44 THE COTTAGE GARDENER. October 20. 
of my own, and could I stand the first cost, which 
would be between (is. and 7s. for a shutter some six- 
and-a-half feet by four, I would have as many shutters 
of the best deal, three-quarter-inch thick, and well 
painted, as would cover the whole of the "lass; and at 
the end of a dozen years, with good care, they would be 
serviceable still. Unless in extra severe weather you 
would want nothing else; and even when King Frost 
came in all his powers, a little litter at the ends and 
joins of the frames, and round the walls, would be 
sufficient, though, if there was no artificial heat what¬ 
ever at that cold season, a little of the rough hay thrown 
all over would make the inmates more safe. Every 
lover of neatness would have nothing to do with any 
protection for glass, unless what was fixed to a roller, 
and flexible; or, if opaque and heavy, was not only 
waterproof, but fixed to a frame. It will have been seen, 
that in proportion to its depth, such a pit may be used 
for different purposes in summer. A set of queries how 
best to keep plants, and, also force various plants in such 
a structure, with the help of a hot-water pipe, must be 
answered at a future opportunity. R. Fish. 
JOTTINGS BY THE WAY. 
(Continued from page 10 .) 
FIoole House, Chester, the residence of Lady 
Broughton.—Mr. Major, the landscape-gardener, whose 
work on the art of laying-out and designing gardens 
was lately reviewed in The Cottage Gardener, has 
called my attention to the comparative neglect to which 
herbaceous plants have been subjected of late years 
Had my good old friend been with me when I visited 
Hoole House, lie would have seen Lady Broughton is 
one of the few who still adhere to the old system of 
mixed flower-beds. On the garden lawn, in front of the 
house, there are a considerable number of circular beds 
planted with the best herbaceous plants that can be 
procured, subject to a rule of not exceeding from six 
inches to eighteen inches high. They are kept thus 
low for the purpose, that they may not conceal the grand, 
Alpine rock scenery beyond them. Lady Broughton 
resides constantly at Hoole House, and, therefore, re¬ 
quires a constant succession of bloom in her flower¬ 
beds, and so contrives, by judicious management of the 
mixed flowers, that some of them are in bloom for at 
least nine months in the year. The bedding-out system 
would not answer this purpose so well, for there must 
be a season of growth, as well as of bloom; and whilst 
they are growing, of course there would be no flowers. 
Where families only reside at their country seats during 
the summer and autumn months, the massing system, 
so ably advocated by my friend, Mr. Beaton, is the most 
effective, and quite proper to be adopted, but even in 
such cases, a border or bed or two might be devoted 
with the best effect to the mixed system. Mr. Errington 
has very lately taken up the cudgels in their favour, 
and I think with good effect. On some future occasion 
I will do my best to second his efforts, and try to rescue 
a few more of these beautiful plants from the oblivion 
to which the bedding-out system seems to have partially 
consigned them. 
The Alpinery is the grand characteristic of this place. 
Perhaps there is not in Great Britain a finer example of 
a successful imitation of Alpine scenery. I have never 
seen the Swiss Mountains, but 1 am assured, a consider¬ 
able portion of the rockwork here, is, though of course on 
a diminutive scale, an exact imitation of Mount Blanc, 
and the surrounding scenery. The imitation is carried 
out by means of white stones so placed as to look like 
glaciers. In the crevice of the rocks there are planted 
spiry-formed shrubs or trees, such as the Irish and com¬ 
mon Yew, Spruce Firs, upright Junipers, Deodars, &c., 
all trained to form pyramidal spires. This arrangement 
has a peculiar and effective appearance. Rare Alpine 
plants are quite domiciliated in the crevices of the rocks, 
where many of them scatter their seeds, and come up 
abundantly. When I called, I noticed the following in 
flower:— 
Androsacea lanuginosa , and A. villosa; Epimedutm 
grandijlorum ; /Etkionema membranaceum ; Gypsoplrila 
prostrata; and another species collected by Lady 
Broughton, on the Alps, apparently a new species ; 
Campanula pumila, and its white variety, spreading over 
a large space ; Erinus alpinus, several varieties in 
colour; Sedum Ewersii, and &. Sieboldii; Erpetion 
reniforme ; Myosotis Azorica, in shady places. Many 
species of dwarf Lobelias, Saxifrages, &c. 
This rockwork occupies an irregular space some fifty 
or sixty yards long, forming a kind of semi-circle, en¬ 
closing nearly the space of the lawn occupied with the 
circular flower-beds. I think the highest point cannot 
be much less than thirty feet. It is well worthy of in¬ 
spection. A botanist would be delighted with the 
number of rare, interesting plants to be seen here on 
the Alpinery. 
There are three greenhouses. One devoted to the 
Camellia; another to the finest and choicest Geraniums ; 
and the other, a kind of entrance hall, to a mixture of 
various plants constantly in flower, supplied from the 
houses in the kitchen-garden. In this house 1 noticed 
the White Horse-shoe-leaved Geranium, Boule de Niege; 
also, Emily Field, a blush Geranium, with very distinct 
foliage, deeply fringed at the edge ; and a pink variety, 
called the Kingsbury Pet. These are all somewhat new, 
but very desirable, both as pot-plants, and for bedding- 
out in masses. 
This was the last place I called at on my journey. 
On my way home by the North Western Railway, I 
could not help noticing the barren banks on each side 
wherever there was a deep cutting, and thought what a 
pity these banks are not clothed with some of the more 
common Alpine plants, Ferns, &c. In some few places 
the wild Clematis had found a footing, its light seeds, no 
doubt, carried thither by the wind. Where clay formed 
the bank, I noted the wild Coltsfoot flourished best. In 
lime-stone rocks, here and there, the great yellow Snap¬ 
dragon was in bloom ; also the wild Scabious, wild 
Thyme, and the rock Rose, Heliantliemum. In better 
soils, the wild common Broom was blossoming freely ; 
also the Furze, “ unprofitably gay.” Still there were 
many a large space of barren spots that looked any¬ 
thing but agreeable. How I longed to have the privilege 
of scattering a few seeds of Wall-flowers, some Dian- 
thuscs, and other common things, that would take away 
the disagreeable nakedness of those unsightly banks. 
The various railway companies throughout Great Britain, 
might, for a few pounds, thus render their railways much 
more attractive, and with a useful effect too. These 
plants would help to prevent the banks from shattering 
downwards ; a circumstance that is frequently happen¬ 
ing, and subjecting them to the expense of constant 
repair. In some few places these banks are very neatly 
planted in beds with choice shrubs. Such may be 
seen on both sides of the slopes at the Watford and 
Tring Stations, on the line of rail above-mentioned. 
T. Appleby. 
THE ANEMONE. 
If splendid colours, long season of blooming, and 
easy culture, are qualities desirable in a plant, the 
Anemone, with its varied, rich-coloured blossoms, cer¬ 
tainly deserves a place in every garden, from that of the 
cottage to that of the royal palace. It blooms early in 
summer, and with judicious management, late in the 
