70 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
I July 26, 1888. 
possessions of Bereger Giff, in whose family it continued until the time 
of King John. Frequent vicissitudes (as recorded in ‘'Michael’s 
Important Spots in Wiltshire”) attended Fonthill during the interval 
from the Norman Conquest to 1800, and at the end of the year 1825 the 
magnificent structure known as Fonthill Abbey became a ruin. A square 
tower and adjoining hall, together with a large square of green sward 
having raised banks sloping inwards, are now all that remains to mark 
the site of this fair creation. The Fonthill estate was soon after 
disposed of by auction to the late Marquis of Westminster, by whom, with 
the assistance of Mr. Burn, the present commodious and picturesque 
Elizabethan mansion was erected. It is now the Wiltshire residence of 
Sir Michael Shaw Stewart, Bart., and, owing to the high position on 
which it stands, commands a fine and varied prospect of \\ ilts and 
Dorset scenery, and is approached by three fine lodges (Tisbury, West 
Gate, and Stone Gate), and broad and well-kept carriage drives, which, 
winding o'er hill and dale, disclose not a few pleasant peeps of home 
and distant scenery, including the undulating Pine woods of Wardour 
Castle with the lofty steeple of Salisbury Cathedral in the back¬ 
ground. 
Approaching the abbey from the Tisbury entrance many fine 
specimens of choice trees and shrubs are passed. Of the former the 
most notable are the Silver Fir. Many of these 3 feet from the ground 
are 12 feet in circumference, 100 feet high, and as straight as a gun 
barrel. One, having a trunk 15 feet round, is a most remarkable 
specimen from the fact of its having eight stems of uniform growth, and 
about 100 feet emanating from it in the shape of an eight-pronged fork 
at 8 feet from the ground. There are also several specimens of Welling- 
tonia gigantea, about 50 feet high, and clothed from base to summit 
with luxuriant foliage. Choice Rhododendrons, Kalmias, Berberis 
Darwini, &c., are well represented on the sloping banks and in clumps 
at the north front of the abbey. 
The flower garden, which is immediately opposite the south front of 
the abbey and contiguous to the ornamental grounds, is sunk and 
enclosed by terraces and ornamental balustrading, on which a variety of 
statues representing various deities are interspersed. It is geometrically 
laid out, and the beds being well filled with a variety of foliage and 
flowering plants judiciously arranged as regards colour, had, when 
viewed in connection with the surrounding landscape, a very pleasing 
and telling effect. Proceeding a short distance westward from the 
abbey we suddenly come upon the American garden, which for beauty of 
situation and formation of surface, luxuriant trees and shrubs, is 
probably unmatched in England. 
In the deep winding valley is a succession of irregularly formed 
miniature lakes, having small islands surrounded by massive pieces of 
rock and covered by choice trees, shrubs, and trailing plants situate on 
different levels ; the lower lakes being fed by the upper ones, thus 
forming a series of cascades, which, “ foaming down the shaggy rocks,” 
are very effective. There is a profusion of Water Lilies, and snow-white 
swans which float majestically on the dark waters of the several lakes, 
which at their narrowest points are spanned by rustric bridges draped 
with Honeysuckles. Fine specimens of Portugal Laurels, Azaleas, 
Rhododendrons, Kalmias, and other species, in variety, of American 
plants, together with groups and specimens of Deciduous Cypress 
(Taxodium distichum) and kindred species, clothe the adjoining slopes 
from base to summit. To the right of the point at which we entered 
this romantic and beautiful retreat huge stone steps lead up a steep 
ridge through grottoes, wilds of Fern, and under the shade of huge 
Rhododendrons and gigantic Firs to the site of the old abbey referred to 
above, the walls of which are draped with Pyracantha. In front, on 
the beautiful turf, are two circular stone vases 7 feet across, and one 
basket-shaped one 15 feet long, and which were at the time of my visit 
filled with a variety of flowering plants, including some of trailing 
habit, which, hanging gracefully over the edge of the vases, gave finish 
to the arrangement. From this coign of vantage is seen a fine 
green glade westward, nearly a mile in length, and which had formed 
the chief entrance to the abbey. We may here remark that the keep of 
the extensive woods, the well-made broad carriage drives - drives which 
to our mind invariably invest the destination of the visitor with a sense 
of liberality and importance—reflect great credit on Mr. West, the able 
forester on the Fonthill Abbey estate. 
The kitchen garden is enclosed and divided in two portions by high 
brick walls. It is situate on the face of the hill about a quarter of a mile 
east of the abbey, and having a south aspect. The soil being a stiff 
loam resting on a bed of clay is not only congenial to the growth of 
vegetables, of which there is a good supply, but also to that of fruit 
trees, especially during a season like the one through which we have 
just passed, as testified by the fine examples of Pear and Plum trees 
which embellish the walls, an 1 the fine pyramidally trained specimens 
of the former on each side the central walk. These trees, together 
with the sundry improvements which had been carried out in the 
gardens and grounds during the interval from the jrnar 1805 to 1881, also 
testify to the skill and ability of the late gaidener, Mr. Annandale. 
