September 1, 1892. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
191 
in close by coning grandly, driven to do so perhaps because of the 
shallowness of the soil and the contiguity of the chalk. About the 
grounds Cedrus atlantica, Wellingtonia gigantea, Thuias Lobbi, Lawson- 
iana, and gigantea furnish numerous splendid specimens. Beyond the 
grove to which I have referred the ground rises to its greatest height 
and presents a noble site for a mansion, overlooking the park in all 
directions, and commanding glimpses of the remote country and the 
main line of the railway in the foreground. Turning to the kitchen 
gardens these are found to be first enclosed by a tall Yew hedge planted 
by Mr. Milner, although for what reason is not obvious. This is on the 
upper side of a sloping border employed for the growth of vegetables ; 
then comes a broad footpath, then a narrow border and within all the 
garden wall. Outside this hedge and on the southern side is a number 
of glass houses devoted to plants and fruits, also numerous frames ; 
standing about these now indispensable plant adjuncts are many line 
'Chrysanthemums, and everything is excellent and well cared for. 
surface soil. Raspberries do badly, only old local sorts thrive. Black 
Currants do badly also, except Carter’s Prolific, which does very well. 
The only good Strawberries for the soil are Hbricart de Thury and Sir 
Joseph Paxton. Curiously enough Seakale from root cuttings is first 
class. Mr. Weaver mentions that by sowing his various seeds after being 
damped and mixed with red lead his beds are never interfered with by 
birds. The entire place is admirably kept, and well repays a visit at 
any time.—A. D. 
A LITTLE-GROWN PERENNIAL. 
Tricyrtis iiirta. 
This attractive herbaceous plant, although well known in many 
large collections, is by no means in general cultivation, and is in 
fact quite new to many persons. The annexed engraving (fig. 27) 
Fig. 27.—TRICYRTIS HIRTA. 
The chief fruit range, however, is in the kitchen garden, where there 
are growing capital Grapes, Figs, Peaches, &c., Grapes especially were 
excellent, really good crops of good useful bunches. A few years since 
Muscat of Alexandria took to shanking. Mr. Weaver, therefore, took out 
all the soil of the inside border, carefully lifted the roots, tied them up for 
two days, remade the border, and relaid the roots, started the Vines in 
the month of February, giving a gentle warmth, and secured the same 
season an excellent crop. He has not been troubled with shanking since. 
Gros Maroc Grape is good, so are Lady Downe’s and West’s St. Peter’s. 
Dempsey’s Alicante is here later, and has much smaller berries than 
Meredith’s Alicante. The latter variety grafted on Barbarossa is fully 
a month later than on its own roots. Foster’s Seedling, Buckland Sweet¬ 
water, and Black Hamburgh Grapes, are also well done. Negro Largo Fig, 
that was formerly gross and barren, was made very fertile by having the 
border in which it is growing greatly reduced by a brick wall. 
The kitchen garden is good and prettily interspersed with flower 
borders. Vegetables do finely. Celery, Onions, Lettuces, Peas, and 
Potatoes are all good crops, Apples are very fair, but the best Pear 
trees are those on the Pear stock, whilst trees on the Quince do badly, the 
leafage turning yellow. The roots seem to prefer the chalk subsoil to the 
represents very fairly the clusters of flowers, which rise from the 
axils of the leaves on the upper part of the stems. The latter 
usually reach a height of 3 to 4 feet, and bear numerous sessile, 
clasping, hairy, alternate leaves. The flowers are white, thickly 
dotted with purple, the divisions of the perianth being slightly 
recurved. The plant is hardy, and will thrive extremely well in a 
sheltered border composed of sandy loam and peat ; but as the 
flowers appear late in the season, the leaves are often by that time 
shrivelled, and present a very unsatisfactory appearance. For this 
reason the plant seems to be best suited for pot culture, and it is 
well adapted for growing in a greenhouse or any structure of a 
similar temperature. The flowers also are seen to much greater 
advantage when near to the eye than if the plant occupies a 
border, where the fine markings of the sepals are quite lost. It 
can scarcely be imagined what pretty little buttonholes the flowers 
make when mounted, and they are also well suited for bouquets. 
During the time the plant is growing freely and until the flowers 
are produced abundant supplies of water will be required, but 
after the flowers have faded water must be given in smaller 
