325 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, August 30, 1859. 
as scarlet Geraniums, and red and wliite Fuchsias in the centre. 
For instance: the middle bed on each side is a large mass of the 
: scarlet Geranium Punch, blended down to the stone edging with 
a white nosegay Geranium. Raising the centre in this manner 
• does away with anything like tameness, and allows of far greater 
| variety than could be obtained by having the beds flat. We 
) should imagine, that although these beds do not cover a large 
area, yet from the mode in which they are laid out, they contain 
sufficient flowers for a rather large garden. 
On the south side of the mansion, surrounded with a terrace 
of grass and gravel, is a sunk Italian garden, about three feet and 
a half below the general level. The beds, eighty in number, are 
circular, and square in form, divided from each other by grass 
paths, radiating from a fountain and basin in the centre. These 
beds are filled with contrasting colours of scarlet, white, yellow, 
purple, orange, and blue, of various shades, and so similar in 
height, that from every point the eye takes in the whole. Oppo¬ 
site these, and along the sides of a walk, are a series of raised 
beds, about fifteen inches above the general level, with a large 
hoop over each, so as to resemble baskets, the hoops being 
covered with beautiful creeping plants. Each bed is filled with 
three rings of contrasted colour; and the raised edging is hidden 
by masses of pretty small Nasturtiums of various colours ; and 
Convolvulus minor allowed to form huge' natural-like wreaths. 
In the centre of the lawn is an avenue of beds, formed of circles 
of five feet and ten feet alternately, there being twenty-four beds 
on each side of the avenue, the two opposite beds being planted 
alike. To produce variety these are all planted in the pyramidal 
style, and with three or four distinct colours in each bed. To 
give an idea of the exquisite beauty of these beds we would 
mention that two of them have a white Brugmansia in the centre, 
some five feet in height, then a fringe through the large leaves of 
scarlet Salvia, then a ring of bluish Ageratum, then two rows of 
yellow Calceolaria, with a double row of Flower of the Day j 
'Geranium next the grass. This avenue is terminated by a mound, 
with Roses on pillars and chains, enclosing seven beds of low- 
growing plants, each edged with a contrasting colour. Nearly 
opposite to this, and close to some stately Elms, is another group 
of beds, each of one colour, but the level outline broken by large 
plants of scarlet Geraniums, Fuchsias, and Cassia corymbosa 
placed in the centre of each bed. 
But of all the beauties in the garden the marvellous ribbon- 
borders probably excite the most surprise and admiration ; and 
certainly not without reason. The largest, backed by a wall of 
Roses, Myrtles, Magnolias, &c., is about 3-10 feet in length, with 
seven unbroken lines of colour from end to end. Without for a 
moment pretending to describe this border, we will merely name 
the manner in which it is planted. Between the gravel path and 
the border is a neat grass edging. The rows of flowers are then 
ranged in the following order:—1st, a line of Golden Chain 
' Geranium; 2nd, a line of Purple King \ erbena; 3rd, one of 
the Brilliant Scarlet Geranium; 4th, a line of white Verbena 
Mrs. Holford; 5th, a row of the Mrs. Colville Geranium, Purple 
Nosegay; 6th, a row of yellow Calceolaria amplexicaulis; 7th, 
a magnificent line of the Trentham Pose Geranium. These 
present a uniform sloping bank from back to front. The oppo¬ 
site border, which presents two sloping banks, is partially planted 
in the same way ; the centre is raised, and the sides drop down 
to the grass. AY hat greatly adds to the beauty of the latter 
border, along the centre is a line of iron pillars, connected with 
festooned chains; and up these pillars, and along these chains, 
climbers—especially the Tropceolum pentapliyllum^oxo allowed 
to dangle with a careless freedom. 
Beyond the Elm trees already noticed are groups of Dahlias, 
not yet come to perfection (and seeming to invite us to an in- | 
spection when they shall bo “fit to receive visitors ”), and recesses 
in shrubberies, with masses of Hollyhocks, fronted with tall and 
dwarf Dahlias, edged with China Asters, &c.; and rock gardens, , 
and alpine gardens add then* sombre attractions as a contrast to 
i those of their more showy companions. 
