12 



THE FLORIST AN I) POMOLOGIST. 



the appearance of size. A border 'bet-ween the gravel walk and the wall is, in the lawn half, 

 appropriated to flowers ; and the wall is covered with ornamental creepers, among which a 

 magnificent specimen of Glycine shines conspicuous. 



The Wellingtonia is small, but the Pinus excelsa is one of the finest in the kingdom. Being 

 well sheltered among the lofty trees around, it did not suffer at all during the last severe winter. 



The collection of herbaceous plants, all well labelled and occupying portions of both 

 divisions of the garden, is said to be unequalled in the neighbourhood ; which, however, ia 

 hardly giving it its due, as highly cultivated gardens are at a discount here. And when we 

 find that all the alterations and innovations have emanated from one head, and that one 

 having no hands under him but his own, with the exception of occasional help in a busy 

 time, it must be admitted he has fairly won the estimation in which he is held. 



Late in the year and in wet weather in so low a situation, the amount of foliage from so 

 many trees of such ample dimensions produces a drip and a dampness underneath that is 

 better suited to some ornamental Fems, and other similar plants that flourish underneath, 

 than to their human admirers. 



The fruit garden has its walls well covered with useful fruit trees, more with Plums and 

 Pears than with Peaches and Nectarines. There are also several Gooseberry and Currant 

 trees among them for the convenience of matting up the fruit. The Apple trees are all of 

 fine sorts, and mostly had a good crop on them, which in such a year as this speaks well for 

 the management. The Vegetables were equal to those of any market garden near London : 

 the Onions in particular looked like a cargo of Portugal Onions set out by hand to look as if 

 they had grown on the spot. The gardener prides himself on his Onions ; and this is the 

 only year, he told me, in which his Potatoes had suffered from, the disease for many years — 

 as, owing to the change of Wardens and the absence of the present one, he did not like to 

 carry out his system without consulting his master, and thus he was ten days too late. His 

 system being to lift them very early, before any rain can wash down the spores of the disease 

 from the haulm to the tubers. He watches the weather, and considers ripeness not so 

 important as the avoidance of heavy rain after they are useable. 



At the north-west angle of the premises are the houses ; and of these there is nothing to 

 be said in praise. There were some well-coloured Hamburgh Grapes, and some handsome 

 Ferns under them. But all this department was below the mark. On inquiry in other 

 quarters I understood it had been of purpose neglected to avoid expense ; and I was reminded 

 of an anecdote I once heard of a man whose son bitterly reproached his father's memory for 

 having "muddled away his money paying his bills." The late Warden seems so far to 

 have resembled him as to have let' his "fine garden fall behind its capabilities, owing to a 

 habit which seemed inveterate with him to spend his money not on himself, but in relieving 

 the necessities of his felloAv creatures. 



The gardener, Mr. Weaver, is a personage as well worth making the acquaintance of as 

 the garden under his care. His skill is attested by the health and productiveness of all 

 Tinder his charge ; and the Gardener's Chronicle and The Cottage Gardener, to both of which 

 he is an occasional contributor, keep up his theoretical knowledge of what is going on 

 in the gardening world. To these, henceforth, I hope, the Fxohist will be added. He has 

 been a successful exhibitor both of flowers and fruit when the shows in the neighbourhood 

 were kept up with spirit, and in Apples took usually the first prize. Since the late Mr. 

 Wickham's death they have gradually declined in interest (indeed, one held at South- 

 ampton, at which I could not be present, was said to be a poor thing), and Mr. Weaver has 

 contented himself with acting as judge. He is a humourist withal, which is no bad foil to 

 his sterling good sense. 



The last was a prolific wasp year, for instance, and still worse for the pest that devours 

 the leaves of Gooseberries and Currants. When he was pointing out a wall Green Gage 

 tree covered with ripe fruit unprotected, I remarked that I supposed the wasps troubled him. 



"No, sir," was the quiet but decided reply. 



Thinking he had misunderstood me, I repeated the words. 



" No, sir, they don't. Nothing troubles me." 



" Ah, well, that is right. It should not trouble any of us. But I mean, you find they 

 take more than their share." 



"No, sir. They are easily kept under. All the destroyers of a garden are. My 

 remedy is Catch 'em and Mil 'em. I do not search for their nests. Wasps will not attack 

 you, do what you will, if you do not go near their nest. They have never come much to 

 these housi s. They did to my own, for I have two vineries of my own ; and when I found 

 that, I cut out a piece of wood like a small racket with a handle and a broad circular blade, 

 and took my stand in the open doorway, or wherever else they entered, and knocked down every 

 wasp that came in. After a few days they left off the attempt, and came but little more." 



" So, again, when I am asked, for 1 often am asked, about the Gooseberry caterpillar, 

 I tell them the same. I have read all the methods that have been proposed — lime, hellebore, 

 and others. But lime disfigures the garden, and hellebore is a serious thing to use with 



