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HOETICULTUEAL SOCIETY. 



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engaged, may be mentioned those for the Duchess of Beaufort 

 at Badminton, Lord Weymouth at Longleat, Sir Eichard Child 

 at Wanstead, and the Duke of Marlborough at Blenheim, of 

 which Switzer says, "This stujDendous work, begun and most 

 part finished in three years' time, may be reckoned amongst the 

 greatest of these two gentlemen's undertakings." While Wise 

 attended to home duties, London was engaged principally in the 

 country, and to what extent may be judged from Switzer : " It 

 will perhaps be hardly believed, in time to come, that this one 

 person actually saw and gave directions once or twice a year iu 

 most of the noblemen's and gentlemen's gardens in England. 

 And since it was common for him to ride fifty or sixty miles 

 a clay, he made his northern circuit in five or six weeks, and 

 sometimes less, and his western in as little time. As for the 

 south and east, they were but three or four days' work for 

 him ; most times twice a year visiting all the country seats, 

 conversing with gentlemen, and forwarding the business of gar- 

 dening in such a degree as is ahnost impossible to describe. In 

 the meantime his colleague managed matters nearer home with 

 a dexterity and care equal to his character, and in truth they 

 have deserved so much of the world that 'tis but common justice 

 to transmit their memory to ages to come." 



In speaking of the Brompton Park Nursery, Evelyn says : 

 Of all that I have hitherto seen, either at home or abroad, or 

 found by reading many books published on the subject, pretend- 

 ing to speak of nurseries and j)lantations for store and variety ; 

 directions for the designing (or, as they term it), the skilful 

 making, plotting, lapng out, and disposing of a ground to the 

 best advantage ; in a word, for whatsoever wore desiraljle for the 



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