284 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ September 28, 189S. 
kept fully exposed to the sun, as it loses its power, a thorough 
hardening and ripening of the bulbs being most desirable. 
A sharp look out must be kept for woodlice and small snails, 
which do much mischief at this season by eating out the flower 
buds of such plants as D, nobilis just as they are becoming visible 
at the nodes. A few pieces of Potato placed on the pots and 
examined every morning make good traps for the woodlice, while 
hand-picking by the aid of a light in the evening will be found 
the best remedy for the snails.— H. R. Richards. 
OUT OF TOWN. 
Country people enjoy a visit to London during the season, 
and there is certainly plenty to see and hear in it, while Londoners 
enjoy a run in the country. My escape from the City was during 
the time of the great heat, and unfortunately there appeared to be 
more flies than breezes in the country. It was a sweltering run 
one evening from King’s Cross to Peterborough. A carriage 
companion was going to the far north—Mr. Ross of the Scone 
Fruit Preserves. He had travelled from Perthshire to Kent the 
night before, and after noting that the crop of small fruit there 
would by no means equal the demands of the jam makers, he was 
rushing back to buy all he could, and thus literally steal a march 
on the southerners, whom he knew would have to go north for 
supplies. That is the way business is done in these days, and men 
have to be on the alert to make a living. 
The first stop was at Peterborough, convenient for a call on 
Mr. Harding of Orton Hall. A great change has taken place there 
since then in the death of the Dowager Marchioness of Huntly. 
The deceased lady was an ardent gardener and accomplished botanist. 
Not many persons had perhaps a better knowledge of British 
plants, and she was ever an assiduous collector of them. Her 
rockery aiforded her much solace during a lingering illness, and 
gardening was one of the pleasures of her life. The Orton 
Wellingtonias with trees and Conifers are splendid. Mr. Harding’s 
faith in the future of Thuia gigantea as a timber tree increases 
with experience. There are trees 60 to 70 feet high, and he 
expects they will grow as high again. Seedlings raised by him 
fifteen years ago are 30 feet high—beautiful specimens, and he 
does not know of any other Conifer, except perhaps the Larch, 
that would make equal progress. The timber of this Thuia is said 
to be of a very durable kind. Passing from the high to the low 
Mr. Harding was rejoicing over the New York Lettuce obtained 
from Messrs. Veitch & Sons, as affording the best of salads in the 
driest and hottest of summers. It seemed to partake of both the 
Cos and Cabbage type, and was as crisp and sweet as Lettuce could 
be. He says he does not know what he should have done without 
it, which is a good deal for a man like him to say, for it would 
take a good deal to drive him into either ecstacies or despair. He 
is a believer in Asparagus, too, as a paying crop, and of growing the 
plants in a single line on 2 feet wide ridges with 2 feet alleys between. 
The single lines have grown into broad ones; the ridges appear to 
be full of crowns, and judging by the growth of the plants in 
summer they may be expected to afford fine produce in spring. 
A profit of £50 an acre is Mr. Harding’s estimate of first-class 
Asparagus culture, and he speaks from experience in growing, 
selling, and drawing the money—as good a test as could be desired. 
Fruit crops were abundant, but a crop of cones on Picea amabilis 
appeared to be as much valued as any other kind of fruit. Chacun 
a son gout. I have no more to say about Orton, except to express 
appreciation of everything experienced there except the flies, and to 
state that Mr. Harding remains there as gardener to the Marquis of 
Huntly. 
The next day the train took me northward, and not till passing 
Grantham, and swerving to the left, was a tinge of green to be 
seen in the pastures, but the freshness deepened as we sped along, 
and at Southwell all was verdant and refreshing. The entrance to 
the town is through an open park-like space, partly surrounded by 
lofty Elms, and beyond is the fine old Minster. It is a treey place 
is Southwell, and the land around is fertile. Just outside the 
town stands the pleasant home of Mr. Merryweather, and at a time 
when gardens were dried out in the south the nursery seemed as 
full of flowers as if drought was unknown. But we have only 
time for a glance, and have to see “ Bramleys, and Roses ” on 
our return from the Dnkeries. 
