276 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, February 2, 1858. 
of course, the pruning will have to be carried out, if | 
not already done. The pruning of this useful fruit is j 
,t> Ln-'erl on very similar principles to that of th. j 
, y. i he basis oi tl. 
Liao:. 0 - rather weak ; it so, tuim;mg • ; ui, aau. j 
even reducing the older and the leaner extremities, 
must be practised, if only for the sake of reducing 
the volume of the bush; and, indeed, to give the sap 
less distance to travel. But, under all circumstances, 
there is generally a great number of twigs that require 
removal: certainly, no two twigs should be allowed to 
touch each other ; but should be at least from two to 
three inches apart. As to shortening, the process is 
forced upon us occasionally. We do not shorten, as a 
principle needed by the Black Currant; and, indeed, 
it is seldom necessary, except on tall and gawky 
branches, which are averse to the general character of 
the bush, and are become somewhat lean and too 
high for our design. As to the young spray, shorten¬ 
ing must, by all means, be avoided. To shorten Black 
Currants as Gooseberries, would be to choke the bush 
with succulent and gross shoots in the interior—rob¬ 
bing and shading the fruitful portions. As in other 
bush fruit, care should be taken to remove such watery 
shoots* and to let the bearing be carried out where the 
light and the air can act. Allroot-suckers must be cut 
and scraped clear away. 
I may now r make a few r remarks on fruit-tree plant¬ 
ing, which must be soon completed as far as the 
affairs of this spring are concerned. 
Let me here point to the importance of using loamy 
soil as a part of the compost employed ; old garden 
soils can never, employed alone, promote that healthi¬ 
ness and fruitfulness that the addition of maiden loams 
will do. I again recommend the platform mode as the 
most certain, the most economical, and as generally 
satisfactory. By this plan, the trees are always under 
the most perfect control, as far as the root is concerned. 
Root-pruning may at any time be performed with ease, 
and in the most definite way ; and as for the ripening 
of the wood, there need be no doubts on that head. It 
is always shorter-jointed on pJatforms, and that is a 
point of material importance. By this practice there 
is less occasion to consume the rich turf of the old 
pasture : a platform four feet square, composed of 
fresh loam, tolerably adhesive, well blended with at 
least equal proportions of good garden soil, and if not 
turfy, some strawy manure mixed with it, will be 
found sufficient; and half a dozen barrows of this 
loam will suffice for almost any tree. 
It. Ebeikgton. 
HEXTON HOUSE. 
This compact, beautiful residence of Mrs. Latour, is 
about seven miles from Hitchin station, and a similar 
distance from Luton; and is situated at about the 
lowest point, and at the extreme end of a beautiful 
valley ; extending northwards and north-eastwards to, 
and beyond Silsoe, which is also about seven miles dis¬ 
tant. As the ground rises gently even to the north¬ 
wards, and the site of the mansion is at no great dis¬ 
tance from the Hexton and Pegsden Hills, and the fine 
elevated plateau of Lilley Hoo, to the southwards ; 
whilst it is bounded to the west, by the Hexton and 
Barton Hills ; the w hole demesne may be said to be 
self-contained, depending rather on internal associa¬ 
tions for its interest, than to the scenery beyond its 
boundary, as seen from the vicinity of the mansion. 
The effect as to scenery is very different, when from 
any of these heights, and at no great distance, you 
look down upon the mansion, offices, and gardens, 
clustered within a few r hundred yards of each other ; 
and yet sufficiently separated and distinct, peeping 
through the surrounding woodlands, or upon the 
village basking in the sunshine— tin v< ry sheltered 
j • on .oil. j a v j •; ' ‘ill: rt ; i-■' epuii 
me neat little ehuieh, anu its v\ til-kept grave-yard, 
j ust, perhaps, a little too sombre, from the number of its 
Yews and Cypresses ; or upon the picturesque white 
school-house, telling that here, the means of placing 
the best of all fortunes within the reach of the young, 
have not been neglected ; or, when raising your eyes, 
and looking straight before you, they rest upon a 
landscape quite as extended, and only inferior in rich¬ 
ness and magnificence, to that seen from the front of 
the Palace at Sydenham. 
Some of these heights (the bases of all of which are 
chalk) are also interesting in themselves. Lilley Hoo 
(without alluding to antiquarian jottings), is not so 
celebrated for its rich pasturage, though a very 
favourite sheep ground, as, from its being situated at 
an equal distance from Luton and Hitchen, it has long 
been a favourite rendezvous for summer parties, and 
the enjoying of those free and easy, and generally 
harmless recreations, understood by the term of 
“ Going a Gipsying.” Ho wrnnder that such a place 
has many pleasant associations for young friends ; and 
that even some, whose once raven locks are now dotted 
with grey, should look back to it with fond recollec¬ 
tions, reminding them of the period when those 
wonderful and valuable commodities—human hearts, 
were lost and won ; or, more properly speaking, by 
some wonderful alchymy, two became thoroughly 
blended into one. 
Hear the northern end of the Hoo, a fine view is 
obtained of the extended landscape referred to, em¬ 
bracing, it is said somewdiere about forty miles in 
extent. At the extreme end, and just looking down 
on the village of Pegsden, the near neighbour to 
Hexton, is a huge natural cutting in the hill, called 
Pegsden Barns, which is much visited still; but 
which was a greater wonder before w^e became so 
accustomed to the large artificial cuttings for our rail¬ 
ways. In going from Lilley to Hexton, two or more 
such cuttings may be seen in other chalk hills, the 
sides smooth and covered with herbage; the bottom 
part also smooth and level, and generally cultivated, 
presenting altogether such a finished appearance, as w r e 
should expect a railway engineer to leave behind him, 
wlien, after preparing the ground for his rails through 
part ol a deep cutting, he had for some reason suddenly 
abandoned his wmrk. The open end of all these 
natural cuttings, abuts on to low level ground. How 
have such cuttings been formed ? Have they been 
cleared out by a sweep of diluvial waters? The 
Barton Hills are distinguished for wild plants, and 
especially for large quantities of the Anemone fiul- 
satilla. Botanists, I believe, may roam over them, on 
applying for permission from the worthy rector of 
Barton, the Rev. Dr. F. Foord Bowes. 
From the indicated position of the mansion, it will 
be apparent, that if w ater can be obtained at all, it 
will here be devoted to an ornamental purpose ; and a 
beautiful lake, close (rather too close), to the south 
side of the mansion, will prevent the ardent lover of ' 
water in the landscape, from being disappointed. 
A very pretty avenue, nearly a mile in length, and j 
which will be more interesting every year, leads from 
the village of Pegsden ; but I am best acquainted with | 
the entrance from Hexton, on the north side. From 
the gate to the mansion is only a few hundred yards. 
Shortly after entering, the road forks into tw r o ; that 
on the east side going up to the north side of the 
mansion ; that on the west passing by and commu¬ 
nicating with a large kitchen garden, and going on to 
the stables; whilst a cross road joins the approach j 
