370 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



[ November S, 1864. 



On entering the grounds the first thing that arrests your 

 attention is a carriage drive stretching two-thirds of a 

 mile in a straight line, and altogether through the centre of 

 the nurseries about one mile and a quarter. On each side is 

 a broad edging of turf extending the whole length. Both 

 sides are planted ribbon-border fashion, the first row being 

 the Golden-striped Tew ; the Nootka Sound Thujopsis, one of 

 the most valuable introductions of late years, second ; then 

 the Irish Tew; fourth, the Deodar Cedar; then the Siberian 

 Arbor Vitas, well-shaped and useful for variation of colour, 

 and the Araucaria imbricata; the whole backed by a Tew 

 hedge. The row3 at each side rise in regular gradation from 

 the front row, 2 feet high, to the Tew hedge at the back, 

 10 feet high. 



The next scene on the same carriage drive is a ribbon 

 border planted at one side with a row of Golden Arbor Vitaa, 

 then Portugal Laurel, next Irish Tew, then Thuja Wareana, 

 backed by Irish Tew, 10 feet high. On the other side is a 

 row of choice varieties of Green Holly, then Deodar Cedars, 

 then Juniperus virginiana, backed by Irish Tew. The next 

 example of a ribbon border is composed on one side of Thuja 

 aurea, Picea nobilis, Deodar Cedars, standard Portugal 

 Laurels, and Cedars of Lebanon; and on the other side, 

 Golden Holly, Nordmann's Silver Fir, Irish Tew, Abies 

 canadensis, and Thuja Wareana. The arrangement of the 

 various ribbon lines in this noble carriage drive is well 

 worth inspection, in order to see what pleasing effects can 

 be produced by the judicious assortment of form and foliage. 



The walk on the left communicates with the Heath-house, 

 New Holland-house, Pelargonium-house, stoves, Fig-houses, 

 propagating-houses, &c, all heated by hot water, and con- 

 taining a choice collection of young healthy stock. On the 

 right is a house for growing young Vines, 117 feet long, by 

 17i feet wide, also orchard-houses, the first nearly 200 feet 

 by 27 feet ; another 115 feet, by 25 feet ; one 45 feet by 25 feet ; 

 and another for growing Figs, 50 feet by 33 feet. There 

 are many thousands of orchard-house trees in fine bearing 

 condition. Altogether there are sixteen large houses for 

 various purposes, and one thousand glass pits, and about 

 three acres of raised brick-beds on which lights can be placed 

 for newly-transplanted stock. 



Continuing along the drive which connects the various 

 nurseries together, passing large beds of Araucarias, Abies 

 excelsa inverta (a new weeping variety), Picea nobilis, 

 P. amabilis, P. Nordmanniana, P. Pinsapo, Wellingtonia 

 gigantea, Thujopsis borealis, T. dolabrata, Podocarpus of 

 sorts, and masses of many other valuable evergreen Conifers, 

 of which tribe Mr. Smith's stock is allowed to be the finest 

 in the kingdom, we come to a nursery where quarter after 

 quarter, to the extent of thirty acres, is occupied with 

 evergreen trees and shrubs of all hues, sorts, shapes, and 

 sizes, in most luxuriant health. These are cultivated with 

 the greatest care. Mr. Smith never allows any stock to 

 exceed three years without removal, and every plant is 

 formed from its earliest infancy to make a handsome spe- 

 cimen, and thus by timely care the most perfect form that 

 can be desired is obtained without formality and without 

 stiffness. 



Thence we pass to the Eose ground of eight acres, and 

 containing one hundred thousand Roses. How, "D., Deal," 

 would revel amidst the beauties he would there behold 



" In all their crimson glory spread. 

 While, drooping fresh the dewy head, 

 They scent the early morning." 



In order to give the public some idea of the stock, I will 

 only observe that standard, half-standard, dwarf, pyramid, 

 bush, orchard, and wall fruit trees, occupy more than forty 

 acres. 



"We now come to the Gothic lodge at the entrance from 

 the Malvern road, and cross to the nursery opposite, where 

 fruit, forest, and flowering trees each take their place in the 

 most convenient and suitable arrangement. Each class of 

 stock by itself, and the whole arranged for convenience and 

 general effect, is the primary aim in every department. 