The glass houses, the most notable of which is a curvilinear-roofed 
Peach house, 100 feet long, 8 feet wide, and 13 feet high at the back. 
The condition of the Peach trees Royal George, Noblesse, Yiolette 
Hative, and Imperatrice Nectarine, which occupy the back wall, and 
from which the crop had been gathered, augured well for next season. 
At the north side of, and communicating with the kitchen, are located a 
span-roofed house, pits, and frames, and good shedding accommodation. 
Provision in the way of an enclosed space is also made here for the 
erection of a good block of houses and pits. The front of the Peach 
house indicated is a capital place for the growth of Tomatoes from the 
time the fruit have set in March or April until late autumn. The 
plants should be trained under the roof to a trellis fixed thereto, at 
about 9 inches from the glass to the height of 5 feet, and at intervals of 
10 or 15 feet, so as not to exclude too much light from the trees on the- 
walls. In this position the shoots and leaves should be kept well stopped 
and thinned to prevent crowding of either shoots or leaves from taking 
place, as this would spoil the chance of securing satisfactory results.. 
And with this object in view the plants should be kept liberally supplied- 
with weak liquid manure at the roots while swelling their crops. The 
condition of the gardens generally do Mr. John Macey, the beach 
gardener, much credit.—W. H. W. 
The three questions submitted for my opinion on page 30 scarcely 
present themselves as the composition of a learner ” whose inability to* 
fill in my “ sketch ” is the apology for their introduction. The first 
question would in all probability have formed the subject of my next 
paper. The carefully worded letter on page 30 is too guarded to be the 
outcome of a “ learner,” and touches in the first question the most 
perplexing and most difficult matter that the grower of Roses for winter 
lias to contend with. Success in no small degree depends upon the 
manner the plants are rested, and the period they can enjoy complete 
repose before an attempt is made to start them into growth. 
The second question embodies a doubt while soliciting information. 
The nature of the soil for potting as well as the border, if the Roses are- 
planted out, would perhaps have been better dealt with at the beginning,, 
but I did not intend to leave them for the “ learner ” to “ fill in ” unless 
the Editor hinted I had better draw the subject to a close. The third- 
question has been practically answered, and would not have been 
further reviewed because much can be said on both sides of the 
question. But I will touch upon it again, as I am desired to do, as well 
as the other two, and in the order in which they are named. 
The first question then is, “ How Tea Roses are to be kept at ‘rest ’ 
during September and October when planted out in a house with the 
roof lights removed l for the rain would fall on them and mild growing 
weather affect them as if quite in the open, where Tea Roses grow and' 
flower freely then.” The context to the question at first sight presents- 
a difficulty. There is, I admit, and as I have previously stated, a great 
difficulty in keeping Tea Roses from growing during late summer and 
early autumn, but much depends upon the method of culture during 
the earlier part of the season—say, from May onwards. If kept under 
glass the whole season will they not persist in growing as freely during 
August, September, and perhaps October as they would if fully- 
exposed to natural conditions—that is, the lights removed and the 
plants subjected to the weather, even supposing it to be mild and 
showery ? They will, unless extremely unnatural measures are practised’ 
to prevent it. When confined under glass how can growth be prevented,, 
except by severely drying the soil about their roots? No half measures 
will accomplish this end ; the soil must be kept so dry that growth is 
impossible, and this unnatural method of culture is decidedly injurious. 
I am no advocate for forcing rest upon the plants by methods that 
should be obsolete. Such practices impair the constitution of the- 
plants, and enfeeble them to such a degree that they are fit subjects for- 
an attack of any disease. What is the result, but puny growth, small 
flowers, and short life, instead of good health to enable the plants to 
resist disease and long life i 
Rest in autumn is influenced in no small degree by the time the 
plants flower at first and their after treatment. Suppose the plants- 
commence flowering in February, they will continue doing so more or 
less until May, being only a slight break, if any, with a good stock of 
well established plants. I am now writing of such varieties as Niphetos, 
which, as far as growth is concerned, may be taken as the type of 
many others. The first flowers will be from the ripened wood of the 
previous season, while the succeeding ones, which are often the best, 
come from the base and back breaks, and thus keep up the supply. The 
plants would, if allowed to do so, flower again profusely during July, 
and again in September and October. Supposing they commenced 
flowering in January they would flower for the last time a month 
earlier. But if the flowers are removed as they appear from the time 
indoor Roses are practically valueless, .time is gained, and growth should 
be completed fully a month earlier. But “ S. S.” may say, What ad¬ 
vantage is gained if the plants will persist in growing ? Why this, if 
they are well cared for and assisted to make and complete a good growth, 
the woo 1 necessary to be retained will be hard and well ripened, and 
the soft twiggy growth at the extremity of the shoots (unripe ends) can 
be cut away. Under glass rest must be forced upon them by the ex¬ 
treme measures I have pointed out, or they cannot be brought to a com¬ 
plete standstill until they have been subjected to frost. It takes more 
frost to bring about this condition when they are protected by glass 
than when they are exposed, l’lants that may be flowered during the 
