planting and stag- 

 nant moisture. To remedy this, a deep track, more than 5 feet 

 deep, down to the rock or slaty bed, was out 40 feet, behind and 

 parallel to each row of Araucarias. On the site for each tree 

 two or three loads of rough stones were placed chiefly below the 

 original level, and then on that a mound formed of twelve loads 

 of good mixed earth. Meanwhile the whole plant of every 

 specimen was carefully scrubbed with soap water and small 

 brushes, and well syringed with clean water, and in many cases 

 the roots were also washed, and the whole were planted in 

 December because there was most time then. So well was 

 that planting done, that plants some 6 feet in height without 

 stake or tie never swerved from the perpendicular, and were 

 fast becoming as distinguished for green luxuriance, as they 

 were previously marked by a sickly hue. 



The surface of the avenue was a little rough when we saw it, 

 but a fine, wide, hard promenade of grass has been made along 

 the centre, higher than the ground at the sides. The bottom 

 was formed of schist and granite gravel, the finest at the surface, 

 mixed with peat and well pounded till solid ; on this a thin 

 turf was laid, fine soil scattered over it, then sown with Hard 

 Fescue Grass seed, and thoroughly rolled so that a horse may 

 gallop over it almost without leaving marks of hoofs. We 

 can believe the latter fact thoroughly, as the finest grass walk 

 we ever saw, was one that had been allowed to form itself 

 naturally over a disused well-drained gravel path. 



Standing at the end next the mansion the Scotch Firs make 

 such a nice termination that we are perfectly satisfied ; but when 

 we reach where these Firs stand, a hankering desire comes over 

 us that the avenue should be continued a considerable distance 

 farther on to the boundary of the deer park, so that the eye 

 would rest on the sky outline and the fine masses of timber 

 beyond on Mount Alto. We see no objection to this, except 

 exposing the substantial wall of the deer park, but that could 

 be concealed either by a covering of Ireland's evergreen creeper 

 or a bank of turf. We can well imagine that this matter of 

 fences is one of great importance ; as, though there are some 

 thirty-five acres of dressed ground, and a range of ornamental 

 grounds averaging one mile in every direction from the mansion, 

 and these are all substantially fenced, you never by any chance 

 see a boundary until you come right up to it. 



Turning eastward and southward from the top of this avenue, 

 we traverse a fine open glade formed of dense masses of Oaks 

 and Pines, with newer things at the sides, and through the wood 

 that leads to the glen, passing in our way huge masses of the 

 Flowering Fern, Osmunda regalia, until we reach the Swiss 

 cottage — a private picnic rendezvous for the proprietors and 

 their friends. Of the antique furniture, table service, library, 

 &c, it is not our province to speak. The position is beautifully 

 picturesque and romantic, close to a precipice overhanging a 

 dashing waterwall. Before reaching the glen fine views are 

 obtained of the distant Carlow mountains, and southward, near 

 New Ross, of the meeting of the Nore and the Barrow — 

 11 which long sundered do at last accord 

 To join in one, ere to the sea they come ; 

 So flowing; all from one — all one at last become." 



The glen is a lovely place, especially on a fine summer's day. 

 There is now the sweet murmur and the rattling din of the 

 streamlet as it emerges from a quiet pool or battles with a huge 

 boulder rock, or rushes down a precipitous incline or fall. There 

 are the narrow paths, with nothing artificial about them except 



a few flints and stones in the softest places, winding round along 

 the almost precipitous at times and at others more shelving 

 banks ; whilst these banks themselves are clothed with luxuriant 

 timber, and all suitable openings planted with Deodars, Arau- 

 carias, and others of our beat Conifers. In addition to the. 

 other undergrowths, we ever and anon meet with the New 

 Zealand Flax iu flower, great maeseB of different kinds of Ferns 

 — as Aspidiums, Aspleniums, Athyriums, Blechnum boreale, 

 and Ceterach in great abundance ; Lastreas ; Hymenophyllurns 

 in large patches ; Woodsias rather scant; Polypodium vulgarein 

 great beds, and lesser patches of bifurcatum, cambricum, dry- 

 opteris ; plants of Trichomanes, and plenty of Scolopendriums 

 in different varieties ; and here again huge plants of Osmunda 

 regalis 10 feet in height and 30 feet in circumference of head. 