Would that we could supplement this meagre enumeration of 
the floral beauties of Putteridge, with such a description of them 
as would create in the minds of those who have not witnessed 
them a feeling of admiration equal to our own ; but on this head 
we can only say that we question whether Mr. Fish himself, 
notwithstanding his great descriptive powers (of which he gave 
i evident proof in a course of lectures kindly delivered in this town, 
and still gives in his able contributions to professional and other 
publications) could depict in w T ords the fair scene which his 
conception of the beautiful and hie practical skill have called into 
existence. In saying that nothing in our neighbourhood (,at 
least, nothing that the public are permitted to have an oppor¬ 
tunity to form an opinion upon) can vie with Putteridge Gar¬ 
dens, we but faintly express our idea of the ability manifested 
in every part of these delightful grounds, which confer the 
greatest honour on both the proprietor and the artist. Nor 
would we forget the humbler labourers in the magic sphere— 
those who carry out the plans of Mr. Fish —certes they must be 
proud of their chief; and signs are not wanting that their portion 
of the work is performed con amove, under the conviction that 
their services are thoroughly appreciated. 
We may notice here, that during the three days of admission, 
nearly 4000 persons were privileged to pay their devotions at 
the shrine of Flora; and to show the superiority of these to 
grosser pleasures, it may be affirmed that not one returned dis¬ 
appointed. 
Mr. Fish once told us that it gives him pleasure to think that 
Putteridge was about the first large garden opened to the public 
without any control being exercised over the visitors. This took 
place several years before the Exhibition of 1851, which showed 
so clearly how our often-maligned countrymen might be trusted. 
When the gardens were first opened the period extended over 
some two months, and a man was sent out with each party. 
Two reasons soon led to the giving up of such a practice—1st, 
the drain on the time, and the unsettling the men from their 
ordinary work; 2nd, the keeping back many of the humbler 
classes who had eyes and perceptions for the orderly and the 
beautiful, and who might see in the person of au attendant a 
reason for clubbing for a gratuity they could ill spare. In giving 
notice, therefore, of the grounds beiug open, “to the public” 
was substituted for “visitors,” and there being no attendants, 
every person respectably dressed was free to enter and free to go ; 
and, as a consequence, great numbers of our hard-working 
friends, in their holiday attire, have availed themselves of the 
privilege; and so well have they conducted themselves, that, 
with the exception of the remains of a paper bag or two, which 
might have been put out of sight, or left outside (no pic-nics 
being contemplated), the grounds on the following morning have 
shown no traces that they had been traversed by so many hun¬ 
dreds of persons. It is only what has been demonstrated over 
and over again—that when people have the sense of honour fairly 
appealed to, it is seldom the appeal is made in vain. 
RENEWING HEAT IN OLD HOTBEDS. 
J3Y J. S. HOUGHTON, M.D. 
Dn. Uhleii renewed the heat of old hotbeds by pouring into 
them a hot solution of glue, distillery swill, &c., nitrogenous 
and rapidly decomposing substances, which act as a sort of 
yeast, or fermenting agents, to excite decomposition in the sub¬ 
stance of the beds. 
I accomplished the same thing, using a hot solution of potash 
in a partially caustic state. The circumstances were these :— 
I had several hundred feet of hotbeds devoted to the raising 
of early vegetables and plants for market. In midwinter my 
gardener informed me that the beds were declining in heat, and 
that, if not speedily attended to, we should lose the entire labour 
of the season. We were ten miles from the city, on the river, 
which was frozen over, and travelling was bad. We had no 
manure on hand, and could not obtain any without great labour 
and expense: and even if we had, it would not produce sufficient 
heat in time to save the beds. I immediately turned to chemistry 
for aid. We had collected several hundred horse-loads of oak 
and pine leaves (chiefly what is called pine straw) which lay in 
a heap near the hotbeds, covered and mixed with snow and ice. 
To excite a heat sufficient for hotbeds, in this unpromising 
mass, in midwinter, might seem a hopeless task. But I re¬ 
solved to try it, by the aid of potash in hot solution. I did so, 
and succeeded perfectly. The snow and ice in the heap served 
the purpose of water; and the heap speedily showed a good 
heat, and formed an admirable lining for the hotbeds. I poured 
the same solution into the hotbeds themselves, and in a few 
days we had heat enough and to spare. 
I will add a few practical hints, upon the use of potash, soda- 
ash, and other alkalies to excite heat in old hotbeds, and the 
means of increasing the power of these agents, when great heat 
is required, or when the temperature of the air is very low, and 
the beds very old and very cold. . 
Potash and lye from wood-ashes are the same, as everybody 
