402 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER . 
[ May 18, 1882. 
much assist the formation of fine blooms, and soot water will add 
considerably to the depth of the tint, besides keeping vermin and 
aphides at bay.—W. J. M., Clonmel. 
SAWDUST FOR PLANTS. 
I MUST say I was greatly tickled at Mr. Thomson of Drumlanrig 
discovering the value of sawdust in gardens. As far back as 
thirty-four years ago (when I first wrote to you) I was wondered 
at for working with sawdust, but only those who try it will know 
its great virtues. My gardener cries out for cocoa-nut fibre ; I say, 
“No, use sawdust.” Now my plan was this :—Supposing I made 
up a bed of hot manure for a frame, I at once covered it with the 
lights and filled in 6 or 8 inches of sawdust, and let it be ever so hot 
I could at once use this frame. Water it well, and in a few days 
you may plunge your pots down to the rim, and so soon as you 
see the young plants growing vigorously be sure that they have 
a fibre or two into the sawdust, and it is then you must decide 
what to do, for if you do not the plant will rush in two 
or three days out of your comfortable keeping, but the sawdust 
must be kept damp. And then what comes of it? It becomes a 
fine rich black brown, crisp to the hand, and invaluable for potting 
composts. Anyone also who can get sawdust and run the house 
sewage through it will find a manure of no mean value. It may 
be said of sawdust that anything and everything will grow in it 
if moisture is supplied and decay of the sawdust can be promoted 
or started before using it.—W. R. W. Smith. 
CALVARY CLOVER. 
In the notice to correspondents in the Journal of April 20th I 
observe a paragraph headed “ Calvary Clover.” 
The plant in question is doubtless Medicago in¬ 
tertesta, as you surmise, seeds of which I have 
had from Mount Calvary, though it is found also 
in the south of Europe. There seems to be a 
feeling that this plant is peculiar to Mount Cal¬ 
vary. The seed pods when properly cut form a 
series of crowns of thorns, and the leaves have a 
crimson spot resembling a drop of blood. I en¬ 
close you one of the crowns and four seeds. The original seed 
from which the enclosed were grown came from Mount Calvary. 
—D. H. 
BELVOIR. 
Belvoir Castle in situation and aspect partly resembles “ majestic 
Windsor.” It is placed upon an abrupt elevation, now covered with 
vegetable mould and woods, and formed into terraces. 
Dr. Stukely, in the year 1726, saw the coffin and bones of the 
founder of a Priory of Black Monks at Belvoir, Robert de Todeni, 
who died in 1088, dug up in the Priory chapel, then a stable. Another 
coffin and lid near it was likewise discovered, with the following 
inscription :—“The Vale of Bever, barren of wood, is large and very 
plentiful of good corn and grass, and lieth in three shires, Leicester, 
Lincoln, and much of Nottinghamshire.” And what was true in or 
about the year 1088 is equally true at the present time as regards the 
extent and fertility of the plains surrounding Belvoir, presenting to 
the naked eye on a clear day from the terrace a nearly level landscape 
of twenty-five miles in a north and north-easterly direction. 
Belvoir is supposed to have been the site of a castle since the 
Norman Conquest, and was acquired by the Manners family by mar¬ 
riage at the beginning of the sixteenth century ; and has been the 
seat of consecutive Earls and Dukes of Rutland until the present 
time. 
Close to the walls of the Castle, and on an elevated terrace, is a 
small flower garden, to enter which we have to pass through vaults, 
corridors, and up winding staircases, dimly lighted by loopholes. 
Passing through a low doorway we are once more in the open air and 
in an old-fashioned flower garden, with Box edges 2 feet high, and 
beds planted with Wallflowers, Arabis, Aubrietias, Tulips, Hyacinths, 
&c .; whilst on the walls and between the buttresses there are old 
historical Fig trees, Vines, Magnolias, Clematises, and other plants, 
reminding us of days gone by. We retrace our steps, and wandering 
over the well-kept grassy slopes we notice on the terrace walls two 
fine specimens of Magnolia conspicua in full flower, exposing their 
glorious cups of beauty to the soft breezes of the vale of Belvoir ; 
whilst close by is a noble specimen of M. grandiflora. Bearing a little 
to the south-west of the Castle we come to the 
CHIEF FLOWER GARDEN. 
The beauty of this far exceeded my preconceived opinions, high 
though they had been. Readers must not imagine it is an elaborately 
designed geometrical garden cut out in turf, or beds formed on gravel 
and edged with Box, a shoot of which must not exceed the height of 
2£ or 3 inches. No, there is nothing of the kind ; but passing through 
a small iron gate we enter a garden of irregular form, sheltered from 
the north-west, north, and north-east by belts of evergreens and 
shrubs, and containing beds and borders of all sizes and forms—oval 
circular, oblong, and crescent, with all their modifications, presenting 
a brilliant mass of colour. Blue and white predominate, but the 
colours are so tastefully blended that there is not the slightest sug¬ 
gestion of glare or vulgarity—an arrangement that we should only 
expect from such an accomplished horticultural artist as Mr. Ingram. 
