THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION, ArBiL 14, 1857, 
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of Devonshire or Cornwall. Returning we pass another 
range of forcing houses of the same length and extent as 
the Vinery below, in all the divisions of which forcing is at 
its height, and Grapes, Peaches, Eigs, and Cherries are 
“ progressing favourably.” 
We now leave the kitchen gardens and enter upon the 
lawn fronting Sir Joseph Paxton’s residence. This elegant 
Anglo-Italian villa is of sandstone, agreeably situated, with 
a commanding and delightful view of the Park, and is 
surrounded by a lawn, bordering which, in excellent taste, 
are the banks before mentioned, which, when filled with 
brilliant bedding plants, lend it an additionally interesting 
appearance. And after viewing a retreat like this, situated 
in so picturesque a spot, and surrounded by such congenial 
associations to the horticulturist, the lover of nature, or the 
attractions of retirement, we do not feel surprised that a 
distinguished visitor to Chatsworth, some time since, should 
have stated that he would prefer Sir Joseph Paxton’s villa 
as a residence even to the stately and ducal halls of Chats¬ 
worth House. 
But we are now arrived at our journey’s end, and, with a 
lingering glance at the lofty tower of the residence just 
noticed, we quit at once both Chatsworth and its gardens.— 
J. II. C., Alton. 
CULTURE OF HYACINTHS IN POTS. 
oh XVII., No. 438, of The Cottage Gabdeneb I 
growing 
In 
read of the disappointment of “ S. B. R.” in 
Hyacinths this season. If you will permit me I will now 
give an account of my success in growing that universal 
favourite, and I would remark that never before had I such 
a list of distinguished names and titled beauties commanding 
my attention as on this occasion. 
Early in the month of November last I obtained a collec¬ 
tion of bulbs from Mr. John Slipper, of Villa Nursery, 
Camden Town, and a splendid sample it was of that gentle¬ 
man’s stock, being of good size and in first-rate condition. 
In that same month I took new pots, and in each one I put 
a thumb-pot inverted over the hole at the bottom, instead of 
broken crocks for drainage. I then put into each pot as 
much good rich mould as would cover the thumb-pot, and 
placed one bulb in each pot, resting its base on the top, or 
rather, the bottom of the thumb-pot, with about half an inch 
of the mould between the two, and then filled up the pots 
with the same kind of mould, which just covered the bulbs, 
but so as hardly to cover their crowns. This done I placed 
the pots on the floor of a room—not a greenhouse—below 
the light admitted by the windows, where they were slightly 
watered once a week, until 1 was startled by the appearance 
of my bulbs making, as it were, obeisance one to the other, 
and all of them raised so as to be nearly on the top of the 
mould. I he cause ol this uprising did not immediately 
occur to me ; but in taking up one of the bulbs I found it 
was the strong rootlets that were growing out, and which 
could not immediately penetrate the soil, in consequence of 
its resting on the thumb-pot that had so raised the bulbs, 
and had nearly turned them topsy-turvy; but by attempting 
to replace the one I had taken up I found I did mischief, 
for the rootlets broke off with the least touch, and I believe 
that bulb began to decay immediately: one of them did, and 
I think it was the same one. In a few days after this’ all 
excepting one, had taken hold of the mould, although some 
of them were very much on one side. They were”suffered 
to remain on the floor as they were for a week or two 
longer; more liberal waterings were given, and by the ex¬ 
piration of that time the whole, excepting the one, were 
firmly fixed and nearly upright in the pots, and were putting 
iorth strong, shining buds from the crowns. 
