400 



JOUENAIi OF HOETICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENEE. 



[ NoTember 23, 1871. 



the designs of Sir Eobert Tajlor, but he died before the whole 

 was completed, and the wings were added in an inferior 

 style.— Eds.] 



_ The dressed grounds extend a considerable distance on both 

 sides of the mansion, and are well furnished with trees and 

 shrubs, while to the south there is an open expanse holding a 

 geometrical group of flower beds. Bejond this an unusual 

 feature in ornamental groundwork is met with, being an elevated 

 terrace walk running parallel with the mansion at the distance 

 of about 150 feet. It is raised about 3 feet above the level of 

 the panel whereon are the flower beds, and which is the same 

 as that of the walk at the base of the mansion. The propor- 

 tions of this terrace are also imposing, being some 20 f-eet 

 wide and 400 or 500 feet long. A ha-ha or retaining wall, with 

 an ornamental iron fence upon it, forms the park boundary on 

 that side, the interior having a grass slope of the ordinary 

 angle. I suspect there are few who walk upon this fine terrace 

 but remark how well everything looks from it, the beds of 

 scarlet Geraniums showing to every advantage, a'nd a peep into 

 the park where Lady Verulam's Alderney cows are grazing 

 is also obtained. Still, with all these advantages I am not 

 sure that it is an improvement. It carries with it a feeling 

 that it is too artificial, and on looking from the walk nearest to 

 ihe mansion its appearance is not pleasing. Had the panel of 

 the flower beds been sunk, and the walk close to the mansion 

 made the same height as that of the terrace, it would have been 

 different, but, as it is, it is rather intrusive than ornamental. 

 Shrubs and other plants disguise it, excepting in front of the 

 flower garden ; it is only there that fault can be found with it, 

 and I am not sure that many will do even that. — J. Eobson. 



NOTES AND GLEANINGS. 



We understand that the Eotai. HoETionLTURAL Society's 

 Peovincial Show is to take place in 1S72 at Birmingham, than 

 which we think but few townp, if any, offer a better chance of 

 success. Birmingham, nest to London, is the most important 

 railway centre in the country, easily accessible from all parts, 

 and horticulture is well supported by the inhabitants of the 

 town and surrounding district. The site of the exhibition we 

 believe is to be the Lower Aston grounds. A local committee 

 is being organised, of which Mr. A. Forrest, of Cherry Street, 

 is the secretary pro tem. ; and we doubt not that the Warwick- 

 shire men will make their show as great a success as that held 

 at Nottingham this year. 



;; Mr. Heskt Willis, of Whidown, Broadclyst, Devon- 

 shire, dug up in his garden, a few days ago, under one stalk, 

 the extraordinary number of one hundred Lapstone Kidney 

 Potatoes, the produce of a single grain of seed taken from the 

 Potato apple p' anted in the spring of the year. 



Ik another column are noticed the CHETSA^'THEl^JlIS 



in the Temple Gardens. Those of Mr. Forsyth, of the Brunswick 

 Nursery, Stoke Newington, are now in perfection and are well 

 worth inspection, and worthy of Mr. Forsyth's reputation as a 

 grower of specimen blooms and plants. We purpose giving 

 •details nest week, but those who wish to see the flowers at 

 their best should not longer delay. 



WORK FOR THE WEEK. 



KITCHEN GARDEN. 



As severe weather may soon be expected, every means should 

 be adopted to secure a continuance of autumn delicacies, such 

 as choice Cauliflowers, salads, &c. All the Broccoli and Greens 

 should now be looked over, and every dead leaf removed to the 

 compost-yard. This, and a general clearing of decayed matters, 

 together with the trenching and ridging of all vacant ground, 

 will give the kitchen garden an air of cleanliness and system. 

 Lats-sown Caibages in the seed-bed should have some old and 

 dry soil from the shed sprinkled among their stems ; this will 

 prevent them from becoming crooked in consequence of snow 

 or other causes. Some Parsley should have a protection which 

 will exclude snow, and it is then picked with greater security. 

 On dry well-drained ground on a south aspect a sowing of Peas 

 may now be made. The double-blossomed Early Frame is the 

 most profitable for this purpose. Prince Albert is ten days 

 earlier, but is apt to suffer much from cold winds and wet, and 

 does better when started in heat and transplanted in February. 

 Where there are not pits adapted for forcing Sea-kale and 

 Ehubarl), let a quantity of each be covered with pots or wooden 

 boxes, or be hooped over with rods, and have fermenting ma- 

 terial placed round them. Leaves are preferable to any other 



covering, and by placing over them some long stable dung they 

 are prevented from being blown about the garden. It is bene- 

 ficial to water the soil in which the plants to be forced are 

 growing with water heated to 130°, covering the ground imme- 

 diately with leaves. 



