280 THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION, August 4, 1857. 
producing clear black tones than paper prepared with gelatine 
and salt? (Hardwicli’s second formula).— West Hilu. 
[The process given in our number for May 19 was that 
for producing positive pictures. For negative plates the 
following solution must be substituted for that marked c. 
(Page 108.) 
SOLUTION FOR DEVELOPING COLLODION PICTURES 
NEGATIVELY. 
fPyrogallic acid.8 grs. ]- 
Mix-I Glacial acetic acid .1 drachm led. 
I Distilled water.2 ozs. 1 
The resulting photographs are perfectly intense. 
Photographic printing artists produce their black tones by 
the use of chloride of gold. This chemical costing more 
than <£3 per oz. is not suitable for “ cottage gardeners,” and 
the resulting pictures cannot be said to be permanent. 
We do not recommend the gelatine process. By varying 
the strength of the solutions of salt and silver ( see Cottage 
Gardener for March 17) almost any tone is producible. 
Try 10 grs. salt to each ounce of water. For solution A use 
80 grs. nitrate of silver to 1 oz. distilled water. 
The following receipt is fresh from the Continent, and 
M. Sella states that by its means he prints intensely black 
photographs. 
SOLUTIONS. 
A. —2 ozs. saturated solution of bichromate of potash, 6d. 
B. —5 parts proto-sulphate of iron in 100 parts water,2 ozs., 
3d. 
C. —10 grs. gallic acid in 2 ozs. distilled water, 4d. 
Soak the paper in solution A. Dry. Expose in pressure 
frame. Soak in a large quantity of water till the yellow 
parts of the picture have become white. 
Place in solution B three or four minutes. Wash well in 
different waters. 
Plunge in solution C till sufficiently developed. Wash. 
—E. A. Copland, Chelmsford.'] 
HOWQUA’S GARDEN. 
This garden is situated near the well-known Fa-tee 
nurseries, a few miles above the city of Canton, and is a 
place of favourite resort both for Chinese and foreigners 
who reside in the neighbourhood, or who visit this part of 
the Celestial Empire. I determined on paying it a visit in 
company with Mr. M'Donald, who is well known in this 
part of the world as an excellent Chinese scholar, and to 
whom I am indebted for some translations of Chinese 
notices, which appeared very amusing to us at the time, and 
which, I daresay, will amuse my readers. 
Having reached the door of the garden, we presented the 
card Avith which we were provided, and were immediately 
admitted. The view from the entrance is rather pleasing, 
and particularly striking to a stranger who sees it for the 
first time. Looking “right ahead,” as sailors say, there is 
a long and narrow-paved walk lined on each side with plants 
in pots. This view is broken, and apparently lengthened, 
by means of an octagon arch which is thrown across, and 
beyond that a kind of alcove covers the pathway. Running 
parallel with the Avalk, and on each side behind the plants, 
are low walls of ornamental brickwork, latticed so that the 
ponds or small lakes which are on each side can be seen. 
Altogether the octagon arch, the alcove, the pretty orna¬ 
mental flower-pots, and the water on each side, has a striking 
effect, and is thoroughly Chinese. 
The plants consist of good specimens of southern Chinese 
things, all well known in England, such, for example, as 
Cymbidium Sinense, Olea fragrans , Oranges, Roses, Camellias, 
Magnolias, <fcc., and, of course, a multitude of dwarf trees, 
Avithout which no Chinese garden would be considered 
complete. In the alcove alluded to there are some nice 
stone seats, which look cool in a climate like that of 
southern China. The floor of this building is raised a few 
feet above the ground level, so that the visitor gets a good 
vieAv of the water and other objects of interest in the 
garden. That this is a favourite lounge and smoking-place 
with the Chinese, the following Chinese notice, which we 
found on one of the pillars, will testify:—“ A careful and 
earnest notice : This garden earnestly requests that visitors 
will spit betle * outside the railing, and knock the ashes of 
pipes also outside.” Several fine fruit trees and others are 
growing near the walks, and afford shade from the rays 
of the sun. On one of these we read the following:— 
“ Ramblers here will be excused plucking the fruit on this 
tree.” How exceedingly polite! 
Near the centre of the garden stands a substantial 
summer-house, or hall, named “ the Hall of Fragrant 
Plants.” The same notice to smokers and chewers of 
betle-nut is also put up here; and there is another and a 
longer one which I must not forget to quote. It is this :— 
“ In this garden the plants are intended to delight the 
eyes of all visitors: a great deal has been expended in 
planting and in keeping in order, and the garden is now 
beginning to yield some return. Those who come here to 
saunter about are earnestly prayed not to pluck the fruit or 
flowers, in order that the beauty of the place may be 
preserved.” And then follows a piece of true Chinese 
politeness—“We beg persons who understand this notice to 
excuse it! ” Passing through the Hall of Fragrant Plants 
we approached, between two rows of Olea fragrans, a fine 
ornamental suite of rooms tastefully furnished and de¬ 
corated, in which visitors are received and entertained. An 
inscription informs us that this is called “the Fragrant 
Hall of the Woo-che tree.” Leaving this place by a narrow 
door, we observed the following notice :—“ Saunterers here 
will be excused entering.” This apparently leads to the 
private apartments of the family. In this side of the 
garden there is some fine artificial rockwork, which the 
Chinese know well how to construct, and various summer¬ 
houses tastefully decorated, one of which is called the 
“Library of Verdant Purity.” Between this part of the 
garden and the straight walk already noticed there is a 
small pond or lake for fish and Water Lilies. This is 
crossed by a zigzag wooden bridge of many arches, which 
looked rather dilapidated. A very necessary notice Avas put 
up here informing “ saunterers to stop their steps in case 
of accident.” 
On the outskirts of the garden we observed the potting 
sheds, a nursery for rearing young plants and seeds, and 
the kitchen garden. Here a natural curiosity was pointed 
out by one of the Chinese, which, at first sight, appeared 
singularly curious. Three trees were growing in a row, 
and at about twenty or thirty feet from the ground the two 
outer ones had sent out shoots, and fairly united themselves 
with the centre one. When I mention that the outer trees 
are the Chinese Banyan ( Ficus nitida ), it will readily be 
seen how the appearance they presented was produced. 
The long roots sent down by this species had lovingly 
embraced the centre tree, and appeared at first sight to 
have really grafted themselves upon it. 
I am afraid I have given a very imperfect description of 
this curious garden. Those who know what a Chinese 
garden is will understand me well enough, but it is really 
difficult to give a stranger an idea of the Chinese style 
which I have been endeavouring to describe. In order to 
understand the Chinese style of gardening it is necessary 
to dispel from the mind all ideas of fine lawns, broad walks, 
and extensive views; and to picture in their stead every¬ 
thing on a small scale—that is, narroAv-paved walks, dwarf 
walls in all directions, with lattice-Avork or ornamental 
openings in them, >in order to give views of the scenery 
beyond ; halls, summer-houses, and alcoves, ponds or small 
lakes with zigzag walks over them—in short, an endeavour 
to make small things appear large, and large things small, 
and everything Chinese. There are some of these orna¬ 
ments, however, which I think might be imitated with 
advantage in our oavu gardens. Some of the doorways and 
openings in walls seemed extremely pretty. In particular 
I may notice a wall about ten feet high, having a number of 
open compartments filled with porcelain rods made to 
imitate the stems of the bamboo. I shall now close this 
notice with the modest lines of the Chinese poet, Avhich we 
found written in the “ Library of Verdant Purity,” and 
* Betle-nut is much used by the southern Chinese 
