THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, September 7, 1858. 
and flower well. Edging plants were in most cases 
light-coloured, compact-growing ones, or such as were 
made to be so. Nevertheless, blue was occasionally- 
used ; but its contrast with the turf was not so good 
as the variegated Alyssum, and other plants that way. 
One bed I noticed, being edged with Cerastium tomen- 
tosum, looked very well, though not better than the 
Cineraria maritima, which was also extensively used 
as an edging, or for striped purposes ; but I only 
noted down a few examples. One was a circular bed 
of Calceolaria amplexicaulis, with an edging of purple 
Senecio ; another of Heliotrope and Sarah Verbena 
(a Rose-striped variety), edged with Gazania unijlora, 
a white-leaved, yellow-flowered plant, not so much 
used as it deserves. A Rose-coloured Geranium was 
edged with an upright-growing, blue-flowering Ver¬ 
bena. Scarlet Geraniums were edged many ways, but 
none looked better than that with Cineraria maritima , 
and some variegated Geraniums were extensively used 
as edging plants. 
Near to the mansion, and facing it on one side, was 
a sunken panel of about 150 or 200 feet square, and 
depressed about four feet or more. This area was di¬ 
vided into an arrangement of beds of simple figures, 
which were all planted with low-growing plants, of 
which Mr. Eisli had enlisted all the known kinds into 
I his service, and the colours were so blended as to give 
| a pleasing feature to the whole. Yet it must be con¬ 
fessed that this feature in the garden was of necessity 
somewhat confused, owing to the beds occupying so 
much space as to leave but little room between them, 
there being, I believe, about 80 beds in this compart¬ 
ment. But adjoining the grass terrace, which sur¬ 
rounded it on two sides, was another beautiful ribbon 
border, forming the outer boundary to the terrace on 
the two sides. It was composed of different plants 
from the one mentioned above, it being designed to be 
viewed at a distance, and was planted as follows :— 
Eirst row near grass terrace—Geranium, Brillante. 
Second row—Calceolaria, rugosa (yellow). 
Third row—Dahlia, Zelinda (dwarf purple). 
Eourth row—Pentstemon (white) 
Fifth row— Salvia fulgens. 
This border looked well, in spite of some imperfec¬ 
tion in the line of Calceolaria. The Dahlia also 
looked very well, while the Pentstemon and Salvia 
overtopped it; and, being mostly viewed from an 
oblique direction, the whole had a good effect. Other 
beds in the grounds were occupied by plants of a more 
permanent character, as an edging of Ivy, with an 
inner lining of Cineraria maritima and mixed plants ; 
while distant borders were bristling with Hollyhocks 
and Dahlias, and Roses were grouped in various di¬ 
rections. The grounds being slightly undulating gave 
scope for various arrangements, and all reflect great 
credit on Mr. Fish’s management. 
In a chalky soil, like the one here, it is needless to 
say that everything could not thrive alike well, and 
one which seemed to fail, as well as in other places, 
was the Calceolaria, which, with the exception of 
the amplexicaulis variety, was less satisfactory 
than other things. But Mr. Fish had not depended 
on these for his ribbon beds, except the C. amplexi¬ 
caulis, which did very well. It is somewhat unfortu¬ 
nate, but nevertheless true, that the hitherto useful 
varieties of this plant, as C. viscosissima, Aurea jlori- 
bunda , and all the shrubby and half shrubby kinds,— 
both yellow, dark, and mixed-coloured,— are failing 
very much all over the country. Mr. Fish thinks of 
trying the oldest species again, C. angustifolia ; with 
what success will, no doubt, be duly reported in The 
Cottage Gardener. 
Having drawn this article to a greater length than 
I intended, it is only just to say, that the Grape- 
363 
houses, conservatory, kitchen garden, and other de¬ 
partments, were equally as well managed as the flower 
garden, and each deserving a separate notice ; only as 
the flower garden at the present season (August) is 
the most prominent feature in most places, I make no 
apology for describing what is done at Putteridge Bury, 
excepting so far as my narrative falls short of convey¬ 
ing the real merits of the place. J. Robson. 
THE MIRABELLE PLUM. 
A pew years ago, when in France, I was much struck with 
the great quantities of this Plum cultivated by the French 
gardeners, and I remember particularly being told by the 
royal gardener at Versailles, that it was a great favourite with 
Louis Philippe and family, and that it was used solely for 
compotes and preserves. I soon after planted a row of trees, 
bushes, and pyramids, and now have the pleasure of seeing 
them full of their pretty fruit, which are oval, about the size 
of Damsons, and of a bright yellow, spotted with red. My 
trees have been lifted biennially in November, and replanted in 
the same places, so that they are compact, and most orna¬ 
mental. I am really loath to gather the fruit. 
This sort must not be confounded with Mirabolan or Cherry 
Plum. It is called in France Mirabelle petite , and Mira- 
belle de Metz , where it is cultivated to a great extent. It is 
most delicious when cooked, either in tarts, compotes , or 
puddings, and makes a fine preserve, with or without 
sugar. 
In deep, rich soils it forms a small tree, if left to make its 
full growth; but it makes a nicer garden tree if removed 
biennially, for then it will not occupy a larger space in the 
garden than a good-sized Gooseberry bush,— Prunus. 
PEARS IN LANCASHIRE. 
Being a Lancashire man,I read with much interest the letter 
of your correspondent on Lancashire Pear growing. But far 
more may be done in Lancashire, in the way of Pears, than 
your correspondent gives your readers reason to suppose. He 
does not even mention the Winter Nelis , which is second only 
to the Marie Louise ; and the Crassane and Aston Town are 
excellent, especially the latter, either with or without a wall. 
I hope before long to send you a list of really good Pears from 
Lancashire.—W. C. 
HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY’S GARDENS, 
CHISWICK. 
[To refute “Censor,” who says, we “are not sustained in 
our condemnation of the mode of a late appointment; ” and 
for the information of “ II. W.,” who asserts that “ Mr. Archi¬ 
bald Henderson is a man of very superior qualifications,” v r e 
insert the following from the Scottish Gardener , adding 
that we have given no opinion upon Mr. Henderson’s qualifi¬ 
cations. What we condemned, and still condemn, is the ap¬ 
pointment of a successor to Mr. McEwen, without asking 
competitors to come forward. It was an underground mode 
of proceeding, savouring of the old days of misrule ; and, we 
hear, that it was firmly opposed by tw r o members of the 
Council, whose opinions ought to have made the Council 
pursue a different course.--E ds. C. G.] 
“ Some two years ago, as our readers are aware, an extraordi¬ 
nary effort was made to restore the London Horticultural 
Society and its gardens from the disgraceful plight into which 
they had fallen through extravagance and mismanagement. 
It was decided upon, as one great indispensable, to secure the 
services of a horticulturist of extensive practice and acknow¬ 
ledged and proved abilities, combined with conciliatory and 
gentlemanly manners, and of good education. Accordingly 
such a person was advertised for repeatedly, in the columns of 
the Gardeners' Chronicle , the salary offered being £150 
a-year. No one came forward who was considered suitable for 
so onerous and important a task as that which, after so much 
stir had been made, the country expected to be accomplished 