FRUIT GAEDEK. 



Figs against walla will require some protecting material 

 placed over them, more especially in the midland and northern 

 counties. Some wall trees, as Pears, Plums, Cherries, &q., are 

 often attacked by scale, in which case the trees should be well 

 washed with a mixture of soft soap, tobacco water, and lime ; 

 half a pint of spirits of turpentine may be added to every four 

 gallons of the mixture when they are much infested. The 

 limg is added to gife consistence to the mixture, and to show 

 that no part of the trees is missed in dressing. Let this be ap- 

 plied during dry weather, if possible, that it may remain on for 

 some time, and before the trees are nailed. Where orchard 

 trees have been for some years left unprnned, the hand-saw 

 will be required to thin out the larger branches. Keep the 

 middle of the trees open to admit air, and to promote the 

 formation of fruit buds on the interior of the branches. It is, 

 however, a bad practice to leave any description of fruit tree to 

 itself, as it would in all oases pay the cultivator to prune such 

 once a-year at least. Do not let Pears become over-ripe before 

 being used ; also look over the whole stock as often as time can 

 be spared, removing any fruit that exhibits symptoms of decay, 

 and put them aside for immediate use. Any of the choice va- 

 rieties of Pears that do not ripen properly in the fruit room 

 should be removed to a warm dry room for a few days. This 

 will be' found to greatly improve them. Keep the fruit room 

 as cool and dry as possible ; if frost is escluded from it, it can 

 scarcely be too cool where the object is to preserve the frtut 

 plump and sovmd as long as possible. 



FLOWER GARDES. 



Alterations, planting, &a., will be carried out this autumn 

 with much comfort as far as the weather is concerned, and 

 those who have employed additional labour to carry out this 

 work will have little to regret in the spring. Alltender or half- 

 hardy shrubs should have some protection planned forthwith, 

 and especially the tender binds of Eoses. Standards of the 

 latter may have a bunch of dry moss, a wisp of hay or straw, or 

 some dried fern bound round the head, and the whole well 

 fastened to a stake. Those in beds are best secured with a 

 coating of moss. Any porous material which will not retain 

 water long, and, of course, prevent the air circulating, will no 

 doubt answer. The ground should be coated over 4 inches 

 thick at least. We are now approaching a season when little can 

 be done with florists' flowers. Auriculas, Carnations, Pinks, 

 and Pansies, are in their winter quarters, and Tulips ought to 

 be safely deposited in their beds. Attention must be paid to 

 the former ; the labour, however, is by no means serious. Ee- 

 gnlar and careful watering, with an unbounded supply of air 

 whenever the weather is tolerably mild, is the chief requisite, 

 not forgetting to keep a sharp eye on snails and other nosious 

 insects. The past season has not been remarkable for Tulips, 

 as far as their exhibition is concerned. Every florist must 

 bear in mind that now is the season to prepare composts, to 

 secure turf and lay it in heaps, to collect leaves, and, in fact, 

 to lay in a store of soils adapted to the different wants of his 

 plants. 



GREENHOUSE AND CONSERVATORT, FORCING HOUSES, AND PITS. 



These structures will very soon require to be in full activity 

 to supply the constant demand that will be made on them for 

 plants in bloom. Care must, however, be taken before plants 

 are removed to sitting-rooms, to gradually harden them for a day 

 or two, either by placing them in the conservatory or interme- 

 diate house. In addition to keeping the conservatory gay with 

 blooming plants, let the arrangement of the house be occasion- 

 ally changed by grouping the plants somewhat differently, and 

 adding a few striking specimens for effect. Pay attention to 

 plants intended for successive blooming. Azaleas, Ehododen- 

 drons, Justicias, Luculias, Eranthemums, Cape Jasmines, 

 Euphorbias, and Eoiphyllums for forcing should be in readi- 

 ness when wanted. Hyacinths and Narcissus should be pro- 

 tected by a frame. When they begin to grow remove the plung- 

 ing material down to the surface of the pots to prevent their 

 rooting upwards. With the assistance of a garden frame and 

 some stable manure or tan to furnish a gentle heat, the Hya- 

 cinth may be flowered at Christmas, and with a good stock of 

 bulbs the display may be kept up till April or May. For early 

 flowering the bulbs should be planted at the beginning of Sep- 

 tember; those to flower in spring should be planted in October, 



