159 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, Jtoe 15, 1858. 
thermometers, and can recommend them most strongly for 
steady and correct action : what we admire so much is, 
that both of those we have always indicate the same, showing 
how carefully they have been made according to the same 
standard. Messrs. Negretti and Zambra also exhibited a col- 
; lection of similar instruments. 
In a long tent in front of the glass walls, was a large col: 
lection of pumps, India-rubber hosing, and fountain designs, 
from Messrs. Warner and Son. Alongside of this, we observed 
an extensive stock of garden implements of all kinds, from 
Messrs. Deane’s, of London Bridge, amongst which the Paxton 
watering-pot particularly attracted our notice. The nozzle, 
or rose, instead of being merely slipped on, is screwed on by a 
thread screw, so that it cannot fall off; and the bottom of the 
spout, on the inside of the pot, is covered with a cone, per¬ 
forated with holes smaller than those of the rose, so that it is 
impossible for the latter ever to fill up. 
The boilers, both in number and variety, are perfectly be¬ 
wildering, and each thinks his own the best. This is a subject 
I on which we shall not attempt to give an opinion, as it is im¬ 
possible to say how any boiler will answer till it has been tried. 
Many unforeseen circumstances may arise, which, in practice, 
would render any boiler, however theoretically perfect, entirely 
worthless ; but that our readers may get some idea of the con¬ 
struction of these apparatus, we shall from time to time take 
notice of the most important, illustrated with engravings. 
A GLANCE AT GORHAMBUHY. 
This massive and elegant residence of the Earl of 
Verulam, is placed in a commanding position, in the 
centre of a splendid park, well furnished with noble 
: spe€imens of Oak, and other timber, and at the dis- 
| tance of about two miles from St. Albans, to which 
there is now a branch, rail from Watford. A massive 
dignity is given to the mansion, not only by its 
size, but also by the fact, that whilst many other 
fine houses in the county are built with brick, and, 
perhaps, painted in imitation of stone, this is wholly 
built, or cased, with the real material. The entrance- 
hall is reached by a wide and lofty flight of steps ; and, 
from the platform at the top, fine peeps are obtained of 
the Abbey, and other churches, and principal buildings 
of St. Albans,—especially at those periods of the year 
when the dense foliage of the fine timber does not 
prevent the eye sweeping over the park, and the in¬ 
teresting, from association, valley of the Yer, to rest 
upon the heights of St. Albans. 
This entrance-front faces the east; the offices are 
clustered on the north side. Inclosing these, and 
proceeding a considerable distance, a close fence 
bounds a large space of ground for walks and shrub¬ 
bery ; then, turning to the west and the south, 
shuts in a space, on the west side of the mansion, of 
! about sixty yards, and considerably wider to the 
| south, for flower and ornamental gardening. A stone 
fence separates the park from this flower garden, for 
at least the width of the west front; the mode of 
doing so will presently be alluded to. Beyond that 
j west front—say, perhaps, five hundred yards distant— 
is placed the large kitchen garden, surrounded, also, 
i with a similar close fence, which furnishes wide slips 
i round the walled part of the garden. On what I 
suppose to be the south-east side of this kitchen 
garden, the side next to St. Albans, are the interesting 
ruins of the mansion of the great Lord Bacon, peeps 
! at which can be obtained from Various parts of the 
pleasure ground. The mansion, garden, and pleasure 
grounds stand upon an elevated plateau, not much 
different as respects their level. Keeping these faint 
traces in view, the youngest reader will be able to 
follow me, 
Few places have been more improved in a short 
time, both as respects ornamental and profitable gar¬ 
dening, than Gorhambury, under the management of 
our old friend, Mr. Bogue. In thus glancing at 
gardens, if the expressed opinions of others are at , 
all to be looked upon as a guide, I must come to the ! 
conclusion, that the mere expression of satisfaction 
has been less valued than what has been advanced in 
the way of criticism and suggestion. I will endeavour 
to meet both circumstances in the present case. 
In the pleasure grounds are some fine specimens of 
Cedars, &c., some forty years of age, but they were 
blocked up and concealed, as to tlieir beauty, by 
masses of Laurels, &c. These have been rehC ve d> 
and beds for flowers and Hoses, &c., too near theU 1 * 
turfed over to give expanse and freedom. Hound tho 
south and west front of this noble mansion, a narrow 
walk passes, leaving, perhaps, ten or twelve feet of 
turf between it and the walls. This small space WftS 
frittered thickly over with flower-beds, and standard 
Hoses, just as might be done in a little suburban 
garden. These have all been cleared away, and, so far, 
a freedom and dignity given to the mansion. Along 
the west side, fronting the offices, are some ornamental 
buildings, in the shape of dairy, Ac. These now stand 
out as they ought to do, instead of being shut up, 
out of sight, by Laurels. Beyond these, and nearly at 
right angles with the mansion, is an architectural con¬ 
servatory, with some flower-beds in front of it, clus¬ 
tered round a fountain, and that fountain canopied and 
pyramided with climbing Hoses on pillars and chains. 
This, one of the finest features of the place, was shut 
in, and lost most of its beauty from want of space 
around it. The intervening objects have been cleared 
away, and now that pyramidal bower of Hoses over 
the fountain, and the conservatory, form fine features 
from any point of the west garden front. This west- 
front lawn, for at least the width of that front of the 
house, is bounded by a wide gravel walk, from two to 
three feet above the level at the lawn close to the 
house. This lawn proceeded level for a considerable 
distance, and then curved gently upwards to the height 
of the walk, whilst shrubs and beds were scattered, 
promiscuously, here and there, on that space. The 
whole of that space has been cleared, and the curve of 
the lawn to the wide walk removed, by substituting a 
steep bank in its place, which gives it a more defined 
artistic form. The whole lawn is now, therefore, level. 
A walk from the front of the house goes across it to 
this raised walk, where stone steps are placed ; and 
on each side of this central walk is a neat, well- 
arranged flower garden. Under present circumstances, 
I do not see what more could be done, in the way of 
improving this lawn, unless it would be the altogether 
removing, or throwing into a group, some scattered 
tree Hoses between, the flower-beds and the conser¬ 
vatory. 
The first improvement that suggests itself, would be 
with the west front of the mansion. That, as respects 
beauty and proportion, is almost as elegant as the 
entrance-front. The principal rooms are situated there. 
The noble columns, with their Corinthian capitals, are 
equally massive; but their proportions are destroyed 
by a verandah, such as we might expect at a house 
bordering the Green Park, cutting the columns, as it 
were, in two. That, I understand, is to be removed ; and 
when that is done, and a massive staircase, with stone 
balustrades, substituted for the present staircase, the 
effect Avill be more telling and magnificent. 
In general, I am no admirer of great breadths of 
gravel; but, considering the size of the mansion, tho 
walk near it might be nearly doubled in width with 
propriety. 
I have mentioned the moving the beds from the side 
of the house. If it was deemed necessary to have 
flower-beds on the south side of the house, as well as 
the two groups on the west lawn alluded to, then a 
