1046 



STATISTICS OF GARDENING. 



Part IV. 



7427f Tradesmen's villas (7284.), of the smaller kind, may contain from a fourth part 

 to a whole acre, and are commonly managed by a sort of hybrid gardener, who acts 

 also in the capacity of groom, or of house-servant. On a larger scale they are managed- 

 by master gardeners of the lowest kind, as from such situations they can seldom rise to 

 be head gardeners. Besides attending to the duties of the jobber, as to suburban gar- 

 dens, the citizen's gardener ought to study to procure early and late crops of the ve- 

 getables most in use ; as peas, kidneybeans, potatoes, turnips, &c., because at these 

 seasons they are dear to purchase. IMain summer crops are of less consequence, as they 

 may be procured cheap at market. For similar reasons, he ought never to be deficient 

 of salads, pot and sweet herbs, tart plants, &c., as these are dearer to purchase in pro- 

 portion to other vegetables, because less in demand. If there are frames, hot-beds, and 

 hot-houses, the same general principles are to be observed, viz. when the whole of what 

 is necessary for the consumption of the family cannot be raised, to raise such crops as, 

 whether from their kind, or the seasons at which they are grown, are most dear to 

 })urchase. 



7428. Where amateurs of gardening have gardens, they are generally cabinets of rural 

 beauty, however small. We may offer as examples that of R. A. Salisbury, Esq. which 

 consists entirely of plants in pots, which fill a court of a few yards square in Queen-street, 

 Edgeware Road, London ; and that of Topham, of Elkins's-row, Baysvvater, -wliich is 

 not much larger tlian that of Salisbury, but in which the choicest flowers are sunk in 

 pots, and changed whenever they begin to fade. This garden is a speck of perfect beauty 

 in its kind. There are a few plots round London similarly treated, and but a few. On 

 a larger scale are numerous amateur gardens; that of the Comte de Vande, at Bays- 

 water, contains two acres, and is remarkable for its botanical collection, its standard 

 roses, and the neatness with which it is kept : but the plan of the garden, its ciil de sac 

 walks, ill proportioned borders, and paltry boundary fence of pales, spoils every thing. 



7429. The garde7is of connoisseurs vary in extent; perhaps the largest and best fur- 

 nished is that of Knight, the first of all horticultural connoisseurs, at Downton Castle, 

 ■which, with the experimental ground, contains several acres, and various hot-houses, pits, 

 and frames. In general these gardens are to be considered as horticultural workshops, 

 and beauty and order is not to be looked for. Regular gardeners are very seldom em- 

 ployed. Knight says [Hort. Trans, iv. 17.), " My gardener is an extremely simple 

 laborer, he does not know a letter or a figure." One horticulturist with whom we are 

 acquainted, employs only women ; another, only boys ; and several do all the work 

 themselves. 



7430. Suburban or citizens* villas (7285.) may be considered as occupied by a more 

 wealthy class of citizens ; or if not more'wealthy, possessing more of the taste and ton of 

 good society. These gardens or residences contain always a portion of lawn or field, as 

 well as a kitchen-garden and shrubbery, and m.ay extend from one to ten acres. They 

 generally contain hot-houses of some kind, and are managed by a regularly bred master- 

 gardener. Besides attending to the duties of a tradesman's gardener, he must bear in 

 mind two things ; first, as the families who occupy such places are generally constant 

 residents, he must provide enjoyment both of the agreeable kind from the flower-garden 

 and plant hot-houses, and of the useful kind from the culinary and fruit-garden, for 

 every month in the year ; and secondly, he must attend to the habits of the family as to 

 the kinds of productions and enjoyments preferred. The great art of deriving enjoyment 

 from a country-residence of this description, is to provide an interest, a hope, and a 

 fear, for every season, or even for eveiy month in the year. By observing the chapter 

 of monthly productions of horticulture (6038.), and the table of monthly floricultural 

 productions (6741.), the resources which these branches afford are readily discovered. 

 There are also other resources in the nature of culture ; such, for example, as raising 

 flowers or fruits from seed. In this \dew it is good to have some seedlings of early and 

 late flowers, as of the polyanthus and dahlia ; of early and late fruits, as of the currant 

 or strawberry, and apple, to come into flower and bearing every season. Other devices 

 for exciting and keeping alive interest will readily occur to the reflecting gardener. 



7431. With respect to the habits of a family, it is not only the duty of a gardener to 

 grow those vegetables, fruits, and flowers, of which the members consume the most, or 

 of which they are fondest ; but he must also look for other habits of enjoyment ; as 

 whether they are fond of walking in the garden, and at what times and places, so as to 

 have every thing in the condition and order best adapted for those purposes. Some de- 

 light in smells, and for such, the most odoriferous plants should be distributed along 

 the walks ; others in sounds, and for these, the trees and plants which produce the fruits 

 preferred by singing birds should be planted ; or birds, in portable avaries, distributed ■ 

 through the grounds. Some, in walking, may prefer not being seen by workmen, or 



at least not meeting them in the paths on which they enjoy this mode of recreation ; 

 others may take delight in seeing work going forward, and even in asking questions 

 of the operators. 



