296 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ October 6, 1887. 
land, Mrs. Baxter, Mont Blanc, Countess of Kintore, Ethel Baxter, 
Abercorn, Beauty, Columbine, Crown Jewel, and Queen Eleanor. With 
reyard to the newer varieties I cannot say much for Ethel Baxter, of 
which Mr. Dean seems to think so much ; it has a pood constitution and 
habit, but these, I think, are her only recommendations. Mrs. Baxter is 
a very fine variety and a robust grower. I am pleased to say I have a 
good companion ’ for it in a seedling I raised last year. I-shall send 
Mr. Dean blooms of it, and perhaps we may hear his opinion by-and-by. 
Now, I wish to ask a question or two, which perhaps some of your 
correspondents will kindly answer. First, What are the characteristics 
of a Viola ? Secondly, What is the diSerence between a Viola and a 
Pansy? I have put this question to several gardeners, but have never 
had a definite answer. I have also seen the question asked in different 
gardening journals, but never answered to the point. Now, I think it 
is time we had a line drawn, as so many different fancy Pansies are 
being introduced which will be classed among the Violas as bedding 
Pansies. Now, I hold that if a prize is given for say six or twelve 
Violas, Violas ought to be staged, and any stand containing any of these 
betiding Tansies ought to be disqualified. I remember at the Pansy 
Show in Edinburgh two years ago asking a gentleman, a noted florist, 
and a judge, too, why he classed Merchiston Castle with the Violas. 
His reply was, ‘‘ Man, she’s sae bonny we canna set her aside.” If 
these are the lines we are to go by, where shall we end ? We have ths 
characteristics of a Pansy clearly defined, let us also have that of the 
Viola. When these questions are answered I may perhaps have some¬ 
thing more to say on this useful flower.—G-. Steel. 
ALNWICK CASTLE. 
Northumberland’s county town of Alnwick, which for hundreds 
of years in the troublous times of the Border feuds was the scene of con¬ 
tinual strife, and one of the most important of the northern strongholds, 
is now a quiet country town, interesting for its antiquities and history, 
famous for its grand old castle, and an agreeable resort for tourists who 
wish to spend some time in the pleasant district surrounding it. Traces of 
ancient British and Roman inhabitants are found, but it appears to have 
been a Saxon town at the time of the Norman invasion. For a period 
subsequent to that event it was identified with the De Vescy family, and 
since then for five centuries its history has been practically that of the 
noble Percy family. Though some modernisation has taken place the 
antiquary can still find abundance to study both in and around the 
town, as ruins of abbeys, priories, and other buildings are numerous in 
several directions, and afford ample food for reflection. One of the old 
gates, the Bondgate, still remains entire, but the walls have disappeared 
together with many of the ancient buildings, the peculiar customs and 
ceremonies, which gave such a distinctive character to the place in past 
years. The visitor arriving bv train from Bilton Junction, a short 
branch of the North-Eastern mainline, three or four miles in length,now 
finds a spacious station, a new line connecting it with Coldstream 
having recently been opened, and enters the town by a pleasant tree- 
shaded road, more suggestive of some modern continental resort than a 
secluded Northumbrian town with a history of so many hundred years. 
Proceeding towards the.Castle the lofty “ Tenantry Column ” is noticed 
on the right, situated on a mound and surrounded by a small public 
garden, maintained at the expense of the Duke of Northumberland. 
This column was erected seventy years since to commemorate the second 
Duke’s liberality in remitting a large portion of his rents at a time of 
severe depression, and as it cost some £3000 it has also gained the local 
name of the “Farmers’ Folly,” as proving how little their landlord’s 
generosity was needed. It may, however, also be regarded as an instance 
of gratitude that is probably unique. A few minutes’ walk from there 
and the entrance to the Castle gardens is reached, close to the Old Bond- 
gate, and as that is our destination we leave the town to place ourselves 
under the charge of the Duke of Northumberland’s able and energetic 
gardener, Mr. George Harris. 