With his proverbial kindness Mr. Henry Machin, J.P., met us 
at ancient Worksop, and drove us to his charming home at Gate- 
ford Hill. A land of plenty it seemed, as the heavy crops ©f corn 
in the fields around swayed in the breeze, and the green crops were 
pleasant to see, thriving as they were, without a blank in the 
rows. Good land, good culture, cleanliness, and care were stamped 
on the face of the compact estate. One of the features to leave an 
impress on the visitor was the transformation of a drying ground, 
®n the stable side of the mansion, into a delightful rosery. A very 
common sense arrangement it may be termed—a series of long beds 
about 4 feet wide, with glades of smooth lawn between them. All 
the blooms could be seen and reached, but the most charming 
effect was produced by the floriferous Polyantha Roses. Surely all 
the varieties must be there—not in isolated plants, but sheets or 
masses, the floriferous trusses rising from a bed of glossy green 
foliage, producing a delightful effect. That is the way to grow 
and show the Fairies, not dotting a plant here and there, to bo 
“ lost ” among its larger congeners. Mr. Machin’s exhibition 
Roses are grown under, so to say, field culture. He is a true Rose 
amateur— i.e.^ lover, for this is the English equivalent of the Latin 
mnator, a lover. They are grown in a slice off a field, where they 
have plenty of air, and not in a garden confined. The young 
squire of Gateford has done very well as a beginner in showing, 
and will do better in the future. If he will take a hint from an 
older man, who commenced budding fifty years ago, he will give 
his plants liquid manure in the winter, and not be afraid to give it 
plentifully, and of twice or thrice the strength of a summer 
application. The best kind of all would be stable drainage, for 
soil of the texture displayed is seldom rich in potash ; and at any 
rate more could not possibly do harm, and might be of marked 
benefit to the Roses. Let him try the experiment, and if it does 
not answer let him not treat his visitor so well if he should call 
again another year. He will risk incurring the penalty. After a 
walk through the enjoyable old world kitchen garden there is yet 
nearly two hours to luncheon—just time for a drive to Hodsock 
suggests our friend, forthwith ordering another conveyance. 
Hodsock Priory, the home of the Mellish family, is a familiar 
name to the readers of the Journal of Horticulture, as mentioned in 
connection with carefully compiled meteorological notes by Mr. 
J. Mallender, the gardener. The mansion is old, some parts of it 
very ancient, and the garden is in keeping with it, while Mr. 
Mallender is no novice, as be has been engaged at Hodsock for 
more than thirty years. Miss Mellish may be fairly described as a 
real garden lover, as indeed all the family are, and with her love 
for plants is combined knowledge. Garish show and formal effect 
are not sought for in this old-fashioned place. Plants are cherished 
for their individualities, and more pride would be taken in 
preserving some rarity and growing a plant needing special care, 
than in creating a sensation in colour with thousands of familiar 
bedding plants. Water plants, bog plants, hardy border plants, and 
old-fashioned Roses prevail at Hodsock ; the border plants 
grouped in colours, such as white, pink, red, yellow, blue, and so 
on, according to Miss Jekyll’s idea of arrangement, instead of the 
orthodox mixtures. The old time garden Roses are seen at every 
turn, but en masse in five or six V-shaped beds their points con¬ 
verging at the terrace platform. These beds are apparently about 
60 yards long, and must afford cartloads of fragrant trusses. Then 
the lovely miniature or Polyantha Roses are cherished, and a round 
bed of them with a local novelty in the form of a hardy Pea 
covered with brick-red flowers, was much admired. The pleasant 
reception accorded by the family and Mr. Mallender was highly 
appreciated, but half an hour was all too short for inspecting the 
treasures of the garden at Hodsock. 
After luncheon at Gateford and a quiet stroll among the Roses 
through the pleasure grounds our untiring host thought there was 
time for a drive to Clumber to see Mr. Slade, and have a look 
round the gardens in the cool of the evening, a happy thought well 
carried out, ending in all being satisfied with the visit. Clumber is 
a great place, and Mr. Slade is a “great” gardener, surely one of 
the greatest (if scaled) and his work is as good as he is weighty. 
Owing to the vicissitudes of life, to which high and low are exposed. 
Clumber was for years, so to say, deserted, and “ Time’s effacing 
fingers ” left their mark behind. But an improving spirit is 
abroad now, and the present Duke and Duchess of Newcastle, whose 
goodness are on all tongues, evidently intend to make their 
splendid heritage worthy of its ancient fame. The garden 
structures are old, heavy, and out of date ; but Mr. Slade, like a 
sensible man, makes the best of them, and does more than could 
be expected with them. His Pines, Peaches, and Grapes won 
honours where it is hard to win them—at Shrewsbury, and when 
this can be done under present conditions what may we expect 
after the restoration that will in due time be accomplished ? The 
first thought of the Duke appears to be the comfort of workers. 
A splendid new house has been built for Mr. Slade, one of the best 
gardeners’ homes in the kingdom, and new bothies are in pro¬ 
gress, which will combine every requisite for the comfort of the 
men. Fruits, plants, flowers, and vegetables are in great demand, 
and the supply is ample and meritorious. 
The most commanding features of Clumber are the mansion, 
lake and phasure grounds. The noble building overlooks an 
extensive terrace flower garden, the fountain in the centre having been 
cut from a block of mrrble weighing 50 tons. The lake of nearly 
90 acres stretches away right and left till lost in the distance 
