178 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ August SO, 1877. 



agree to it, for the work would clash with every line and curve 

 of nature. The difficulty was overcome skilfully and well by 

 making tree-clothed banks from the natural slope at an irre- 

 gular acute angle up the valley, so as to offer the least amount 

 of resistance to the wind while it turned it away past the 

 garden completely. The natural appearance of these screens, 

 the perfect shelter which they afford, and their entire harmony 

 with the position and its surroundings, form a valuable study, 

 and convey a lesson in landscape gardening of the utmost value, 

 go intimately do they combine the ornamental and useful. 



The site of the garden itself is a long steep hillside, or rather 

 a series of irregular grassy slopes, stretching from a point high 

 up the valley's lofty side downwards to a road skirting the 

 margin of the water. It is traversed by walks winding along 

 and up the banks in picturesque irregularity among shrub 

 groups consisting principally of Rhododendrons and Azaleas, 



in perfect health and very vigorous growth, mingled with, 

 other rare and choice shrubs and a pleasing variety of Conifers 

 and deciduous trees — trees planted by Mr. Boscawen, and now 

 become so large as to really merit the appellation of fine. 

 The pleasure with which one regards the trees arises from the 

 skilful way in which they are arranged and are made to blend 

 and become merged with the wild growth of the wood beyond, 

 up to which they lead, as well as from the elegant and stately 

 appearance whioh most of them present individually. 



The most conspicuous trees are a number of magnificent 

 examples of Pinus inBignis. This tree as seen here is cer- 

 tainly worthy of its title of "the Remarkable Pine." All are 

 in perfect health, and some are wonderfully vigorous, being- 

 80 feet high, with huge rugged stems feathered with branches 

 to the ground, clothed with foliage of that bright rich green 

 tint which makes this tree so striking, and for which it is so- 



Kg. 40.— Lamobbah. 



much valued. It makes a splendid tree, and judging from 

 what subsequently came under my notice during my tour in 

 Cornwall I have no hesitation in saying that it is quite the 

 best Pine for that county. It bears exposure perfectly, it be- 

 comes established quickly, grows with singular rapidity, and 

 its timber is really valuable, some boards of it which Mr. 

 Boscawen had nailed upon the gable of a building twelve years 

 ago and there left fully exposed without any covering of paint 

 being still perfectly sound and free from any traces of decay. 



Several other Conifers must have notice, and first most 

 worthily comes a noble specimen of Sequoia sempervir6ns, the 

 Californian Redwood tree, to which a very picturesque effect 

 has been imparted by cutting off the lower branches so as to 

 show the curious bright red spongy bark, so soft as to yield to 

 the slightest touch. Picea cephalonica is well represented by 

 some excellent specimens ; it is one of our best Conifers, 

 superior to P. pinsapo, but unfortunately not quite so hardy 

 in many situations. Cupressus Lambertiana, Thuja Lobbi, 

 the rough-barked Mexican Pine, Pinus Montezeums, Pinus 

 maritima, and Cedrus atlantica are all growing into fine speci- 

 mens here, Cedrus atlantica being especially remarkable for its 

 Strong free growth and perfect health, offering a striking con- 

 trast to the stunted sickly appearance of the Deodar, which 

 is evidently not happy here. I was glad to see Picea Webbiana 

 in excellent condition and evidently full of growth, but it is 



questionable whether it will attain to a very large size, as it is. 

 already producing cones. Among other rare Conifers is a. 

 beautiful specimen of Fitzroya patagonica 10 feet high, a 

 perfect gem, with graceful pendulouB growth, forming an object 

 of great beauty; and, wonderful to tell, there is aotually a 

 flourishing specimen of Dacrydium Franklini here, surpass- 

 ing all other weeping trees in the elegance of its long, graceful, 

 pendant branches. It is curious to see how quiokly even the 

 leading branches conform to the general character of the 

 whole tree, for after a very brief growth upwards down they 

 go, falling over each other in no regular order, but with an 

 easy careless air full of grace, to which the somewhat loose 

 clothing of leafage adds another charm. The position of 

 this Dacrydium undoubtedly contributes something to its 

 effect ; ana I may usefully note here how much more telling 

 pendant-growing trees are when planted on slopes above a 

 walk than when seen on a plateau or level lawn. They are, 

 moreover, equally effective upon soft gentle slopes and steep 

 rocky declivities ; while, on the contrary, trees of such preoise 

 growth and rigid aspect as the Araucaria are not in keeping 

 with soft lines and sweeping ourves, but require soenery of 

 bolder, wilder, sterner aspect. 



First among other varieties comes the Palm, a magnificent 

 specimen of Chamairops Fortunei 16 feet i inches in height — 

 a tree of stately aspect most pleasant to the sight, for it is 



