250 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. [ September 15, 1881. 
dale, grand old trees, many bushes of Hawthorn dotted about 
(which must look fine in spring when in bloom), golden corn and 
grass of emerald green, combine to make up a picture not easily 
forgotten. In the distance a glimpse can be had of Drayton 
Manor, the seat of Sir Robert Peel, Bart., and which, korticulturally 
speaking, is one of the finest country seats in the kingdom, and is 
entirely the creation of the present popular baronet. Winding 
our way slowly onwards we pass some old giant Ash and other 
trees, many of them measuring from 17 to 20 feet round the stem 
and from 70 to 100 feet in height: they must be many centuries 
old. As we approach the Hall it is impossible to pass by the 
noble-looking old clump of trees planted in the valley below 
without a note of admiration and praise. In looking at them a 
doubt arises in the mind whether the gardening, like the architec¬ 
ture of antiquity, was not more noble and grand in its conception 
and execution than that of modern times. It may be considered 
presumptuous to criticise a work so old and so grand as the plant¬ 
ing of these fine groups of trees ; but the effect to my mind would 
have been better had the old gardener fringed the skirts of these 
groups with an occasional Scotch Fir, so as to brighten with its 
silvery glaucousness the too sombre and heavy colour of the de¬ 
ciduous trees. A short way before reaching the Hall a walk to 
the left leads to the kitchen garden. In passing I noticed some 
new plantations in which many of the recently planted trees had 
succumbed, as in many other places, to the unusually cold dry 
spring we have this year experienced ; but the gardener, Mr. 
Morewood, who seems to possess the happy knack of making the 
best of difficulties, had planted the ground with Scotch Champion 
Potato, which no doubt, in a measure at least, will compensate 
for the loss of the trees. Following the same way, and passing 
by the garden offices, &c., we come to the gardener’s house, which 
is roomy, comfortable, and light, and forms part of a fine new 
block of buildings consisting of stables, coach houses, &c., and 
which is close to the kitchen garden. Finding Sir. Morewood at, 
home I was first shown into the kitchen garden, three acres of 
which are enclosed by high and substantial walls, with a central 
one dividing the garden into two. 
Entering at the higher end of the garden the glass houses, which 
are numerous and in excellent condition, many of them being 
new, are arranged right, and left conveniently together, no doubt 
with the object of economising labour and to facilitate work. 
Immediately before us in the centre of the garden was a walk 
leading to the lower end flanked on either side by a flower border, 
which was gay at the time of my visit with herbaceous and other 
interesting plants. The vegetable quarters were bearing heavy 
crops of all seasonable fruit and vegetables, this being the season 
that the demand is heaviest at Canwell. I was particularly 
pleased to find on a north border some Gooseberry and Currant 
trees loaded with fruit ; they were carefully netted, and no doubt 
will afford a good supply well on into October. It is seldom also 
we see a finer wall of Peach and Nectarine trees than the central 
wall of this garden, furnished as it is with grand young trees in 
vigorous health, and showing careful and intelligent culture. 
Many of the trees are bearing good crops, but I doubt very much 
if the fruit will ripen without we have much warmer and better 
weather than we have been having lately. They certainly deserve 
a covering of glass. The kitchen garden proper is surrounded by 
another vegetable garden of about three acres, where the coarser 
vegetables, herbs, See., are grown. It has not often been my 
privilege to visit a kitchen garden more replete than this in every 
article necessary for the supply of a large establishment, or where 
scrupulous order and cleanliness are better attended to. 
The glass houses next claim attention. We first entered a Peach 
house, in which the fruit had been recently gathered. The 
trees are mostly young and in vigorous health. It is proposed to 
divide this house into two, so as to prolong the supply of fruit. In 
front of this are two new ranges span-roofed, each about 30 yards 
long (divided, one into two and the other into three sections), 
erected by Messrs. Richardson of Darlington. They are light 
roomy houses, in the construction of which every recent improve¬ 
ment has been introduced likely to facilitate successful culture. 