Immediately before us is an oblong bed filled with masses of Belvoir 
yellow Wallflowers. Alpine Auriculas, Myosotis dissitiflora, purple 
Pansies, Aubrietia deltoidea, and white Arabis. On our left is 
another bed of irregular shape with lines of pink double Daisies, 
yellow Polyanthus, Viola Cliveden Blue, Hyacinths, deep crimson 
Polyanthus, and a mass of yellow Wallflowers in the centre. Next 
there is a crescent filled with a mixed collection of varieties of 
Narcissus, notably amongst which is the variety called Empress, 
scarlet Anemones (A. fulgens), and dense masses of Saxifraga ligulata, 
a plant which Mr. Ingram uses freely and effectively. 
One of the most charming little plants in this garden was a snow- 
white double Anemone A. nemorosa fl.-pl. Anemone apennina is 
also in beauty. Following the circuitous route of the path we 
approach a triangular flower bed, having a groundwork of Arabis 
albida, with pale Polyanthus and Scilla sibirica interspersed—a very 
pretty arrangement. Further on is a circle, the simplest and most 
beautiful design in the garden ; it has a groundwork of Sedum 
acre aureum, and is planted with Viola Cliveden Blue and common 
Heather, the effect of which, as a whole, is pleasing in the extreme ; 
the combination of colour being perfect, the various shades of green 
and gold of the Heather and Stonecrop making an excellent foil for 
the blue Pansies. 
At the bottom of a steep slope on the left is a small geometrical 
garden planted with the common kinds of hardy spring flowers. 
Leaving this garden by the south-west corner we notice gorgeous 
bushes of Kerria japonica on our left, and in the shadiest part of this 
corner the beds are carpeted with Saxifraga palmata, and by itself 
a large mass of S. ligulata. Wending our way along the well-wooded 
hillsides, and passing through a rustic gate, a sharp turn to our right 
brings us in full view of 
THE ALPINE GARDEN. 
This is a triumph of horticultural skill and of patient perseverance 
the results of twenty years of study, travel, and experience in this 
branch of horticulture. In the distance the hillside is clothed with 
alpine treasures in all their verdant beauty, creeping over and 
amongst huge blocks of red grit stone which project as it were 
naturally, but really placed by Mr. Ingram with artistic skill. At the 
top there are planted Antennarias, Stachys, and other silvery-leaved 
plants to represent snow ; then lower down are Sedums, Saxifrages, 
Cheiranthus, Silenes, Arabis ; descending still lower towards the 
valley we have Primulas, (P. cortusoides flowering remarkably well), 
Gentians, Aubrietias, Phloxes, Veronicas, Myosotis, Lithospermums, 
Violas, Limnanthes, and others yet to appear above ground. The large 
dense masses of Aubrietia, Myosotis, and Arabis were particularly 
striking. Then on the left the ground falls 50 or GO feet, and there 
are terraces of flower borders with their occupants arranged in curved 
lines and chains, the front of each terrace being built up 2 feet high 
with rough stone, and planted with Veronica, Arabis, Phlox, Myosotis, 
Lamium, &c., (indeed Mr. Ingram builds all his retaining walls and 
plants them in this way, which gives a more pleasing effect than the 
best of dressed stone-built walls), the lines and chains being formed 
of variegated Thyme, the old but good Viola lutea, V. Cliveden Blue, 
Daisies, Wallflowers, Arabis, &c. Particularly effective and novel 
was the pretty little Veronica repens, the flowers dotted here and 
there making it appear as though there had been a slight fall of 
snow. A little further on there were more beds cut out of the turf, the 
most effective of which was planted with beautiful hardy Primulas. 
The garden here is undulating and broken with clumps of flowering 
shrubs and evergreens, with rustic stone steps overgrown with Lichens 
and Mosses. 
Amongst the shrubs was a beautiful specimen of Pyrus Malus 
floribunda, a fine clump of Bambusa Metake, Spiraea Thunbergii, 
Genista praecox, a noble specimen of Araucaria imbricata nearly 40 feet 
high, and Cryptomeria elegans. Climbing over a rustic arbour was an 
old plant of Akebia quinata, the first time I have seen it growing out of 
doors. Close by is a Thorn, the top of which has grown some dis¬ 
tance horizontally, and is now clasped and overgrown by a Clematis, 
with numerous stems as thick as a man’s wrist: the effect is very 
picturesque. A few yards from here is a sturdy plant of Arundo 
conspicua which has withstood the past severe winters, whilst the 
ordinary Pampas Grass has been killed. 
A GOOD SUGGESTION. 
Whilst walking round this delightful garden Mr. Ingram favoured 
me with his opinion that the authorities at Kew, now that they are 
about to construct a new rockery and alpine garden, should make it 
as thoroughly representative as the means at their command will 
admit, not only botanically but geologically, by having samples of 
sufficient bulk of the different geological formations throughout the 
kingdom. On these should be planted examples of such herbaceous 
and alpine plants as are known to succeed on the respective forma¬ 
tions. To show that he was in earnest, Mr. Ingram expressed his 
willingness to assist in such a desirable object by all the means in 
his power. 