We must confess, however, that grand as was the picture, we 

 were not in the best mood for particularising its distinctive 

 features ; for, feeling some twinges of rheums the previous 

 night, when the thunder rolled and the rains poured, as they 

 can do in Ireland, we would have fled to the nearest shelter but 

 for something like a feeling of shame and cowardice ; for there 

 walked Mr. McDonald as unconcerned as if clothed with ducks' 

 wings, and there stood the ladies, who honoured us with their 

 company, admiring some romantic view, or stooping to gather- 

 some extra beautiful Fern-frond, or so wrapt iu the admiration 

 of the beautiful that they 



" skelpit on through dub and mire, 

 Despising wind, and rain, and fire "— 



not even holding their bonnets, and leaving ribbons and crino- 

 lines to look after themselves. Surely, surely the worthy old 

 sage who once gave us the advice as the essence of wisdom, 

 " Never walk with a lady on a rainy day if you can help it,"' 

 could never have had the opportunity of observing with what 2. 

 calm philosophy our sisters could look upon such an occurrence 

 in Ireland. 



We were, therefore, glad to reach the Red House, situated 

 close to the river, with fine views upwards and downwards, 

 and about a mile distant from the mansion. With the ex- 

 ception of the terraces, &c, near the mansion, which can only 

 be seen by application, the whole of the rest of this beautiful 

 demesne is open for the enjoyment of visitors. The Red House 

 is, as it were, set apart for their comfort ; and the chief employ- 

 ment of the people who lived in it seemed to be to minister 

 to their happiness. A large upper room is set apart for picnics, 

 banqueting, fiddling, and dancing. A nice drive of nearly two 

 miles takes us to the village of Innistioge, by the side of the 

 river. After the glen this is somewhat tame, though furnishing 

 fine peeps of the mansion and grounds, and Mount Alto in the 

 background, until, passing the line of the mansion, we come 

 to the precipitous bank, which we have already mentioned. 

 As we come to a cottage on the side of the river, a waterfall 

 tumbles down from the opposite bank, only a little less lofty 

 than that on the side on which we stand. The whole road to 

 Innistioge from this spot is charming — the luxuriance of the 

 trees ; the wreaths and long ropes of Ivy, Clematis, and Wood- 

 bine; the masses of creepers and Ferns — and the introduction 

 of such thorough mountaineers as Conifers, Deodars, and Arau- 

 carias would, as they grow, add still more grandeur and gro- 

 tesqueness to the scene. 



Noticing the gates at Innistioge, a fact came out incidentally 

 well worth chronicling. These gates are locked at a certain 

 time in the evening, but are opened for egress on request. A 

 party had kept merry at the Red House until the short hours 

 of the morning, and on arriving at the gate, though belonging 

 to what are termed the upper classes too — the lower classes 

 would not have done it — because the people in bed could not 

 hear them quick enough for their fancy, they burst open the 

 gates and took them from their hinges. Many, indignant, 

 counselled inquiry and exposure ; but Col. Tighe simply wished 

 the gates to be put right, and no notice to be taken ; no doubt 

 concluding that the reflections of the wrongdoers must, to a 

 certain degree, be a punishment. 



Through the kindness of the estimable proprietors, we had a- 

 drive over the Fern-wreathed bridge of Innistioge along the 

 rising ground on tbe opposite side of the river, and through the 

 cultivated land between it and the hills ; went through the 

 buildings of a nice compact farm homestead ; partook of whiskey 

 and biscuits in the parlour of the nice substantial house, that 

 had handsome plants in the windows and a flower garden in 

 front ; and noticed that the cottages in our route, built and 

 building, that came in so nicely in the views from Woodstock^ 



