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THE LADIES MAGAZINE OF GARDENING. 
niensis , should be placed in the small vase above. Should this pedestal 
and vases not be liked, a great number of other similar ornaments may 
be seen at Austin and Seeley’s artificial stone works, in the New Road, 
near Fitzroy Square, and in other similar places. 
In all cases of geometrical gardens, whether filled with roses or mis¬ 
cellaneous flowers, the greatest care must be taken to have all the plants 
in high health and vigour, so that they may bear abundance of flowers; 
and whenever a plant appears sickly it should be removed directly, and 
its place supplied by a healthy plant from the reserve ground. The dead 
roses and other flowers should also be cut off every day; the loose branches 
should be tied up or pegged down whenever necessary. 
GARDEN VISITERS IN THE OLDEN TIME. 
COMMUNICATED BY J. J. 
The following curious passage occurs in one of Bradley’s works on 
gardening, written about 1690; and it appears to relate to the flowering 
of the American Aloe (Agave americana), and the Torch thistle (Cereus 
speciosissimus ), for the first time in England. The latter was, as we may 
easily conceive, thought in those days the rarest and most valuable of 
the two; and accordingly against it the rage of the assailants was 
chiefly directed. 
“ When the Aloe was in such great perfection as to invite more 
company than my house and garden could well contain, and the flowers 
of my Torch thistle were opening, three men, habited like gentlemen, 
were inadvertently let up to see it, who no sooner were come to the 
plant but one of them began to break off the buds ; and being desired to 
desist, took hold of the main stem and endeavoured to break it by 
violence; but it was much too strong to give way to their base intent. 
This their attempt was soon discovered by all the gentlemen and ladies 
in my garden, and I was called to the assistance of my servant, and to 
save my plant from the fury of their rage. When immediately one, who 
was on the top of the staircase in my aloe-house, being entreated by me 
to come down, fell a swearing, and drew his sword on my man, telling 
him he would run him through the body if he offered to assist me ; and 
in the mean time kicked me on the head when I offered to go up, while 
another at the bottom of the stairs, one of his companions, pulled me by 
the legs, and a third of them wounded me with his sword in two places 
of my neck, so that I was under the surgeon’s hands for many weeks, 
