94 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, November 15, 1859. 
had the good sense to plant the trees level with the surrounding 
surface. The old soil was removed six feet wide and half a yard 
deep, and the holes filled up with the compost—left a trifle 
higher to allow for settling; and then the trees as soon as they 
arrived, after soaking their roots in water, were planted, and 
properly secured to stakes. So well was this business managed 
that, though the trees came all the way from Slough, and averaged 
nearly five feet in height, everyone of them grew, and is living now. 
The trees made growth last year, and stood the winter unscathed 
by the frost. Then, in April, as is well known, came the sharp, 
cutting, frosty winds which destroyed all, or nearly all, the early 
blossoms, and the young shoots of even our hardiest trees. Of 
course, the Deodars suffered also ; but those on this avenue did 
not suffer so very severely, though so much exposed; for it is a 
fact, that too much protection is equally as injurious to the early 
young shoots of trees and shrubs as too little. More genial 
weather succeeded these nipping spring frosts, and the Deodars 
soon put forth fresh shoots and leaves, and are now as healthy as 
need be desired. I consider this avenue is now quite safe, and 
the fact is established, that this fine tree is well adapted by its 
graceful habit for the purpose to which it has been applied here. 
As a matter of course, each time I visited this place to note 
the progress of the Deodars, I indulged myself with a peep into 
the gardens. Though not so extensive as some places that I have 
described, yet, under the persevering and never-relaxing care of 
Mr. Houghton, the sight is always a pleasing one. 
The range of hothouses consists of a stove thirty feet long, 
with a path in the centre dividing a pit filled with bark, in which 
three rows of fruiting Pine Apples are grown very finely ; and a 
platform next the front window, on which I noted some well- 
grown Lycopods and many nice young specimens of stove plants. 
Advantage is taken of the bark-bed to grow plunged in it at each 
end such plants as require bottom heat at certain stages of their 
growth. I noted particularly a good plant of Dipladenia 
Iloutteana trained on a balloon-shaped wire trellis, and in full 
flower. The colour is a delicate pale rose in the centre, deepen¬ 
ing in colour towards the margin, which is almost of a crimson 
hue; also, an equally good and better-bloomed D. acuminata. 
The flowers of which, forty in number on this plant, are of a 
deep, uniform rose colour. The question was asked which was 
the best: I could only say, they are both beautiful and equally 
worthy, and both distinct from each other and from the older 
D. crassinoda. There was also a promising specimen of the best 
of Allamandas—viz., grandijlora. 
Adjoining this stove there are two vineries, 52 ft. long by 
15 ft. wide, with rafters 18 ft. long. These houses were finished 
building in the early part of 1857, and the Vines were planted 
on the 1st of May in the same year; and so well have they grown 
that they now reach the top of the rafters, and are bearing a 
dozen bunches of good Grapes on each Vine,— certainly too 
heavy a crop for Vines of that age; but they were so strong the 
first year, and showed so well this year, that the temptation to 
leave so many could not be resisted. The shoots of the first year 
have been cut down to about half the length of the rafters, and 
they have not only borne and swelled well the crop, but have 
made equally strong leading-shoots above the bearing part this 
season. It is true, some of the Hamburghs are not of that deep 
black colour so desirable, yet they have ripened well, and no 
shanking is perceptible. I do think, however, that had half the 
number of bunches been left the colour would have been perfect 
and the berries larger. However, the Vines are strong enough, 
and, no doubt, the fruit will be good next year. I was, of course, 
desirous of learning how the borders were made, and of what 
materials to bring forth such a satisfactory result in so short a 
time. In the first place, the bottom of the border is covered 
with stone flags, then walls of brick are built across the border 
opposite the centre of each light, then iqjon the flags a layer of 
brickbats six inches thick, and upon that layer the soil, formed 
with turf pared one inch and a half thick from a pasture-field, 
thoroughly mixed with ground bones and a small addition of leaf 
mould. This soil is two teet and a half thick, and the border is 
fourteen feet wide. By this arrangement each Vine has its own 
separate space to grow in, and the bones gradually decomposing 
will give nourishment to the Vines for many years. It will be 
seen that every precaution has been taken to give the Vines a 
dry, substantial, lasting border, composed of soil neither grossly 
rich, nor too porous to the drought of summer. 
