332 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ October 27, 1870. 



were folly exposed night and day, and I expect would bo so 

 until oold nights set in. The pit was a low one, and I believe 

 a portion of it was used for wintering Strawberry plants for 

 forcing, but a portion of it, SO feet or more long by 6 feet wide, 

 was filled with a fine collection of Alpine plants in pots, which 

 I daresay were intended for some other place, but even where 

 they were they were very interesting, all being carefully named, 

 and many novelties amongst them. I was glad to see Mr. 

 Thomson patroniairjg this class of plants, which to my idea are 

 quite as interesting as many fashionable stove plants ; but, no 

 doubt, they will have their day when the rage for colouring 

 fades away. 



In front of the pit last described is a set of Peach houses. 

 One of these, 200 feet long by 8 feet wide, was more lofty than 

 usual, there being a low front light as well as a short top one 

 slightly leaning to the south as well as the main rafter, which 

 was more upright than in the generality of houses. There were 

 trees both against the back wall and also under the glass in 

 front. I was told excellent crops had been gathered, and the 

 appearance of the trees promised well for another year. There 

 was an Apricot home adjoining, with trees trained against the 

 back wall and others in front in pots, so as to give as much 

 light as possible to the back, where the bulk of the crop was 

 expected. The pits in front were devoted to Melons, Cucum- 

 bers, and the like, the whole being heated by hot water ; and 

 such crops as Capsicums were luxuriating in some of the com- 

 partments, but I had not the opportunity to notice all. 



My limits forbid anything but a hasty glance at the kitchen 

 garden proper, which is at Dalkeith made more ornamental 

 than at most places of a like kind, but the crops of vegetables 

 seemed to be good and abundant, and the Peach trees on the ' 

 walls well covered with fruit. Broad walks divided the kitchen ! 

 garden into compartments, and wide borders of the most popu- 

 lar bedding plants margined these walks. These borders, and 

 Others outside of the garden proper facing the east wall that ; 

 bounds all the compartments named, form the principal flower j 

 garden at Dalkeith ; and when we are told that 60,000 bed- 

 ding plants are tarried out every season, it will easily be con- i 

 ceived that these are very large. A border in front of one of j 

 the hothouses — not a vinery or Peach house, for such borders 

 are held sacred, but an ordinary forcing house — had a suitable 

 path in front of it, and then a neatly trimmed Box hedge, in 

 front of which was a row of a scarlet Geranium of tall growth ; 

 next a row of Geranium Alma, silver-edged ; then a broad band 

 about 4 feet wide of Lobelia, with Bingle plants of Centaurea 

 candidissima at about 10 feet apart in the centre; and in front 

 of this band of Lobelia was a Cerastium edging adjoining the 

 permanent Box edging of a principal walk. This border, 

 400 feet long, looked remarkably well. Another border of the 

 sama length on the other side was somewhat differently planted, 

 a band of Gazania being substituted for the Lobelia, with dots 

 of Centaurea 10 feet apart. This border was 12 feet wide, and 

 one of its lines consisted of Calceolaria Aurantia, which was 

 said to be the best used at Dalkeith. 



Some of these borders were divided by Box edgings and 

 narrow gravelled walks into pleasing running patterns, of two 

 of which I give designs. One of these is in front of a Peach 

 house, but an ample space from it is allowed for the roots of 

 the trees to have full scope. The portion required for the orna- 

 mental border was 14 feet wide and upwards of 400 feet long, 

 and it was edged with Box, and planted as in -fig. 1. 



On the opposite side to this running pattern was a ribbon 

 pattern, planted somewhat in the same style as others pre- 

 viously given — viz., the edging next the main walk (inside the 

 Box) Cerastium, 'hen a band 4 feet wide of Purple King with 

 patches of yellow Calceolaria at every 10 feet, then a white- 

 variegated Geranium in double row, and finally a tall scarlet 

 Geranium at the back. This looked very well. 



Another border of a running pattern in Box (fig. 2), formed 

 an edging to the broad walk that ran along the side of the 

 high wall separating the kitchen garden and forcing depart- 

 ment from the lawn or dressed ground that descended to the 

 river, or rather to the wood that fringed the river. This 

 border — 450 feet long — was in what I have been accustomed to 

 call the Florentine chain, but I am not sure if that be the proper 

 term ; fig. 2 will, however, explain it. 