The first section is a stove, which contains a choice selection of 
healthy plants grown chiefly for house decoration and for cut 
flowers. For the latter purpose I was pleased to meet an old 
acquaintance which has of late years been elbowed out by younger 
but less worthy objects. I refer to Hedvchium acuminatum, which 
was well bloomed, the Gardenia-like perfume from its snowy white 
flowers filling the house with its fragrance. The greenhouse was 
filled with plants chiefly useful for home decoration. The other 
three sections are used for growing Melons, Cucumbers, and 
Tomatoes. The Melons are good, the varieties being Victory of 
Bath and William Tillery. The latter in my opinion will become 
a standard variety ; it is good all round. There are four vineries 
mostly planted with young Vines, which are in a healthy con¬ 
dition and bearing good crops of moderate-sized bunches, which 
are more aimed at here than larger bunches. The varieties are 
Black Hamburgh, Black Alicante, Gros Colman, Madresfield 
Court, Muscat of Alexandria, Duke of Buccleuch, and Golden 
Champion. Mr. Morewood speaks highly of the latter as a summer 
Grape, being seedless and very luscious. Certainly there are good 
clusters of it here, although affected as usual with the spot. 
Leaving the kitchen garden and houses we return to the pleasure 
ground, and on the w r ay pass a venerable Yew tree. A little 
further down we come upon one of the grandest avenues and 
groups of Spanish Chestnuts it has ever been my pleasure to 
behold. They are the pride and glory of Canwell. Many of 
them measure 20 feet in girth of stem, and tower up to the height 
of 100 feet and more. They are truly magnificent giants, and to 
a lover of trees are worth a long journey to see. 
We proceeded along the carriage drive which leads from the 
Lichfield lodge, and came in sight of the north-west and entrance 
side of the mansion ; it is a noble-looking building, and has been 
much improved by its present owner. In the front is a fine ex¬ 
panse of park rich in many trees of great magnitude and beauty, 
additions to which have been judiciously and liberally made by 
Mr. Foster since he bought the property about seven years ago. 
Passing to the right we come upon the south side of the Hall, 
where the flower garden, lawn, tennis ground, &c., are situated 
The former is arranged on a sunk terrace immediately adjoining 
the mansion. It is prettily designed, and this summer is very 
effectively planted, the colours being harmoniously and pleasingly 
blended. The centre bed encircling a massive vase may be par¬ 
ticularly mentioned as one out of many samples of very artistic 
and effective carpet bedding. Other beds that pleased me were 
Pelargonium Miss Kingsbury and Calceolaria Bertha Baron planted 
promiscuously in masses, the rich dark velvety colour of the Cal¬ 
ceolaria contrasting beautifully with the light bright colour of 
the Pelargonium. This is one of the very best silver variegated 
Pelargoniums for bedding purposes, being much brighter and more 
distinct than such varieties as Flower of Spring, Flower of Day, 
Bijou, &c. 
Another pretty bed was Pelargonium Marechal MacMahon and 
dwarf Ageratum planted in the same way. For harmony of colour 
and general effect this simple way of massing plants in my opinion 
is far more effective than the system of using many varieties in 
one bed, which, without great skill is exercised, often results, as far 
as general effect is concerned, in a complicated and confused maze 
of colour. 
The general view from the terrace on this side of the house is 
both extensive and varied, the eye taking in at a glance twenty 
miles or more of interesting scenery, conspicuous to the left being 
the ancient and historical borough of Tamworth with its venerable 
and grand old church and castle. 
Leaving the flower garden we return by a cool and shady walk 
through a forest of fine trees, highly pleased with our visit, and 
much impressed by the many additions and improvements sub¬ 
stantially and thoroughly carried out within the past six or seven 
years by Mr. Foster, not only in the garden but in every depart¬ 
ment of the estate.— Countryman. 
CHAPTERS ON INSECTS FOR GARDENERS.—No. 28. 
NEW SERIES. 
We are not certain that the spiders of our islands are regarded 
either by gardeners or by the people generally as our most useful 
group of insects. Much might be said in favour of the bestowal 
of this title upon them when their outdoor proceedings are. con¬ 
sidered ; and though within doors their webs are too disfiguring to 
be tolerated by most persons, they would, if left alone, impose a 
check upon the housefly and other annoying species. As it is we 
usually resort to artificial modes of keeping these under, and in 
our gardens spiders' webs are seldom left undisturbed in promi¬ 
nent positions, only those that have set their snares in nooks and 
corners escape, often only by accident. The aesthetic individual 
may indeed affect to be delighted at a tree or shrub the branches 
of which display the webs of spiders of various sizes and set at 
different angles, especially when these are glistening with dew- 
drops ; but the horticulturist who prefers to see vegetation free 
from these traceries of silken cord, with their carcases of slain 
insects, has something to urge on his side. 
Yet it is far from advisable to make a point of clearing away 
every web that is seen, although at the decline of the season these 
seem to add an element of untidiness to gardens and shrubberies 
just when it is difficult to keep up their summer attractiveness. 
Fortunately there are many spiders that do not make webs but 
hunt down their prey, and these usually escape being meddled 
