HORTICULTURAL JOURNAL. H 13 



pigmy and Hudson firs, some of which were twenty years old, and 

 had not attained the height of as many inches. The view from this 

 point across the lake was on the artificial ruins of an old castle com- 

 posed of rocks, pieces of buildings, tufa and limestone formations, 

 covered with ivy and wild flowers, all erected within fourteen years, 

 and appeared as having stood for ages on a spot that was a low mea- 

 dow at my last visit. All the walks in the vicinity of this lake and 

 indeed for miles, were asphalted, composed of four parts gravel and 

 one part quick-lime and gas tar sufficient to make the whole the 

 consistency of mortar, which was heated on plates built for the pur- 

 pose and laid down whilst hot, about two inches thick, and become 

 as hard as marble. So much was I absorbed with what I could 

 barely realise to be real, that 10} of the night found me under the 

 soft silver beams of the moon, with nature's cravings, still enjoying 

 those magical scenes where I saw but yesterday, comparatively, the 

 muddy pool skirting the field of the mower. I retired to rest, but 

 found none for my excited imagination; the early dawn (2i o'ci'k) 

 found me solitary and alone amidst the golden-crowned yews of the 

 winter garden — not altogether alone, I find, for there comes that si- 

 lent watchman of the night, who has trod the path for seventeen 

 years, amongst those, to him no doubt, monotonous scenes. 



The thorough secret of the successful growth of all I have seen, 

 consists in a complete system of under-draining ; the ground being 

 so level the main drain had to be extended 1 \ miles in a direct line. 

 All the leading trees were planted on mounds of earth — no tree was 

 too large to remove and none too small to plant ; every power and 

 facility was on the spot ; all fibrous roots were sacredly protected ; 

 during removal copious waterings were given ; stays of strong No. 8 

 wire were fixed from the ground to various parts of the tree, to pre- 

 vent its being displaced after planting ; evergreens were successfully 

 moved at all times, but preference given just before their growth. 

 Even a yew that had stood 300 years, was successfully brought 

 from a distance, and the second year after removal made a luxuriant 

 growth ; another striking fact was, to plant the best that could be 

 got ; from three inches to three feet high, were the general height of 

 all those now unique specimens of rare evergreens. Seedlings, 

 cuttings, layers or grafts, all were alike acceptable ; if they were 

 not of the proper form, the knife wag freely applied ; where the 