There are hundreds of standard Portugal Laurels 6 feet 

 high, very handsome for terraces, they make good sub- 

 stitutes for standard Orange trees. The Colchian Laurel, 

 of which there is a large quantity, is different from the 

 common Laurel in leaf, it is more upright and hardy. 



The large and commodious packing-shed, with other 



offices, is situated in a central part of the ground, it has a 

 large crane attached for loading vans, &c. 



To account for the luxuriant state of the young stock 

 which is propagated by thousands, and then transplanted 

 into the raised brick-beds, and the fine stock in the home 

 nurseries, it is only necessary to state that the whole is 

 watered by underground iron pipes and flexible hose, a 

 means to an end which is well worthy of adoption in many 

 places. 



To sum up some of the principal features of this establish- 

 ment, it is worthy of remark, that there are never less than 

 seventy men employed, and the number varies from that 

 to often one hundred and thirty. The space occupied in 

 the cultivation of young stock is thirty acres, and about 

 one million of Conifers and ornamental trees, besides other 

 stock, are annually produced. The glass houses, pits, &c, 

 comprise an area of 64,000 square feet. There are twenty- 

 one miles of walks, though no more exist than are abso- 

 lutely necessary for convenience in seeing and cultivating 

 the stock advantageously. There are 400,000 stakes used 

 annually, and eighty tons of garden-pots. Besides the nur- 

 sery, Mr. Smith has a very large seed business connected 

 with his establishment. 



The whole was in first-rate order, not a weed to be seen 

 in any department, which reflects great credit on the very 

 intelligent foreman, to whom I am indebted for many of the 

 above particulars. — Wilt.tam Kjeane. 



NEW ZEALAND SPINACH. 



Allow me to call attention to this vegetable (Tetragonia 

 expansa), which I think is not so well known as it deserves. 

 It is most useful, quite equal in flavour to the common 

 Spinach, and more ornamental, having much the appearance 

 of the Ice Plant, which it almost equals for garnishing. It 

 comes in at a season when the common kind is of little use 

 from its so soon running to seed. During the present dry 

 season it has been most valuable, sixteen or seventeen plants 

 having furnished a nice gathering once and twice a-week 

 for the last three or four months ; and they will continue to 

 do so till killed by frost. 



I find that it does well planted between rows of early 

 Peas, the shade being grateful to it in its early stage of 

 growth; and it comes into use about the time the Peas have 

 to be cleared off. The treading about it in gathering the 

 Peas appears to suit it. 



For the information of persons not acquainted with it, I 

 may as well mention that it requires the same treatment as 

 tender annuals — viz., sowing in heat during March or April, 

 pricking off, and planting out towards the end of May, allow- 

 ing a square yard for each plant. By gathering the young 

 tops for use, great numbers of side shoots are produced — 

 J. T. Ckeed, Gardener to T. Swanvrick, Esq., Whittington, 

 Chesterfield. 



A CEOP SATED BY THE BIRDS. 



I feel it my duty to report an instance which I think 

 will o-o far towards establishing the fact that birds are of 

 great service to the gardener. About five weeks ago my 

 crops of Brussels Sprouts, Broccolis, and Savoys, amounting 

 to some hundreds of plants, were attacked by a multitude of 

 caterpillars ; and so severe was this attack that I anticipated 

 the destruction of my crops, and many who saw it pro- 

 nounced it to be in excess of anything they had ever seen 

 before. I communicated with the Editors of tliis Journal 

 concerning it, and before their reply came to hand the 

 blackbird, thrush, tomtit, and robin, came to the scene of 

 destruction, and in three days there was not a dozen cater- 

 pillars to be seen, all being carried away and eaten by 

 these birds. I can, therefore, report a crop saved, by the 

 birds. I may mention that this is not the only instance 

 which I have noticed of the good effected by these birds. — 

 Thosias Recoed, Belmont, Hendon. 



Dahlia glabkata. — I have now (Nov. 1), in my garden 

 in full bloom and beauty an elegant little flower, to which 

 I have attached the sobriquet of the "Lady Flower," from 

 the fact of the attention of all ladies being immediately 



