October 25. 
COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION. 
55 
Passing through the garden at the further side, 
I was introduced to a noble walk of great length, 
called the Ijaurel walk, from having a bank of Laurels 
on each side of it kept closely cut in. In the same 
line is a double row of Elms, with a walk between 
of considerable length. Their straight stems, and, 
far above head, interlacing branches, had quite a 
cathedral appearance. This walk leads to a dell, or 
dingle, in which stands many good timber-trees, that 
have either been pruned for the purpose, with upright 
stems, or have formerly stood so thick as to give that 
effect. Tlie underwood has been cut away, and so the 
dingle has an open appearance. Tlie stream of water 
that runs in the bottom supplies the lakes in front of 
the mansion. Well-kept walks traverse the entire lengtli 
of this dingle; one in the bottom and tlie other on the 
top of the opposite bank. This spot might be made 
exceedingly interesting, by planting clumps of American 
plants, and damming up the water to form cascades, the 
murmuring fall of which would soothe the troubled 
mind, and give a pleasant feeling to the happy one. At 
the end of this dingle, I came to the broad expanse ot the 
water, which, as the sun was shining brightly, had a 
most glorious effect. You then cross a bridge at the 
head of the lake, and mount a hill to the garden 
entrance again. 1 had heard that Sir Charles is 
passionately fond of, and very successful in, breeding 
cattle, and, therefore, I requested leave to inspect the 
stock. Finer cattle of the true Durham breed, I think, 
can scarcely exist. To the uninitiated, it may appear in¬ 
credible when 1 state, that many of the bulls (of which I 
saw upwards of thirty) are valued at more than two 
hundred guineas each. There is a biennial sale here, 
which all the eminent breeders attend; and the desire to 
possess a breed from this stock is manifested by the 
eager bidding of such spirited gentlemen. 
J am, however, reminded by my sheets of written 
paper that I am exceeding my allotted space con¬ 
siderably, and, therefore, must come to a conclusion. 1 
can only say, that I spent a very pleasant day, and was 
unexpectedly most hospitably entertained by Sir Charles 
himself, who most kindly sent a carriage to convey me 
to Weltou, near the Erith Station, the residence of one 
of the greatest amateurs in gardening, whose place and 
success in the art of hybridising would rather astonish 
’ even my good friend Mr. Beaton of hybridising notoriety. 
I shall take an early opportunity of telling what is 
doing in the gardening way at Wei ton. 
T. Appleby. 
I _ 
Wh.\t Industry can do. —At a meeting of the Agri¬ 
cultural Association of Villeueuve-sur-Lot (Lot-et- 
Garonne), a few days ago, the president, M. Fabre, gave 
a striking example of what may be done by intelligence 
and industry: A simple farm-labourer, named Foussat, 
having, by great economy, saved up 625f., purchased, 
seven years ago, a piece of waste land of two hectares 
in extent (the hectare is about 2^ acres), in the village of 
yt. Antoine. The earth was literally full of stones, but 
lie diligently extracted them all; it also required drain¬ 
ing, and he constructed drains by means of the smaller 
stones. With the larger stones ho managed to build a 
house large enough lor himselt and lamily. He then 
brought soil and manure; and having enclosed his little 
property with a hedge, proceeded to plant vines and 
fruit-trees. These have prospered greatly, and now yield 
an annual revenue greater than the oi’iginal cost ol the 
laud. The association granted this man the hrst pre¬ 
mium. 
I NEW AND RARE PLANTS. 
! {Continued from page 7.) 
! Marceti.v ANUicoLA.—A uew plant, with pretty pink 
j flowers; native of South America. It is one of the few 
stove shrubs that are naturally dwarf in habit. 
Marsuenia LuciDA (Shilling).—Native of the Hima¬ 
layas. Leaves stout and shining. Flowers dark purple, 
j Habit, a hardy climber. A desirable addition to our 
somewhat scanty list of hardy evergreen climbers. 
OxYLOEiu.M OsBORNi (]\lr. Osboi’ue’s).—A very welcome 
addition to our New Holland plants. Leaves rather 
narrow. Flowers in corymbs, or rather in whorls near 
the euds of the shoots. Colour bright orange, and very 
showy. This will prove a good exhibition plant. 
PiNCKNEYA lONANTHA (Purple-calyxed).—A very de¬ 
sirable stove shrub of great beauty, from South America. 
Flowers rich violet-blue. Introduced to Europe by Mr. 
Linden, of Belgium. 
PiTTOspoKUM FLAvuM (Yellow).—The Pittosporuras 
are all line-foliaged plants, but generally small Bowers. 
In this species the flowers are large individually, and 
are produced profusely at the end of the shoots, in large 
heads, in the manner of a Laurustinus. Colour a lively 
yellow. Native of the eastern coast of Australia, and 
will, probably, prove hardy south of London. It is a 
noble plant for a conservative wall, or a glass-covered 
passage, like that at the Crystal Palace. 
PsAMMiTis I’ENDULiFLORA (Droopiiig-flowered).—This 
is a really handsome plant from Venezuela. It is a stove 
shrub in winter, but will thrive and flower better if 
placed out-ofdoors, near a south wall, in summer. (I 
have caused many otherwise shy-flowering stove shrubs 
to bloom, by this method of exposing them to the full 
influence of the sun and air). Leaves oval, and 
dentated; flowers in whorls, and of a bright crimson 
colour, spotted and streaked with yellow and green. 
Rhexia glandulosa (Glauded).—The Rhexias are a 
family of plants belonging to the Natural Order of 
Melastomaceae, with fleeting blossoms, chiefly of a purple 
hue. M. glandulosa is a new species lately introduced 
from Guatimala, and, unlike its congeners, its bloom 
is more prolonged, rivalling in beauty the lovely Pleroma 
elegans. It is a soft-wooded, halfshrubby plant, with 
deeply-veined leaves, shining green on the upper surface, 
and bright red underneath. The stems are red also, 
square in form, and covered with glandulous hairs. 
The flowers are large, and of rich purple colour. If I 
am not very much mistaken, this will prove a very 
worthy plant; and as it is easily cultivated and in- 
? creased freely by cuttings, it will soon be in every 
I oollection. At present, I believe, it is only in the 
Chiswick Gardens. 
Sabbatia stellaris (Starry).—A greenhouse perennial 
herbaceous plant, from Virginia; flowered first, I believe, 
in the Royal Gardens at Frogmore. I saw it in flower 
there, and it is a truly beautiful plant. Flowers tubular, 
with a spreading border. Colour deep rose, with a 
yellow, distinct eye, produced at the end of the shoots. 
It was introduced seven years ago, but is yet very rare. 
Scutellaria vilt.osa (Hairy).—I saw this fine plant 
in flower at Kew this summer, and a fine species it is, 
and very remarkable. The leaves are large, and covered 
with whitish hairs. Flowers in spikes, and of a brilliant 
scarlet colour. It is a remarkable plant even among 
the very select. Habit dwarf and bushy. A desirable 
species. Native of Peru. 
SciADocALYx Warsewucsii (Wai’sewic’s).—A very re¬ 
markable, robust, Gesneraceous plant, from the Isle of 
Santa Martha. It is now in flower in the Horticultural 
Society’s Garden, at Chiswick. The plant is three feet 
high, with four or five stout stems. The flowers spring 
from the upper part of the stems from the axils of the 
leaves; they are of a pale scarlet colour, spotted with 
