84. HORTICULTURAL TOUR. 



birch (Betula alba, var. /3) had a very picturesque effect, 

 A compartment is devoted exclusively to the more hardy 

 oriental plants, either shrubby or herbaceous ; and here 

 many natives of the Levant, of Hungary, Tartary, and 

 Japan, are collected together. Even tjie Nicker-tree, or 

 Guilandina bonduc, seems here to be acclimated. A very 

 long border is appropriated to all sorts of variegated trees, 

 shrubs and herbaceous plants ; and the assemblage of these 

 surpassed, both in number and variety, any collection of the 

 kind which we had ever seen. From remarking the vigour 

 of many of the plants in which the foliage was strongly va- 

 riegated, we could not help dissenting from those physiolo- 

 gists, who have ascribed all sorts of variegation merely to 

 debility ; and felt inclined to agree with Mr Knight, that 

 there must be two kinds of variegation, one connected with 

 disease, and the other quite consistent with the healthy state 

 of the plant. 



In the flower-borders immediately in front of the hot- 

 houses, were some very showy annual plants ; such as the 

 Rieinus communis or castor-oil plant, in full flower, and two 

 species of Zinnia, Z. multiflora and elegans, the latter ex- 

 tremely beautiful and rather uncommon. Numbers of 

 these had been raised on a hot-bed, and afterwards planted 

 out : they were here much more luxuriant than they usual- 

 ly appear in our gardens. The genus Dahlia was likewise 

 very ornamental, particularly some double flowered varie- 

 ties, both pale and dark purple 



On the east side of the mansion-house is the kitchen-gar- 

 den which is of very considerable extent. On three sides it 

 is protected by brick walls, against which are trained peach 

 and nectarine trees, and some vines. On the side next the 

 house, the only defence is the broad canal already mention- 

 ed. There is In this garden a pineapple stove, of small 



