266 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ April 8, 1884 
Cineraria Lottie Williamson (James).—Distinct in colouring, the body 
colour being a rich purple-maroon, with a bright rose central ring. The 
flower is smooth and of good substance. 
Auricula Sir W. Hewett (Douglas).—A maroon self Show variety with 
large blooms, six in a truss. The colour is extremely rich, but the paste is 
narrow though well defined. 
Auricula General Gordon (Douglas).—A white-edge Show variety, with 
deep purple body colour, even edge and paste; the flower generally neat. 
Truss large and strong. 
Auricula Mrs. Moore (Douglas).—A green-edge variety. Flowers large, 
black body colour, small paste, but even and well defined. 
IMPNEY, 
THE SEAT OF JOHN CORBETT, ESQ., M.P. 
The name of Impney has of late become somewhat familiar to readers 
of garden literature, inasmuch as the gardener there was appointed as 
the successor of the late lamented Mr. Thomas Speed at Chatsworth. 
This implies that Mr. Corbett’s gardens possess some features of interest, 
and that their condition is worthy of note. Both propositions are well 
founded. In one important respect Impney is more than interesting, it 
is wonderful; and as to the keeping of the grounds and gardens, it was 
not until they had undergone a searching inspection by the representa¬ 
tive of the Duke of Devonshire that Mr. Owen Thomas was offered the 
opportunity of filling the position on which he entered a fortnight ago ; 
and this, it may be mentioned here on precisely the same terms, and in¬ 
vested with exactly the same authority as his predecessor. But to Impney. 
It is no old baronial estate of historical note, with a venerable man¬ 
sion hoary and worn with the lapse of centuries. The owner of the 
estate is not, to coin a term, an inheritor of history, but a maker of it. 
Impney is indeed a splendid memorial of nineteenth-century commercial 
progress and success, and in this respect has few equals in this country. 
‘Diligence in business ” has in the remarkable career of Mr. Corbett 
brought a striking reward, and the “salt of the earth” has literally 
proved its virtues in a manner that is quite extraordinary. 
A stranger arriving in Droitwich and asking what is the staple trade 
of the town, would receive in reply, “ Salt, all salt.” The quaint old 
town, though not indicating the fact by its whiteness, rests on salt, 
lives by salt, and is, in fact, sinking into salt, not a few of the houses 
appearing to the stranger as dangerously likely to be “ cured.” There 
are tall black chimneys all over the town, and at the base of them 
furnaces for boiling the brine and converting into salt. The brine is 
pumped up year after year by powerful steam pumps from wells sunk 
from 300 to 1000 feet deep, dissolving and wearing the salt rocks till 
hills have become hollows, and the sinking and slanting houses appearing 
as if putting their heads together, like certain old fogies who do not 
rejoice in the “ bit of blue.” The inhabitants, however, appear to be 
contented, and the town prosperous, the celebrity of its brine baths at¬ 
tracting thousands of sufferers from all parts of the British Isles, as well 
as the continent and America, every year. The town is so crowded with 
bathers suffering from rheumatic gout, sciatica, nervous debility, and 
other diseases of the nerves, that it is often difficult to lodge them all, 
and the cures effected are often marvellous. It is at the Stoke Works, 
however, about three miles from Droitwich, that the magnitude of the 
salt industry is the most apparent. Here there are some sixty or seventy 
tall shafts, and from two to three thousand persons are dependent for 
their livelihood on this great establishment. Those works belong to 
Mr. Corbett. By his own industry and remarkable business aptitude 
he reared them, and, as if this was not enough, he made Impney what 
it is to-day. 
Some fourteen or fifteen years ago he purchased a large tract of land, 
a purely agricultural district, somewhat boldly undulated. The land that 
consisted of ploughed fields then is a beautiful park now, well furnished 
with trees, and beautified with water, while a herd of deer fatten on the 
rich herbage of the fertile soil. The mansion, which is beautifully 
situated, and commands extensive, diversified, and picturesque views, is 
in the French style. It is a most imposing pile, the material (hand- 
smoothed bricks, with stone facings) and workmanship being of tbe best 
possible character ; and the architectural embellishments singularly rich. 
It is estimated that £100,000 was expended in its erection alone. The 
roof of the hall or vestibule is supported by massive and solid pillars of 
marble, everything being in keeping ; and valuable paintings of the old 
masters Titian, Bembrandt, Vandyke, and others adorn the walls. 
On the south side of the mansion are spacious terrace gardens with 
flower beds in panels, an elaborate fountain, and splendid specimen 
Hollies, Cupressus Lawsoniana erecta viridis, Golden Yews, and Retino- 
sporas appropriately placed on the lawn. The walks, which are wide, are 
made of asphalte, the kind known as Val de Travers, and are level, durable, 
pleasant to walk on, and not dingy in appearance. The view from the 
terrace is particularly fine, embracing water, bridges, trees, a far-reaching 
pastoral valley, and, beyond, the Malvern Hills. A striking feature, and a 
most useful one, is a remarkable densely tree-clad hill or small mountain, 
which rises a few hundred yards from the mansion and completely masks 
the town of Droitwich. Round the base of this eminence a wide stream 
rushes along its tortuous course, and has afforded an opportunity for 
forming cascades. These have been admirably contrived and executed, 
and they contribute powerfully to the beauty of a beautiful place. 
