118 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ February 10, 1863. 



and Dahlias, and then a row of Cedars, 40 feet apart. The 

 Yews in this avenue are 10 feet from plant to plant, and average 

 from 10 to 12 feet in height, each plant being a Btraight, well- 

 rounded, massive, healthy specimen, which carries much cultural 

 care and constant attention in its appearance. 



The grandeur of this avenue is, if anything, heightened by the 

 ground on the right-hand side of the mansion rising somewhat 

 abrnptly by a large mound having been made there, which 

 conceals a drive leading to the mansion and offices. Besides 

 the fountain and the statuary already referred to in the middle 

 wait of the Tew gardens, and which is thus in the centre of this 

 avenue, colossal figures in bronze either are or will be placed 

 near each end of the avenue. Besides shrubs at the mound 

 at the side farthest from the Tews, there was a ribbon-border in 

 front of the shrubs, beginning with Hollyhocks and Dahlias, 

 a row of Crystal Palace Dahlia, then China Roses, then Kentish 

 Hero Calceolaria, followed by Scarlet Geranium, then Verbena 

 Tenosa, and fronted with Manglesii Geranium. Here the row of 

 venoBa was very nice, and told well, and the Kentish Hero, an 

 old favourite, was the best we have seen for years. After having 

 had it in grand perfection, it became so liable to the black spot 

 with us, that we were forced reluctantly to give it up. 



The whole of the extensive lawn on this avenue, and far 

 beyond it, was in excellent keeping, Jooking as if it were rolled 

 every day. The wide walks were clean and firm, and the flower- 

 beds, notwithstanding the rains, were in fine order, testifying to 

 a very high style of management ; and whatever may have been 

 the case at other times, not a workman was to be seen during 

 the forenoon of our visit. This last fact is often of more im- 

 portance than is generally imagined, as far as respects the 

 pleasure of the proprietor and his visitors, and the comfort of 

 the gardener. Much may be done by having work near mansions 

 finished before breakfast, so that all may be cleared-up before 

 visitors walk out. At the farthest end of these Tew gardens 

 is a small parterre of baskets and clumpB on grass, next 

 the park, and in some of these were tall Hollyhocks, which 

 were all that we would have wished altered under the present 

 arrangement. They did look, staring and solitary against the 

 sky outline, or the distant background of groups in the park, 

 and so different from what they appeared in other places, with 

 a green background behind them. 



The arrangements of these Tewgardens, besides their uncom- 

 monness, seemed to secure three advantages : First, little of 

 the flowers in the beds could be seen unless from the higher 

 windows until you came pretty close up to the beds, and thiB 

 will always enhance interest and pleasure ; second, the double 

 low wide hedges, and the amount of grass, and the plants in 

 the basket would give a finished appearance in winter, even if 

 the beds inside were unplanted ; and in this respect there would 

 be an advantage over sunk panels in such a place unless these 

 were carefully planted in winter ; and third, no flowers, except 

 thoBe in the raised baskets, coming in prominently before the 

 eye, there would be little but these to divert attention from the 

 park scenery beyond when it was desirable to concentrate atten- 

 tion upon it. 



That scenery is very pleasing and attractive, the park being very 

 large, the trees beautifully grouped, and the woodlands massive 

 and well managed. Though the surface when examined is undu- 

 lated and varied, yet for a great extent of country the prevailing 

 features from a distance are levelnefls, richness, luxuriance, and 

 abundance, with but little of the bold romantic picturesque 

 which abounds in many parts of Ireland. Amid scenery so 

 beautiful, but somewhat level in its beauty, the mind seems to 

 long for some elevated points on which the eye could repoBe ; 

 and just as if to meet such a craving desire, there is a high 

 tower at one place, and a lofty pillar at another, which, for many 

 miles, form well-defined landmarks. E. Fish. 



{To be continued.) 



Errata.— Page 73, first col., fourteenth line from bottom, " colour" 

 should be " column." Page 76, second col., thirteenth line from end of 

 paragraph, "bad cutting" should be "bud cutting." Page 97, first col., 

 third line from bottom, "h " should be "k." Page 98, first col., sixth 

 line of second paragraph, " glass" should be "grass." Page 99, first col., 

 twenty-first line from top, " track" should be " trench." 



