478 JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. t November ss, 1882, 
earthed and trimmed. This system is practised with much success 
by the market gardeners around Mortlake, where Asparagus is grown 
by acres.—A. Y. 
MENTMORE. 
Travellers alighting at the Ckeddington station of the 
London and North-Western Railway have not to proceed far, in 
one direction at least, before they will perceive that they are 
approaching a residential estate of no small importance. They 
will observe, too, that this estate is not characterised by extreme 
old age, with trees bordering on decay and a general sense of 
negligence pervading the demesne ; on the contrary, they will 
recognise a property extensive and rich, trees young and vigorous, 
roads smooth and clean, fences firm and neat—everything, m fact, 
indicating careful supervision on the part of the overlooker and 
the possession of wealth by the proprietor—not hoarded wealth, 
but means sufficiently dispensed for the maintenance of every¬ 
thing in good condition, yet not lavished in the indulgence of 
unmeaning fancies, nor devoted to mere display, as if to gain the 
applause of passers-by. In a word, it is apparent that wealth is 
here used judiciously, not wasted, and the district is at once 
benefited and the estate improved. These are our first impres¬ 
sions of Mentmore, and they deepened into conviction on closer 
examination of the management and surroundings of that 
palatial home. 
That benefits and improvement go hand in hand here is ex¬ 
emplified by the state of the parish roads which skirt and traverse 
Lord Rosebery’s property, these to the extent of some two or 
three miles being kept in the best of order at only a trifling cost 
to the parish, amounting to little more than is necessary for 
retaining their public character. Thus the rates are relieved, 
while the estate, indeed the entire district, is rendered to the 
fullest extent agreeable to all. The village, too, of Mentmore 
though small is a model one, every dwelling resembling a detached 
villa of a style of architecture peculiar to itself—pleasing without 
being elaborately ornate, while the structures are substantial, 
commodious, and evidently designed with the object of rendering 
them convenient and comfortable for the inmates. Even the 
blacksmiths’ and carpenters’ shops, with their frontages of grass 
plots, shrubs, and walls covered with climbers, resemble anything 
but what they are, equalling in appearance many a country 
parsonage ; and it is only by passing to the other side, w hich is 
not seen from the road, that the trade character of the buildings 
is recognised. Excellent schools, too, are erected for the children 
of the district; and here must be noticed a practice in connection 
with them that is not only possibly unique in its way, but testifies 
to the thoughtful kindness of the distinguished lady of the manor 
towards the little ones and their parents on this fine estate. We 
hear much of compulsory education now-a-days, but better than 
compulsion is the Mentmore system of sending round a van every 
morning to the scattered and widely distant cottages, collecting 
the “ dots ” and conveying them to the school door, then at night 
calling for them and distributing them at their respective homes. 
This practice is not confined to wet days and certain seasons, 
but is an established custom, and in wet weather and dry, winter 
and summer, the loads of laughing children are taken to and fro, 
delighted, no doubt, with their school experience, while their 
parents are relieved of much anxiety, and are, it is hoped, cor¬ 
respondingly grateful for the privilege that is so generously 
accorded them. These pages are perused by many of wealth and 
position who are kindly disposed to all around them, but it may 
happen they have never thought of this particular manner of 
doing good in isolated districts ; hence its record here. In one 
lonely spot an instance can be named where a thoughtful employer 
has provided a pony and small covered conveyance for conveying 
his gardener’s children to and from the school, which is three or 
four miles distant, the eldest child being the Jehu ; but this is 
the only case known to me, though possibly there may be others, 
where anything approaching Lady Rosebery’s system is carried 
out, and, as might be expected, the gardener is as industrious and 
worthy, and as devoted to the interests of his employer as that 
employer is appreciative and kind. And what is the result of 
this mutual confidence between a good master and a good man ? 
It is simply this—few gardens in this country are better and more 
economically managed than that of Mr. Greenham, whose gar¬ 
dener was the raiser of Foster’s Seedling Potato, which was 
certificated at Chiswick two years ago. This school episode, too, 
is worthy of record, and the subject to which it pertains cannot 
be uninteresting to a great number of readers of these lines. It 
is presumed, therefore, that this digression will be pardoned, and 
now we return to Mentmore. 