Alnwick Castle is one of the grandest of the old baronial strong¬ 
holds to bi found in the kingdom, and though little of the original 
building remains, its characters are practically unaltered, as renewal or 
repairing has been conducted most carefully. At the time of the Con¬ 
quest a chief named Tyson is said to have been the lord of Alnwick, 
then for three hundred years it remained in the possession of the De 
Vescy family. The Castle and barony were purchased by Henry de 
Percy in 1309, and for a period of three centuries this family was one of 
the most powerful in the country, its members being famed for their 
valour in the innumerable conflicts of the time, one of which has been 
celebrated in the ballad “ Chevy Chase.” The Earldom of Northum¬ 
berland was created in 1377, and the Dukedom in 1766, the present 
possessor of the title being the sixth Duke. Speaking of the Percys, 
Burke says, “ Not more famous in arms than distinguished for its 
alliances, the house of Percy stands pre-eminent for the number and 
rank of the families which are represented by the present Duke of 
Northumberland, whose banner consequently exhibits an assemblage of 
nearly nine hundred armorial ensigns, among which are those of King 
Henry A II., of several younger branches of biood royal ; of the sovereign 
houses of France, Castile, Leon, and Scotland ; and of the ducal 
houses of Normandy and Brittany, forming a galaxy of heraldic honours 
altogether unparallel-d.” 
During the life of the fourth Duke, “Algernon the Magnificent,” 
as he was known in the north, the restoration of the Castle was under¬ 
taken, and it is said that in a period of ten years £300,000 were expended. 
Certainly the work was performed in a princely manner, and the superb 
apartments, with their elaborate carvings, tastefully decorated ceilings, 
palatial stone staircase, with the library of 15,000 volumes, constitute it 
a residence literally “ fit for a king.” The massive walls and defensive 
resources also indicate that its strength in the feudal ages was equally 
as remarkable as its internal grandeur is at the present time. Situated, 
too, upon elevated ground above the river Alne, it commands a beautiful 
view of the park and gardens, and from a point on the opposite side of 
the river, termed Barbara Bank, the photograph was taken from which 
the illustration (fig- 38) was prepared. 
THE GARDENS. 
But we must return to the garden, where there is much to be noted 
of more special interest to Journal readers. As might be expected, the 
requirements of such an establishment are very large, and to meet them 
the garden must be proportionate both in size and conveniences. This 
is not only found to be the case, but its general condition and thoroughly 
practical system of management are in perfect accordance with its re¬ 
putation. As to the demands sometimes made upon its, resources, it 
may be stated that as many as 1600 persons have dined in the Castle in 
one day, but this was a very special occasion (the coming of age of Lord 
Percy), and then both the experienced chef de cuisine , Mr. Thorpe, and 
the gardens were severely taxed. The kitchen and flower gardens are 
some distance to the east of the Castle, the greater portion enclosed 
within substantial walls 12 to 11 feet high, and slightly sloping north¬ 
wards or towards the river, but well elevated above it. This is rather 
unusual, but there are portions with warmer slopes that can be utilised 
for the earlier crops, and late supplies are principally required at Aln¬ 
wick. The majority of the glass houses are situated in a large quad¬ 
rangular space near the gardener’s house at the lower portion of the 
ground, the flower garden and remarkable Holly beds occupying the 
upper part, which communicates with the chief division of the kitchen 
garden by ornamental iron gates. At the lowest part of the ground is 
the conservatory, a spacious building 120 feet long, 26 feet wide, and 
30 feet high, which is filled with a number of useful flowering plants. 
There a series of iron pillars at the sides of the broad central paths sup¬ 
porting the roof, and upon these are trained free growing and free 
flowering plants that have a very pleasing effect. The fragrant Luculia 
giatissima, for instance, seems to be thoroughly at home ; it is in per¬ 
fect health, is 12 feet high, and flowers most abundantly every season. 
Fuchsia corallina is another very beautiful plant on one of these pillars, 
and though only three years old it is 20 feet high and was loaded with 
flowers. The white Lapageria, Habrothamnus elegans, Plumbago 
capensis, Clianthus puniceus, and Abutilon Boule de Neige are trained 
in a similar way, forming quite a floral avenue, while Solanum 
jasminoides hangs in long festoons from the roof. Amongst the misc-i- 
laneous plants in pots the Francoas were conspicuous at the time of my 
visit, Camellias, Dracaenas, Dicksonias, and Rhododendrons. One speci¬ 
men of the useful R. Countess of Haddington 8 feet high in vigorous 
health is an admirable example of this handsome Rhododendron. A 
Dicksonia antarctica, with a stem 5 feet high, has a wonderful crown of 
fronds, and much of its success is attributed to the practice of watering 
the stem freely. 
FRUIT HOUSES. 
Parallel with the conservatory, about the centre of the flower garden, 
are two ranges of houses, one on each side, lean-to’s with curved roofs. 
Upon the left-hand side are the vineries, 150 feet long, in three divisions, 
and upon the other side are the Peach houses of the same length. Vines 
