August 31, 1893. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
199 
HA.LTON. 
Half hidden amongst the trees with which the Chiltern Hills are 
covered lies the rural village of Halton, which claims as a resident one 
of the greatest financiers of the day—Mr. Alfred de Kothschild. His 
estate, which covers an enormous area, is, perhaps, one of the most 
beautiful in this country, the gardens being models from which 
anyone might easily learn a lesson. Cleanliness predominates over all, 
from the stately mansion of Bath stone down to the humble potting 
shed. An invitation to go and have a look “ all over the place ” was 
accepted with alacrity, but with a very faint idea what those few words 
got to the top of one of the Chiltern Hills, from whence the panorama 
presented before our eyes was one of surpassing beauty. Down in the 
valleys lay the fertile vale of Aylesbury, with the stately home of the 
Earl of Rosebery showing amongst the trees, and away beyond on 
another high hill could be seen Waddesden Manor, the home of Baron 
Ferdinand de Rothschild. Truly we were in the country of the Roth¬ 
schilds ; on every side the land for miles belonged to some one of this 
wealthy family, who are so highly respected by their poorer neighbours, 
to whose comfort and well-being they are so truly solicitous. A little 
further on and we come upon a veritable plateau on the top of a hill, 
not a natural one be it understood, but one which Mr. de Rothschilcl 
Fig. 29.—souvenir DE LA MALMAISON CARNATIONS AT HALTON. 
meant on a summers day with the thermometer registering well into 
the nineties, and that in the shade. However, notwithstanding the 
heat, I spent one of the most enjoyable and instructive days I have ever 
had during my life. I will endeavour to recall for the benefit of those 
readers of the Journal who are unable to visit Halton some of the points 
which appeared to me to be of more than passing interest or of unusual 
beauty. 
To ensure myself a good long day I left London by the 9.16 a.m. 
train and reached Tring punctually at half-past ten, where I found 
Mr. Sanders, the genial and talented gardener, waiting to take me under 
his wing. From the station we drove through the town of Tring, past 
Lord Rothschild’s beautiful demesne, through the country for about four 
miles, until we came to one of the entrances of the Halton estate. ^ In¬ 
stead of going direct to the gardens we went round and round until we 
had formed more, so far as I could see, to give work to some of the 
labourers about than for any advantages that could possibly accrue to 
him from it. Facing this stands a very beautiful chalet, which has been 
erected as a resting place for players in the American bowling alley 
to which it is attached. It is indeed a charming spot, the views from 
both back and front being almost incomparable, at least to those who 
love English scenery. 
From thence we drove down grass drives through shady woods of 
Beech trees, between which could be caught at intervals glimpses of 
the mansion lying far away down in the valley below. Through one 
of these vistas was opened a view of the flower gardens, and the picture 
was a perfect one, worthy of being reproduced on canvas by any of 
our most celebrated artists. During the drive down the hills several 
rustic summer houses were passed. These erections, I was surprised to 
