I 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION.— June 24,185C. 
210 
| it, and rub the seeds out of the pods, and sow them in 
shallow drills across a bed or border; the drills to be 
j six inches apart, and the seeds as thickly as Sweet Peas. 
Put down a stick at each end of the rows to mark them, 
so that the ground is not turned over or hoed in a mis- 
i take, then run a little soot along the surface over each 
row, which is a sure way to deceive the mice a second 
time; they are wonderfully fond of Crocus seeds. Re¬ 
peat the soot three or four times after rain, and in the 
i spring the seedlings will push up just like barley or 
1 wheat, and for the rest the “ Doctor’s Boy ” is the host 
i man for telling all about them. D. Beaton. 
_ 
| Potato Murrain. —We are informed upon most re¬ 
liable authority, that this disease is very prevalent in the 
western parts of Cornwall; a locality, of which the cli¬ 
mate seems pre-eminently promotive of this disorganiza¬ 
tion of the Potato. 
GARDENS NEAR PERTH—NEW GARDENS 
AT LORD PANMURE’S. 
Several desires have been expressed that I would 
notice some of the best gardens in Perthshire, or, at 
least, mention some that might be easily visited by 
those who, in quest of health and pleasure, sojourned 
for a time in the fair city, or in the neighbourhood of 
the celebrated walls of Pitkcatbly. The former of these 
requests l am unable to gratify; the latter I will 
endeavour to meet by specifying a few of the most 
prominent gardens within an easy distance of Perth, 
knowing that, at such places, intelligence of others will 
be easily gained. 
Moucrieffe House is two or throe miles from Perth, 
near the bridge of Earn, placed at the base of the 
picturesque hill of Moucrieffe, aud celebrated long ago 
for its good gardening and the many efforts that were 
made in acclimatising tender plants. From the top of 
the hill of Moncrieffe one of the finest views imagin¬ 
able may be seen northward over Perth, and on to the 
base of the Grampians; eastward along the garden of 
Scotland, the Carse of Gowrie, with the silver 'Pay 
threading its way on to Dundee; and westward along 
the fertile, rich lands of Strathcarn. In the same neigh¬ 
bourhood, and near the celebrated wells, are Kilgraston 
and Condie, both well known for their gardens. 
Farther up the Earn, at the distance of three and 
four miles respectively, are what used to be two rival 
gardens, Dupplin, the beautiful residence of the Earl of 
Kinnoul, and lnvermay, the still more picturesque 
residence of — Belshes, Esq. The Earn, though on a 
small scale, as celebrated for its windings as the Forth 
or the Rhine, passes between them, and so does the 
Scottish Central Railway. The gardens of Dupplin, with 
their forcing-houses, are seen extended on the face of 
the hill. The nearest station to it, I presume, would 
be Forgaudenny, and the nearest to lnvermay would be 
Forteviot. The lover of a fine view, however, should 
eschew steam and carriage, and leave Perth early on a 
j summer’s morning by the town mail to Dupplin, 
; mounted on shanks nagie (his own legs); and looking 
back, when he gains the brow of the hill, over Perth and 
on to the hill above Kinnoul cultivated to its summit; 
he will observe a scene that travellers have told me even 
the Rhine could not equal. The birches of lnvermay 
have been celebrated in song; the approach winds 
through steep ascents to the mansion, and though the 
waters of the 'Pay are not often seen, their sound is 
heard as they pour down many a bustling cascade. 
The horticultural fame of both establishments is as 
great as when presided over by Messrs. Shillinglaw and 
Muirhead. 
Passing others, I would fix attention on Drummond 
Castle, near Crieff, which I regret not visiting, and 
chiefly because I did not know, until too late, that the 
branch line from Auchterarder station was finished to 
Crieff, more especially because, in addition to good 
general gardening, I have often been assured, that in 
(lower-gardening it divides the honours with Drumlanrig. 
It is now many years since J. saw it. The size of the 
park, its lakes, its herds of deer, the ascent to the 
castle, all betoken magnificence, reaching a climax when, 
from its front, perched on a rock, you look down on a 
large amphitheatre filled with (lowers, evergreens, vases, 
and statues. It was then a fairy land to dream about, 
and I am told that it is still more attractive and 
beautiful now, having so long received the improving 
touches of the present gardener, Mr. McDonald. In the 
same neighbourhood, the gardens aud woods of Abrr- 
cairney, and the gardens, woods, and beautiful scenery 
of Ochtortyre, will well repay examination. 
On the high road from Crieff to Perth, aud seven 
miles from the latter, are the gardens and woods of 
Methuen Castle, still retaining the traces of a bishop. 
A way through many a picturesque glade may thence be 
obtained to Lyndock, the much-loved seat of the late 
hero of Barossa, and equally famed for the remains of 
the house built on “ yon burn brae” by “Bessie Bell and 
Mary Gray,” aud the grave in which the two beauties 
were laid after being cut down by the plague, over 
which many a pair of romantic lovers have shed the tear 
of sympathy, and found that there was, in the sombre 
shade of the placo, a more than mesmeric power for draw¬ 
ing hearts closer to each other. If an antiquarian, the 
wayfarer may visit the village of ltedgortou (red gore 
town), and the fields of Luncarty, the scene of the final 
conflict between the Danes and Scots, and, crossing in the 
Pay ferry-boat, see the remains of the house of the 
progenitor of all tho “ Hays,” who, along with his 
sons, taking their ox-goads from their ploughs and 
fording the river, did so much to animate the exhausted 
Scots, and retrieve tho waning fortuues of the day. 
The Dundee, Perth, and Arbroath line takes you right 
through the Carse of Gowrie. Perth Nursery is well 
worthy of a lengthened visit, as Mr. Beaton can tell 
you. A short distance from Perth, Kinfauns Castle is 
delightfully situated, in a gorge between two hills; on 
one side the romantic hill of Kinnoul, rearing its almost 
perpendicular front, a second edition of Craig-y-barns, 
above Dunkeld; while, on the other side, you have, in 
the Pay and the rich scenery, a miniature resemblance 
of the vale of the Thames as seen at Richmoud. There, 
and at Pitfour, Ballindeau, Balbirnie, and Rossie Priory, 
horticulture is progressing in unison with tho times. 
The latter place has a fine appearance from the railway; 
and there Mr. Kidd, the intelligent gardener, is as ear¬ 
nest and enthusiastic on novelties aud improvements as 
ho was a quarter of a century ago. 
Time being limited, I denied myself the pleasuro of 
seeing these and other places once more; and only 
visited, on that side of the Frith of Pay, the new Gardens 
at Lord Panmure’s, the whole being planned and carried 
out under the auspices of Mr. McIntosh, late of Dal¬ 
keith, and the well-known author of the “Book of tho 
Garden.” During the short time I bad been in Scot¬ 
land, I heard various accounts of the new houses there, 
and felt very anxious to see and judge for myself; and 
my impression is, that tho range of houses is distin¬ 
guished alike for novelty and uniqueness, in a plan com¬ 
bining utility with elegance. I regret very much that I 
could not call on Mr. McIntosh, and obtain his per¬ 
mission to give a more full outline of details than other¬ 
wise I should feel warranted to do. I may safely say as 
much as will place the distinguishing characteristics 
before our readers, and lead intending builders on a large 
scale to consult for themselves in the proper quarter. 