Passing along under the arcades of Willows the “ music of the waters ” 
is almost deafening, while the wild flowers on the steep hillside are 
scattered in profusion. The mound is ascended by long curving flights 
of rugged steps, and the wooded hill is intersected by serpentine walks 
quite canopied with foliage during the summer months. The extent of 
this picturesque eminence is about thirty acres, and it ia undoubtedly 
one of the principal charms of Impney. It was from a position on the 
hill that the photograph was taken from which the engraving has been 
prepared. It is one of a series of several others which have been success¬ 
fully executed by the London Stereoscopic Company, and affords an idea 
of the attractiveness of the surroundings of the mansion. No expense 
has been spared in rendering Impney what it is. The leading landscape- 
gardeners have been employed from time to time, and Mr. Owen Thomas 
was busily occupied during most of the time he was at Impney carrying 
out important improvements suggested by himself or Mr. Corbett, and 
has left the marks of a master hand behind him. 
The gardens are a short distance, nearly a quarter of a mile, from 
the mansion, and from which they are partially hidden by the configuration 
of the ground and shrubberies. The work of tree and shrub-planting 
has been conducted on a scale of no small magnitude, as may be imagined 
when it is estimated that shrubs and trees of the value of £10,000 have 
been planted since the work commenced, many of the first planted having 
died ; but there have been few failures lately, as both trees and shrubs 
are established and in a healthy flourishing state. As an instance of 
success in transplanting, a number of large specimen Lime trees were 
purchased in Surrey last May, the trees being forthwith removed, although 
bursting into leaf. At least some of them were expected to fail; but by 
careful packing, immersion in the lake for a few days after their arrival, 
and subsequent care every one has grown satisfactorily. 
The kitchen gardens are not extensive, between two and three acre9 
being enclosed between lofty walls, which are covered from base to 
summit with healthy fruit trees, although these have only been planted 
about six years. Similarly fine are the pyramid trees in the garden. 
Considering their age, finer, cleaner, and more fruitful examples have 
never been seen. No moss, no canker, but clean bright wood everywhere, 
and the varieties are as choice as the trees are excellent. These trees 
were planted by Mr. M. Temple, now of Carronbridge, and Mr. Thomas 
gives him ungrudgingly the praise he so well deserves for the excellence 
of his work. The soil around Droitwich being impregated with salt was 
found by its effect on Vines not to be depended on for fruit culture, hence 
turfy loam was imported from some distance, and the wisdom of the step- 
is now apparent. 
Erected against the south wall of the kitchen garden is a range of 
glass structures such as is not seen every day. It was erected by Messrs. 
Clark & Hope, of Birmingham, at a cost of £3000. For strength, 
lightness, and durability these houses could not be surpassed. There is 
no wood employed, the framework and doors being of iron and the 
woodwork of brass. The range is in nine divisions—namely, two Peach 
houses about 50 feet long, lean-to’s ; three splendid lofty vineries with 
hipped roofs to the north, the rafters facing south being apparently over 
20 feet long ; two span-roofed plant houses about 32 feet long, at right 
angels with the others ; a Fig house 20 feet, and a small octagonal fernery 
in the centre of the range. Nothing more clean, orderly, and satisfactory 
than this range and its contents could well be imagined. Peach trees in 
the best of health and bearing the best of crops, Vines starting strong 
and freely, those in the early houses showing bunches plentifully, the 
retention of young wood, not rigid spur-pruning, being the system relied 
on for the production of Grapes. 
Plants of all kinds were as healthy as the fruit crops were promising. 
Cinerarias especially being noteworthy by their vigour and the excellence 
of the varieties. Messrs. F. & A. Dickson of Chester, who supplied the 
seed, evidently possess an excellent strain of these effective spring flowers. 
Standard Marshal Niel Roses were showing buds freely preparatory to- 
forming golden heads of flowers. Standard Heliotropes were in prepara¬ 
tion, and these in due time will find many admirers. In the cool stove 
Abutilon Sellowianum marmoratum showed to great advantage associated 
with dark-foliaged Dracaenas, while Palms and other foliage plants were in 
the best of health. 
Outside the garden and in what might be termed the frame ground is at 
range of extremely useful pits about 250 feet long. They are low narrow 
serviceable structures with a path down the centre and beds on each side, 
everything on them and suspended from the roof being within easy reach 
of the cultivator. Such cheap, handy, serviceable structures ought to be- 
more frequently seen, as they are so useful for a variety of purposes, and 
so profitable. Plants of various kinds are raised in the range under notice. 
Kidney Beans, Strawberries, and Asparagus forced, Melons and Cucumber© 
produced in abundance, Davenham Early Melon being highly esteemed 
for its precocity and good quality, while in three of the divisions Pines 
are grown well, dwarf stubby-leaved plants in 8 and 9-inch pots, showing 
fruits that will be considerably larger than on hundreds of plants that 
occupy twice the space. This is the Drumlanrig system of Pine cul¬ 
ture—small plants and large fruits which reflect so much credit on the- 
cultivators. 
On the south side of the kitchen garden at Impney, outside the walls, 
is an extremely enjoyable rosery. The Roses are planted in beds, dwarf 
plants with long strong shoots pegged flat to the ground instead of 
shortening them. That is the way to produce Roses that can be cut by 
the basketful for decorative purposes, and fine blooms into the bargain. 
The Rose buds are relieved by choice shrubs, and thus the enclosure has a> 
furnished appearance in the winter. The west outside screen is occupied 
with a series of buds of herbaceous plants for affording flowers for 
cutting, the beds being sheltered by a contiguous row of flourishing- 
Wellingtonias. There is also a garden of Alpine plants, but rockeries are 
wanting to show them to advantage. These will no doubt be supplied in 
due time, for nothing is denied to complete whatever is taken in hand in 
these admirable and excellently kept gardens. 