J. M. Thorburn & Co. He left Scotland in the year 1794, and 

 after a successful career of honourable industry, and a life 

 devoted to the welfare of his fellow citizens, with whom he was 

 held in high estimation, he retired from public life some years 

 ago. In our next we shall give a sketch of this extraordinary 

 man. 



SOWING POLYANTHUS SEED. 



Being an ardent lover and successful grower for more than 

 forty years, of that early spring flower, the Polyanthus, I 

 thought a word or two on its cultivation at this season of the 

 year might be acceptable to many amateurs who have been un- 

 fortunate in its culture, having heard many persons say, "I 

 admire the flower, but cannot get the seed to grow. I have 

 taken great pains with it, placed the pans in a greenhouse, and 

 waited a month or five weekB, and yet no plants have made their 

 appearance, and then have thrown them on the dung-heap." 

 How, if they had waited a few days longer they would have been 

 rewarded for their trouble, as the seedlings seldom make their 

 appearance under six weeks. 



Others have set their boxes in the sun, where in two or three 

 hours, if the seeds had begun to germinate, their labour is all 

 lost, for once dried in that state they never recover ; but if the 

 amateur will attend to the directions I am about to give, he will 

 find a one-shilling packet of seed will give him two hundred 

 plants, and from that quantity he may calculate to get from 

 twelve to twenty first and second-rate flowers that will not dis- 

 grace a florist's stage, and the remainder be good border 

 flowers. 



I generally bow my first seed early in February, in the front 

 of a cold pit, where little or no sun comes on them. These 

 produce, generally, my best and strongest plants. In March, 

 or earlier, I make my next sowing in the open air, in a shady 

 border, making the soil as fine as I possibly can with a rake, 

 and sow my seed, taking great care to put no more fine mould 

 on the seed than will cover the face of writing paper, and put 

 on a few small bushes or brakes to keep the wind from drying 

 the earth, and ease the water given from the pot, as in no instance 

 must the seed be allowed to get dry. Thousands of plants are 

 lost for want of that precaution. When large enough to handle, 

 plant the seedliDgs 3 inches apart in a shady border. — James 

 Woods, Harwich. 



VENTILATION. 



GKANT THOEBUBN. 



We regret to announce the death, of Grant Thorburn, of New 

 York, at the advanced age of 90. Mr. Thorburn was the 

 founder of the extensive seed establishment now known as 



I notice in your paper of the 20th ult., a letter from your 

 well-informed correspondent, "D., Deal" in which inquiry is 

 made as to ventilation in a hothouse he purposes building, 

 without having sashes on the roof to open. 



I have just completed two vineries with a like object in view ; 

 describing one will answer pretty nearly for both. 



The house faceB a little to the east of south. It is 75 feet 

 long, 16 feet wide within, the front from 7 to 8 feet high, and 

 the back wall from 12 to 13 feet high. The roof and front are 

 glazed with large-sized squares in iron bars on rafters. It is 

 well drained, and has aflooring of concrete covered with 20 or 

 24 inches of soil. &c, for the Vines to be planted in. The bed 

 of soil extends from the back wall to 20 feet in the front, and 

 small arches under the front wall allow the Vine roots to spread 

 in ail directions. The house is heated by 10-inch drain-pipes 

 serving as flues ; the first 12 feet from the fire, being walled 

 with firebricks. The house is divided by a glass partition into 

 two unequal parts — that nearest the fireplace intended for 

 Vines, and the smaller, 30 feet long, for an orchard-house ; a 

 flue continued through the latter can be used or not as re- 

 quired. A pit, with an eight-inch flue passing under it, laid 

 in broken bricks, &c, used for a Melon or Cucumber-bed, fills 

 up much of the centre of the vinery. The brick wall in front 

 shows about 4 to 6 inches above the soil. On this wall I have 

 wooden ventilators of 8 inches depth, the whole length of the 

 house. There is no opening whatever in the roof, but imme- 

 diately under the top part of the roof is a row of ventilators 

 opening into the wall and out again in front under the project- 

 ing flags on the top of the wall. 



Generally in hothouses manure is laid on the borders, but 

 this cannot be forked-in more than from 3 to 4 inches deep, 

 lest the roots be injured. I was desirous of supplying mine 

 much deeper, and had round drain-tiles made 20 to 24 inches 

 long, and 4 inches in. diameter, perforated with three rows of holes 