. ^ r ‘ ow t00 ^ !l quantity of old moss, and put a thick cover- 
ing of it over the top of each pot, so as to effectually cover 
H'e bulbs, only leaving it a little open immediately over 
the crowns ot each, and once a week I took a tub containing 
tepid water, and put the pots, one at a time, to stand in the 
water up to the rim, allowing them to remain in thewaterwhilst 
wed washed the outside of the pots, and at the same time 
1 put some of the water over the moss. The pots were then 
put to dram and were afterwards raised to a level with the 
light, where they remained ; and I soon found, by the rapid 
growth and the strong, shining appearance of the young 
leaves, that all would be right in due time. I continued this 
treatment, giving them a tepid bath once a week, keeping 
them from the frost, but giving very little fire heat, and that 
only for an hour or two in the evening, and by the end oi 
February I had several beautiful spikes of flowers, and the 
remainder have come into flower since. I had not one that 
produced a flower-stalk less than ten inches in length; 
others measured fourteen and fifteen inches, and several ol 
the bulbs produced two such spikes. 
This being my first attempt at growing Hyacinths I must 
confess I was pleased with my success, and felt inclined to 
exhibit my pets, and for that purpose I sent them out to 
decorate the windows of other persons, and I assure you 
they have been greatly admired. 
I will just tell you how, before sending them out, I beau¬ 
tified these elegant plants. Many of your readers are aware 
that a kind of fungus grows on the stools where timber trees 
have been cut down, also on logs of timber that lie out ex¬ 
posed to the weather. This fungus is of a variety of beautiful 
colours, and of a fan-like shape, both of which it retains 
when dry. My children gather much of this fungus after 
the winter; it is then dry and hard. They employ it with 
moss in making moss baskets and other devices, and it 
really looks very handsome. I broke some pieces of these 
dry fungi, and stuck them round the inside edge of the pots 
as you would oyster shells round a flower-bed. The moss 
that I put on the pots at first was not at all disturbed; it 
was suffered to remain closely adhering to the mould and 
the bulb; but I took some nice, bright green, fresh-gathered 
moss in flakes, and covered the old moss therewith, letting 
some parts pass out between the pieces of fungi, and hang 
carelessly over the edge of the pots, the edges of the fungi 
appearing between. Half a dozen of these harbingers of 
spring, so decorated and placed upon a stand before a bright 
window, any day from the middle of February to the end of 
the first week in April, will never fail to be looked upon as 
something worth obtaining by others besides those who 
actually possess them.— William Henby B., Gloucestershire. 
GARDENING AT HAMBURGH. 
I was surprised to see, in a recent number, an account of 
the state of gardening at Hamburgh, which can give the 
readers of your valuable paper but a poor idea of its real 
state; and it is in justice to my native city and its gardens 
that I beg to encroach on your space with a few additional 
remarks, for it appears “ Kabl” is but imperfectly acquainted 
with the distinguishing features of the place in question. 
For instance, there is not a word said about the seat of 
Consul Schiller, a namesake of the great poet, but I under¬ 
stand descended from an English family, where there are 
four stoves specially devoted to the cultivation of Orchids, 
a fifth large stove to be built this summer, and where there 
have been such princely sums spent by the owner, himself a 
connoisseur in this lovely tribe of plants, that his collection 
is now the most extensive in Europe, comprising a great 
many of the rare East Indian species. 
The magnificent specimen plants in the establishment 
of the Messrs. Booth, formerly cultivated by Mr. Goode, an 
Englishman of the highest standing in this particular line, 
and whose plants would have graced the great London 
exhibitions, have likewise not come in for a share of atten¬ 
tion, although nothing has more contributed to the world¬ 
wide fame of this eminent firm than the high gardening 
carried out at Flattbeck. In fact, without painting in too 
bright colours, the Hamburgh gardeners have always, by 
there being some talented English cultivators amongst 
them, distinguished themselves in really practical gardening, 
which, I am sorry to say, is as yet but imperfectly under¬ 
stood by a great many throughout the whole country, the 
great aim there being to make every place a school of 
science, and subject it to botanical purposes, rather than 
allowing a gardener to display his skill by bringing a plant 
to the highest pitch of perfection attainable in a gentleman’s 
garden. / 
^ What has been stated about the plants in the Botanic 
Garden being fearfully huddled together is quite ridiculous ; 
for, allowing it to be true that scanty means are granted, the 