As before indicated, it is not easy—indeed to the stranger it is 
impossible—to tell where the public highway ends and the private 
drives to the mansion begin. Strong and neat iron fencing to the 
extent of about nine miles has been firmly fixed by Mr. Smith (the 
competent manager of the roads, woods, and gardens) by the sides 
of public and private roads alike, and ornamental planting has been 
done on an extensive scale. The principal approach is flanked by 
circular groups of trees and Conifers, each apparently some 50 or 
CO yards in diameter and the same distance apart, and still farther 
from the side of the road. Thus there is no cramping, except that 
the groups will soon be overcrowded unless thinning is done, a cir¬ 
cumstance to which Mr. Smith is fully alive. In each of the spaces 
between these groups are three specimen Wellingtonias, arranged 
triangularly, and with ample room for their full development. 
They are already effective, and show to advantage on the grass, 
which is kept short, but not shaven, by being cut with a reaper, 
not a lawn mower, a few times during the season. The ground is 
nearly level, being in the vale of Aylesbury, the soil mostly clay 
with an admixture of chalk, and the grass and trees tell us it is 
fertile. In such a soil, while the trees do not usually start quickly, 
they make good progress after once fairly established, and continue 
healthy and vigorous for many years. Before reaching the man¬ 
sion a road, still a public highway, but very unlike one, branches 
to the right, and leads to the village and gardens. This road is 
flanked by a double row of Horse Chestnuts planted on each side, 
the trees being just a chain (22 yards) apart, and as much, if not 
more, from the road. Thus they have space for showing their true 
character, and will form a grand avenue some day ; already it is 
well marked, as the trees are making sturdy and healthy growth. 
That rows of well-developed Chestnuts are imposing, and especially 
in the flowering period, abundant evidence is afforded by the fine 
examples in Bushy Park ; and who knows but what the Mentmore 
trees will not at some future period become equally famous ? Nearer 
the village a thicket of trees skirts the road, only mentioned for 
recording a singular fact. Amongst the trees were some old 
common Willows which it was necessary to lop severely—in fact, 
they were beheaded. They, of course, grew again ; and now comes 
the curious part—they are all transformed into Weeping Willows, 
the growths having assumed the character of the true weeping 
variety. The change is perhaps explainable in this way—the 
shoots grew rapidly and attained a great length, but being under 
the dense shade of other trees they were necessarily weak, and 
hence curved downwards. At any rate, whatever the cause may 
have been, the branches point to the earth, arching gracefully, and 
the round weeping heads are attractive by the wayside. 
After traversing a distance of something under two miles we 
arrive at the gardens, which are close to the public road, the new 
kitchen gardens (of which more anon) on the right, and the 
enclosure of glass structures and Mr. Smith’s house on the left, the 
pleasure grounds, park, and mansion being still further leftwards, 
or westwards. 
Mentmore, as above indicated, is a comparatively new place, the 
mansion having been commenced in 1851, and completed in a few 
years, by the late Baron Meyer de Rothschild. It is interesting to 
observe that the designs for this splendid building were supplied 
by Sir Joseph Paxton, M.P., and his son-in-law, Mr. George Henry 
Stokes, architect. The style adopted by desire of the Baron for 
the exterior has been described by the Builder as that which pre¬ 
vailed during the early part of the reign of King James I., and of 
which Wollaton Hall, Notts, is perhaps the finest example. A dif¬ 
ference in the combination and arrangement has contributed to 
produce grouping of a picturesque character and outline, and the 
details and ornamention are understood to be the result of a careful 
study and examination of the works of John of Padua. The man¬ 
sion is built entirely of Ancaster stone of fine quality and colour; 
the cornices are highly enriched, and the frieze of each order is 
filled in with carved panels and heads. The arrangements and 
decorations of the interior are on a similar scale of grandeur, and 
altogether this is one of the most magnificent houses of the great 
that adorn our land—at once an embodiment of wealth and 
stability, and typical of the character of the “sea-girt isle.” 
The gardens have been formed and the grounds planted by 
degrees, something being added and something done every year, 
until in the aggregate the work accomplished is of some magni¬ 
tude. At first the Baron would have no gardens, but Covent 
Garden should furnish him with the requisite flowers, fruit, and 
vegetables. Then he would grow a little fruit, and orchards were 
planted which now extend over G5 acres. He did not like glass 
structures, but eventually one house might be built; there are 
now, counting divisions, some thirty houses for plants, fruit, and 
general forcing purposes. A strip might be had for a few vege¬ 
tables, and boarded fences for training trees ; now there are some 
16 or 17 acres enclosed, a new wall fully a quarter of a mile long, 
and one of the finest collections of fruit trees in the kingdom. 
Thus has Mentmore grown, and the pleasure grounds have in- 
i 