The above adjoin a large piece of closely-shaven turf but 

 little broken by shrubs, and sloping to the eastward. On the 

 other side of the walk is the wall alluded to, covered with 

 climbing RoseB and other ornamental plants, with a ribbon 

 border in front of it planted thus, beginning at the walk : — 

 1, Verbena Miss Hamilton, scarlet; 2, Band of Alyssum varie- 



gatum 3 feet wide, dotted with a scarlet Geranium at every 

 10 feet; 3, Verbena Purple King; 4, Calceolaria, yellow; 

 5, Geranium, scarlet, tall variety. 



Amongst other features of this fine place was an arched Rose 

 arcade, bordering the space set apart for a pinetum. This 

 arcade, like most of the borders described, was 450 feet long. 

 An arched wire frame of suitable height and width was well 

 covered with climbing Roses, and at the proper season no 

 doubt looked well. Beyond that, Wellingtonias, Retinosporas, 

 Thujas, and other Pinuses were well represented. Other 

 borders were worthy of notice, but sufficient is given to show the 

 extensive scale on which this work is carried on at Dalkeith, 

 the whole being so well done that the most fastidious would 

 have a difficulty in suggesting an improvement; while the 

 urbanity and kindness on the part of Mr. Thomson in showing 

 the writer and his friend everything connected with this fine 

 place, at a time, too, when so many other pressing matters 

 might have called him away, ought not to be passed over with- 

 out a due acknowledgement. Dalkeith and its gardens will 

 always be thought of as one of the sights which come far and 

 few between, but the fame of the place is already sufficiently 

 known to require no further comment, as its reputation may be 

 said to be European, if not more than that. — A Correspondent. 



[This communication ought to have appeared long ago, and 

 possibly some alterations may have taken place in this im- 

 portant garden, but we believe the main features are the same. 

 — Eds.1 



THE VEITCH MEMORIAL. 



A general meeting of the subscribers to Mr. Veitch's memo- 

 rial was held at South Kensington on the 21st inst., James 

 Biteman, Esq., F.R S., in the chair. 



From the report, which was read by Mr. Moore, it appeared 

 that the total sum raised is £1012 12s. 9d., from which, after 

 deducting the necessary expenses, there remains the respectable 

 amount of £890 18s. id., which will be invested in the names 

 of trustees, and the annual interest arising therefrom will be 

 devoted to the awarding of prizes for the advancement of hor- 

 ticulture in the three kingdoms. 



An admirable lull-length portrait of Mr. Veitchwas presented 

 to the trustees by Robert Crawshay, Esq., of Cyfarthfa Castle, 

 and is at present suspend ad in the Council-room of the Royal 

 Horticultural Society. 



It was moved by Mr. John Fraser, seconded by Mr. D. 

 Wooster, and agreed to nemine dissentients — " That the report 

 of the Central Committee be adopted, and that the said Com- 

 mittee be hereby empowered to carry out the recommendations 

 of the said report." 



It was further proposed by Dr. Ho£g, and seconded by Mr. 

 J. Gibson, and also adopted unanimously — " That the thanks 

 of this meeting be conveyed to Robert Crawshay, Esq., for his 

 gift of a portrait of the late Mr. James Veitch, in furtherance 

 of the Veitch memorial." 



On the motion of G. F. Wilson, Esq., seconded by Mr. Lamb, 

 it was agreed that a cordial vote of thanks be given to the 

 Chairman for his kindness in presiding on the occasion. 



The trustees appointed are Mr. G- F. Wilson and Mr. Thomas 

 Moore, the Treasurer and Secretary to the fund, Mr. Harry J. 

 Veitch, Dr. Robert Hogg, and Mr. Z*dok Stevens, representing 

 England ; Mr. William Thomson, representing Scotland ; and 

 Dr. David Moore, representing Ireland. 



WORK FOR THE WEEK. 



KITCHEN GARDEN. 



It is time to think of forcing a little Asparagus for early use. 

 The principles applied to the forcing of Sea-kale are in the 

 main applicable to this delicious vegetable, except that As- 

 paragus requires an abundance of air when growing through 

 the soil. Prepare a plot of ground, by thorough digging and 

 manuring, for a few Mazagan Beans. Let the Beet and Carrots 

 be taken up and stored away directly. It is a good plan to 

 completely cat off the heads of the Carrots below the neck, thus 

 checking their tendency to grow. A few Parsnips for present 

 use may be taken up ; they will, however, keep well in the 

 ground, and thus circumstanced they may have a coat of 

 manure spread over them for the next crop, and be trenched 

 out as wanted. For the earliest Peas prepare a pieoe of ground 

 as recommended for Beans. 



ERUIT GARDEN. 



Planting, pruning, training, trenching, &e., are matters that 



