14G 
1 
THE FLORIST. 
distance by this route of about two miles—a turf drive passes the 
whole length, the plants being arranged on each side. In many parts 
the plants present a thin, meagre aspect, and certainly would be 
improved in appearance by the addition of a few well-arranged masses 
of evergreens. The portion of the arboretum devoted to the Coniferse 
is not open to this objection. At this part the belt is much wider, and 
a deep valley passes through the centre, it is therefore everything 
that could be desired; the valley, moreover, affords the desirable 
inequality of surface so essential to the well-being of this family. 
During the past summer a second conservatory has been completed 
at Bicton, forming a wing to the mansion at the east and west ends. 
The former of the two was completed, we believe, about twelve months 
ago. It is 80 feet in length by 60, and 20 feet high. The roof is on 
the ridge-and-furrow principle, and is glazed with rough plate glass. 
In the centre a basin is formed for the reception of a glass fountain, 
and from the roof are to be suspended Chinese lanterns, so that at night 
the house may be illuminated, and thus form a pleasant promenade 
during the winter evenings as well as by day. The borders of this 
house are prepared in a most efficient manner, and large Orange-trees 
which had been previously growing in another house with Camellias— 
where they had become too much crowded—were lifted, and although 
of a large size they do not appear to have suffered in the least; all of 
them were growing freely, and many were loaded with fruit. For the 
culture of stove and greenhouse plants there are several houses ; of the 
former we noticed some good old-fashioned plants in a lean-to house, 
which also contained fine specimens of many choice Orchids. The 
Renanthera coccinea—a plant which seldom flowers under ordinary 
cultivation—has flowered annually for many years with Mr. Barnes; 
we believe the secret of his success with this plant is in adhering to the 
laws of nature, by giving it seasons of growth, maturation, and rest 
with native regularity. In a Palm stove ” we noticed some fine 
specimens of Latania borbonica, Musa Cavendishi, sapientum, and 
paradisiaca, with Cycads, &c.; also a fine old plant of Papyrus anti¬ 
quorum, with a miscellaneous collection of smaller plants. A Camellia 
house, above alluded to, has this season received a thorough rearrange¬ 
ment ; the plants are now placed in a single row, through the centre 
of a span-roof house, which is about 100 feet in length—they are 
exceedingly healthy, and will doubtless make a splendid display. 
Mr. Barnes’s success in the cultivation of the Pine-apple has long 
been a subject of comment. During the past summer a fruit of the 
Queen variety, somewhat over 6 lbs. in weight, has been exhibited by 
Mr. Barnes, and we observed other fruits of this variety, near per¬ 
fection, that would fall little below that weight. In the erection of the 
pit for the cultivation of the Pine, Mr. Barnes appears to have been 
fully alive to the importance of securing a thorough command of the 
root temperature, as well as an abundance of light, heat, and ventila¬ 
tion. This pit is about 80 feet in length, and sufficiently wide to take 
seven rows of large plants, or about 16 feet. Unlike what is generally 
denominated a stove, this pit has no alley or walk inside, but the pit 
being span-roofed the plants are accessible on both sides; it is divided 
