THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION, September 8,1857. 357 
are the only replies I consider it necessary to give to 
several suggestions, such as that I might have noticed 
the position of the mansion; the scenery around it; 
the undulated character of the ground through which 
the approaches wind, and of which full advantage has 
been taken; the picturesque style of the park, heightened 
by groups of undergrowth, such as furze, &c.; the pretty 
peeps ot such scenery from the flower gardens, each of 
which is centred with a basin and fountain, the supply 
of water for which and also for the mansion is brought 
from a depth of 387 feet below the surface; the enormous, 
singular, and grotesque Yew in the churchyard at Privett; 
the pretty parsonage house, which I looked upon as 
only one among the many proofs of the munificent 
liberality of the worthy proprietor; and a beautiful 
avenue of Cypress that branched off to this church, 
formed of Cupressus Qoveniana and macrocarpa, backed 
by Pinus insignis, &c. 
Again, to a mass of such inquiries as, What is 
the width of the approaches, and what their depth of 
gravel? and are they, and how are they, bottomed "with 
rough material? What preparations were made, and 
what compost was used, for the avenues of Deodar and 
Araucaria? What is the size of the flower gardens, 
what their form, and how managed so as to introduce 
the fine specimens of evergreens, and thus to produce 
the- effect specified? What is the depth of the soil in 
the orchard house, and are the roots prevented getting 
down, or what means are used to keep them near the 
surface so as to secure stubby and healthy growth? 
What are the sizes of the pots most used for growing 
fruiting plants of the various stone fruits in ? and are 
they kept on a hard surface, or are the roots allowed to 
run through the pot, or are the pots partly plunged? 
and, if so, how are the roots used, and what becomes of 
them when it is necessary to move the pots, &c.? 
These are but a sample of the questions that have been 
put, and which, I am sorry to say, can only be satis¬ 
factorily solved by another visit at a future time from 
myself, or by one better qualified to give the subjects 
full justice, or, better still, by receiving a condensed 
report from Mr. Duncan himself when the long evenings 
leave him a little leisure from his multitudinous duties. 
The addenda I mean to allude to have reference to 
omissions, &c., respecting some of the points 1 noticed 
at the page referred to, and which are calculated, I 
imagine, to give practical hints to our readers. 
Approaches. —These from lodge to lodge are more 
than three miles in length. On the sides of that from 
the Alton road, in addition to the general picturesque 
effect and a number of fine, lofty specimens of Silver 
Firs, are a number of groups of Scotch Fir, each consist¬ 
ing of four or five trees planted so closely together as to 
give the group a spreading-like, Cedar of Lebanon cha¬ 
racter. This idea would be worthy of adoption in many 
places. I omitted to mention that the Araucaria and 
Deodar avenue from the Winchester road extends for 
more than a mile; that the varied scenery from that 
approach, over a rich, undulated valley, is very striking, 
with the famous South Downs and their grassy summits 
breaking the sky outline; that for a considerable dis¬ 
tance on each side of the lodge, in addition to the lines 
of Araucaria and Deodar, there are also lines behind 
them of Cryptomeria, Silver Cedar of Mount Atlas, and 
Donglasii; and yet, striking as the effect of this a few 
years hence must be, I have omitted to mention one fact 
especially gratifying to the eye of a painter, to every 
lover of variety, and, after the first expense, to every 
admirer of economy. The whole ground between these 
avenues, instead of being mown, is carpeted with the 
common Laurel, which will be allowed to grow from 
two to three feet in height. Even their shining green 
would produce a monotony, and therefore groups of 
Aucubas, Laurestinuses, Mahonias, Double Furzes, &c., 
are introduced, which will break the monotony of under¬ 
growth foliage, and, as tbeso again will be allowed to 
attain different heights above the Laurels, the whole 
of the undergrowth will present a varied, picturesque, 
light, airy appearance. 
Evergreen Garden. —Mr. Duncan informed me that 
this had given more impetus to forming a taste for beau¬ 
tiful trees and shrubs than anything else he had known. 
I mentioned the beautiful winding walks crossing each 
other nearly at right angles, a raised circle being formed 
at each point of junction, and having a fine specimen in 
its centre. I ought also to have stated that the various 
sweeps of the walks, and the spaces inclosed between 
them, were evidently made on a system of forethought 
and consideration as to the tribe of evergreens, destined 
for each of these separate sections and divisions. Thus 
several of these were devoted to Pinus, two to Abies, 
one to Picea, one respectively to Quercus ilex, Cedrus, 
Taxus, Ilex, Juniperus, Cupressus, Thuja, Cotoneaster, 
Alaternus, &c., and arranged so as to produce a varied 
and picturesque effect, and yet secure a systematic, 
scientific character. Every evergreen plant that will 
stand the climate finds a home here, and all are nicely 
labelled on galvanised labels, the botanic and popular 
name being written in clear but different type. I men¬ 
tioned, at page 275, how the ground was carpeted. This 
is chiefly done with Laurels in the centre, margined with . 
Berberis aquifolia, and monotony prevented by dotted 
groups of Furze and plants of variegated Holly, Aucuba, 
Laurestinus, and even climbing Roses allowed to ramble 
somewhat wildly. The Laurels, &c., will be kept just 
so low as, in connection with the inclinations of the 
ground between the walks, will prevent one walk being 
seen from another, a matter of great importance in garden 
scenery; and care will be taken that,however varied the 
carpeting so as to produce variety and light airiness of 
character, it will never be allowed to obtrude on the 
main specimens. This carpeting with evergreens, and 
yet securing variet 3 r of undergrowth, is a striking feature 
at Basing Park, and well worthy of consideration. Most 
of the grumblings about expenses amongst the em¬ 
ployers of gardeners arise not so much from a first 
outlay, or the getting a few new things, but from the 
continuous drain from a never-ceasing use of the scythe 
from April to November. 
Flower Gardens: Fountains. —I have incidentally 
noticed the fountain in the centre of each. I omitted 
noticing them at page 275. Even a pool of water is a 
pleasant object. It softens and mellows all in connec¬ 
tion with it. The spray from a fountain is delightful to 
the eye; the sound of its dropping, though unseen, is 
soothing melody to the ear. Who has not felt its lull¬ 
ing power as, on a bank of Daisies reclining, he builds 
airy castles, traverses fairy-land, and gets into regions 
of bliss, which he never sees amid the bustle and 
anxieties of public life? Men have slept soundly amid 
the battering welding of huge coppers and steam engines, 
and waked directly the hammering ceased. Just so here. 
Let the water stop its dropping, lulling sound, and your 
elysium is at once changed to a very ordinary bank, with 
its fair complement of ants, hornets, and wasps’ nests. 
To be thoroughly satisfactory fountains in a garden must 
throw out their water almost continuously. The position, 
also, should be such that the water may appear to come 
naturally from the surrounding heights. Hence the 
interest of the fountains and cascades at the Palace of 
the Peak (Chatsworth). The limpid current rolls down 
the hill; you know there is a lake reservoir on its 
summit; you see the huge pipe that supplies the 
Emperor fountain, and there is the beautiful Derwent 
below to receive the overflow. Place such a fountain 
on elevated ground, and supply it by means of force 
pumps, horse power, or steam engines, and the poetry 
and fitness of all are gone. I admired the basins in 