I saw this place in June this year, and witnessed a grand display 
of Calceolarias, large bushes of the best shrubby kinds, and large 
plants of seedling herbaceous varieties—and a very splendid show 
they made. Had any nurseryman such a lot of seedlings he might 
have selected a dozen or more of them, and sent them out as new 
varieties, honestly and worthily deserving of public patronage. 
The best varieties of Pelargoniums here are so well grown, that I 
am sure if they had been exhibited the cultivator would have 
obtained many prizes. They are now all cut down, the balls 
reduced, and repotted in small pots, and placed in a cold pit to 
start into growth, managed in the most approved method to 
form good plants well bloomed next year. In the same pits I 
noticed a considerable number of half-grown specimens of 
Boronias, Aphelexis, Pimeleas, Leschenaultias, and other New 
Holland Plants, low, dense bushes, that in a year or two must 
render the grower a formidable antagonist at the local exhibitions. 
At the other side of the garden there is a lean-to house behind 
a north wall. This is a most useful house. Every grower of 
plants ought to have one similarly situated. It answers several 
purposes : it serves to retard Azaleas from coming too early, and 
to prolong the season of bloom when they are in flower. In 
summer it is a fine receptacle for newly-potted New Holland 
plants and Heaths, protecting them from bright sun, heavy 
showers, and a too-liigh temperature. In it I noted many finely- 
formed specimens of such plants too numerous to particularise. 
In a corner near the vineries there is a novel kind of summer 
plant-house, formed with rafters and a front of uprights, the 
whole covered with oiled canvass. In this canvass-house the 
Calceolarias passed their blooming season, relieving the other 
houses greatly by their absence. As a temporary cheap summer¬ 
house for plants in bloom, such a place is very useful and by no 
means unsightly. 
The pleasure-grounds are not too extensive; and are, conse¬ 
quently, easily kept in the perfect order they are here. A small 
neat flower garden planted entirely with different coloured Ver¬ 
benas had a pleasant cheerful look. On the lawn there is a fine 
Holly ; and at its base a bed was raised about eight inches, the 
grass forming the support for the soil. This bed was planted 
with Tom Thumb Geranium, the glowing colours of the flowers 
contrasting splendidly with the dark-green foliage of the Holly. 
There is a raised terrace next to the mansion formed with a sloped 
bank of verdant green turf; and a gravel walk on the top orna¬ 
mented with elevated vases filled with bright scarlet Geraniums, 
rich yellow Calceolarias, and fringed with blue Lobelias. 
I understand it is in contemplation to put up a large house for 
stove and greenhouse plants to hold the handsome specimens as 
they advance in size, thus relieving the vineries from then* 
presence ; and then the Vines will receive the proper treatment 
they richly deserve. 
Oq looking over this paper I find I have omitted what our 
Editors require in all reports of places that we may visit—namely, 
their locality and the means of reaching them. Heath-bank 
House is near Cheadle in Cheshire, and an omnibus runs every 
hour from Manchester to that pleasant village. T. Appleby. 
LADY DOWNE’S SEEDLING AND FOSTER’S 
WHITE SEEDLING GRAPES. 
In the Gardeners' Chronicle for October 29th, 1859, p. 872, 
a statement is made that Lady Downe's Seedling Grape was 
raised at Benningborough Hall, in Yorkshire, the seat of the 
Hon. Payan Dawney, by the gardener, Mr. Foster, and that the 
original seedling, or parent plant, is still growing in one of the 
vineries at that place. Now, if that is true, how came it by the 
name of Lady Downe's Seedling ? It is also stated in the same 
communication, that it was raised along with another deliciously 
sweet White Grape, called Foster's White Seedling, and that 
both were raised at the same time, and from the same parents. 
Now, surely such a statement has something very paradoxical 
about it; but as little reliance can be placed on statements made 
by an anonymous w'riter in a newspaper, it may turn out in¬ 
correct ; still it should be set to rights if unfounded. 
It is generally understood that Lady Downe's Seedling had a 
different origin, and it is even thought by some persons as not 
distinct from Trentham Blade. Pray let us have your experience 
in the matter, and, at the same time use your influence in bring¬ 
ing the subject before the Pomological Society, which is the only 
reliable source we have, or can depend upon, at the present time. 
The Council of that Society I see is doing invaluable service to the 
horticultural public just now, in collecting together and investigat¬ 
ing, at the Society’s monthly meetings, all the different kinds of 
Grapes, both of foreign and home growth—a subject which will 
