August 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
253 
terrace walk, on each side of which is a row of 
standard roses: this walk leads to the entrance of 
the plant-houses; they are all span roofed, of mo¬ 
derate height, and glazed with large squares of sheet 
glass; they form three sides of a quadrangle, or 
square; the one to the east is devoted to stove plants, 
that to the west to greenhouse plants, and the other 
to the orchidacese. In the stove there are some fine 
promising specimens of the best kinds of plants re¬ 
quiring that heat. The new and splendid Ixora 
hydrangcrformis was in fine flower with several heads 
of its orange-scarlet blossoms : it is a fine species 
when fully expanded. The xEschynanthuses were 
also finely in bloom, as were the Allamandas, but 
our space forbids us to describe a tithe of the fine 
plants we saw; sufficient it is to say that they all 
showed the care and untiring energy of the master¬ 
mind that lias the charge of them. From the stove 
we entered the orchid house : here, among many 
others, several plants of that beautiful species the 
Phaleenopsis amabilis, and the more rare P. grandi- 
jiora. were in bloom. The noble plant of Cattleya 
labiata, for which this collection is famous, we found 
thriving wonderfully, and showing at least ten spikes 
of its magnificent flowers. All the orchids were 
growing luxuriantly. We could with pleasure have 
spent hours among them had time permitted, for if 
there is one class of flowers that we admire more 
than any other it is these singularly interesting 
plants, the orchidacese. We reluctantly left them and 
entered the greenhouse, which we found well stocked 
with the best plants of the day, all in perfect health, 
and promising to make excellent exhibiting speci¬ 
mens, if they are ever used for that purpose. The 
space between the houses is very properly laid out 
as a rose garden, with flowers intermixed. The 
roses having been planted so lately, though perfectly 
healthy, require time to acquire their full beauty. 
We left the plant-houses by a winding walk which 
brought us to the kitchen-garden, yet in its infancy. 
The vegetables, from the great quantity of fresh 
earth, lime, and manure brought into it, were, not¬ 
withstanding the dry weather, in excellent health. 
The wall trees, considering the short time they have 
been planted, had just that healthy growth upon 
them which betokens a long life in prospect. This 
garden is of considerable extent. From the hurried 
glance we had of it, we think it must be at least three 
acres within the walls. We were much pleased with 
the methods Mr. Barnes had adopted to protect his 
strawberries from the drought and from the birds. 
■Glean long wheat straw was laid on each side of the 
rows ; this answered two purposes, it not only kept 
them moist at the root, but kept the fruit clean. To 
protect them from the birds, long narrow nets made 
for the purpose were stretched along the rows ; and 
the quantity of line clean fruit we could see through 
the netting showed that the labour had been well 
rewarded. These methods of protecting this fruit 
are worthy the particular attention of our readers. 
After observing these points, our attention was 
drawn to the mulching applied to the roots of the wall 
trees. One good watering, with the borders so 
mulched with short litter, we were assured did more 
good than ten without it. The vine borders were 
treated in a similar manner. Our readers must re¬ 
member that the rains had not fallen when we were 
at this place. The vineries, three in number, occupy 
the centre of the south wall. We found the vines 
making excellent strong sliort-joiuted wood, with fine 
foliage. The houses were glazed with large squares 
of sheet glass, and hero, as faithful olmoniclers, we 
must confess the fact that the leaves were sadly 
scorched by the sun shining through those large 
squares. Consequently, we soon found our good 
friend was not in favour of this kind of glass for 
glazing vineries. Remembering what we had ob¬ 
served at Hoddesden, as detailed in our last number, 
we inquired the weight of the glass here. Though 
not so heavy as we understood that is at the house 
of Mr. Warner, which did not burn the leaves, yet 
it was of such good quality as might reasonably have 
been expected not to injure the tenderest leaf; yet 
it has done so to a great extent, and, of course, may 
be expected to injure the crops of fruit next season. 
Shade, Mr. Bames objects to, for, as he says, iflarge 
squares and clear glass are necessary to produce the 
best fruit, shading takes away that desirable effect. 
We hope he will let us know next season how his 
vines work, and whether he finds the shade (for he 
is obliged to use it) does any harm. Behind the 
forcing houses for fruit there are some narrow smaller 
ones used to force flowers for supplying the conser- 
vatory, and to nurse young stove plants for the hot¬ 
house below. This finished our inspection of this 
fine place. Many things we observed—such as a 
collection of young trees of the pine tribe, some new 
plantations, the carriage road, and entrance lodges— 
we are obliged to omit. Our next visit was to the 
gardens at Broxbourne Bury, the account of which 
we are obliged to defer to our next number. 
Florists’ Flowers. —Look over the last three or 
four numbers, and follow the directions there given. 
We have no room for more this week. 
Evergreens. —During moist weather our amateur 
and cottage friends may amuse themselves profitably 
by planting a few cuttings of evergreen shrubs, such 
as aucubas, box, bay, the common and Portugal lau¬ 
rels, laurustinus, variegated hollies, &c. If the cut¬ 
tings are put in now they will either root before 
winter, or form a callus, that is will heal over with a 
substance so named, exuding from the edges of the 
wound, and from which the roots will push forth 
early in spring. Success is more certain hi this 
month than any other. Prepare the ground for them 
on the north side of a low wall, or well clipped 
hedge, digging and breaking it thoroughly. When 
this is finished, prepare the cuttings, choosing such 
shoots as have just done growing, and have become 
of a firm woody texture; too young wood is apt to 
damp off. Cut the shoots into lengths : the strong 
ones to three joints, the weaker ones to four or five ; 
prune off the lower leaves close to the stem, and cut 
the lower end of the cutting clean across, close to 
the lowest bud. Make no more cuttings at one time 
than you are able to put in the same hour, as too 
long exposure to the air will injure them. Plant 
them pretty thickly in rows across the piece of pre¬ 
pared ground, pressing the earth firmly to them; so 
proceed till you have put in all you wish to increase. 
T. Appleby. 
GREENHOUSE AND WINDOW 
GARDENING. 
Crassulas. — I have said that we make flower-beds 
of these in the gardens at Shrubland Park, but be¬ 
fore I say how we manage them for this purpose I 
may as well give a sketch of their natural history, 
anti then the treatment of them, or the rationale of 
our artificial mode of managing them, will be easier 
understood or accounted for by the young beginner; 
and it is by imitating, as far as our country enables 
us, the natural conditions under which those beau* 
