772 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
August 8th, 1885. 
LANCASHIRE GARDENERS IN 
“ THE DUKERIES.” 
The annual picnic of the Manchester Horticultural 
Improvement Society took place on Thursday, July 
BOth, when seventy-five members and friends paid 
a visit to “the Dukeries,” and Sherwood Forest. 
Leaving Manchester by the 10 a.m. express, the party 
were quickly conveyed to Worksop Station. Here a 
short halt was made for refreshments, and at twelve 
o’clock seven waggonettes were in readiness, which 
comfortably seated the whole party, and a start was 
made for Clumber House, the seat of the Duke of 
Newcastle. The drive was through some of the most 
delightful and picturesque scenery which Sherwood 
Forest affords, and in passing through the magnificent 
park of Clumber the party stayed a short time to 
admire the grand Lime grove, three miles long, each 
tree in which is a perfect specimen of its kind. The 
Spanish Chestnuts, then in full blossom, were objects 
of interest, and in the grounds immediately adjoining 
the mansion the Cedars of Lebanon in all their 
massive grandeur were admired by all. Alighting 
from the carriages the grounds were traversed, the 
flower-garden examined, the kitchen-garden passed 
through with many a word of approval, and a run was 
taken through the houses. The Melons were superb, 
Pines and Figs excellent, and some young Vines were 
noticed coming away with great vigour, promising 
great things in a season or two, while the older Vines 
are bearing a heavy crop. Table plants and others of 
a decorative character are numerous and good, not 
forgetting a splendid lot of Calanthe Veitchii and 
Dendrobium crassinode, Wardianum, and others. 
Mr. Gleeson, the gardener-in-chief, kindly conducted 
the party through the various places of interest, and 
freely imparted any information that was desired. 
The carriages were again entered, and a start 
made for Thoresby, the seat of Earl Manvers, which 
is situated in an extensive and well-wooded park, 
stocked with numerous herds of deer. Arriving here, 
Mr. Henderson conducted the company through the 
houses and grounds, the visitors being much struck 
with the splendour of the surroundings and the 
admirable manner in which everything pertaining to 
gardening is carried on in this magnificent establish¬ 
ment. The flower-garden here is exceedingly well 
done, some large carpet beds filled for the most part 
with succulents, Coleus and Alternantheras being 
very effective. However, time for taking notes was 
very brief, we had to pass on towards Welbeck. 
Ere reaching this grand establishment we passed 
again through a portion of Sherwood Forest—- 
avenues of grand Oaks on either side, broad expanses 
of the common Bracken, with splendid fields of Corn 
and Barley almost ready for the reaping-machine. 
Passing the venerable Greendale Oak on the left, 
we reach Welbeck, the seat of the Duke of Portland, 
and under the guidance of Mr. Carr we proceeded 
through the well-kept grounds. Large circular beds 
of Boses full of bloom are first passed. On we go 
through the flower garden, and presently enter some 
of the glass erections, such as the Fernery, Bosery, 
&c., and then inspect the specimens in the Pinetum 
before passing into the vineries, Fig-houses, Melon- 
houses, &c., the kitchen-garden and pleasure grounds, 
and having a look at the famous riding-school, the 
stables, and numerous other objects of interest. The 
immense extent of the pleasure-grounds called forth 
many an exclamation of surprise and admiration, 
and the excellent manner in which they are kept 
reflects highly on the management of those in charge. 
Entering the vehicles again, and passing along one 
of the subterranean passages, we were soon on the 
road toWorksop again, passing The Manor on our right 
hand. Beaching the Lion Hotel by 6 p.m. in glorious 
sunshine, covered with dust and anxious for refresh¬ 
ment, a capital tea was spread and full justice 
was done to it. On the removal of the cloth, Mr. 
Bruce Findlay made some very appropriate remarks, 
and hearty votes of thanks were given to Mr. Gleeson, 
Mr. Henderson, and Mr. Carr for their kindness and 
attention in showing the party through their respec¬ 
tive establishments. On the motion of Mr. A. Stans- 
field a cordial vote of thanks was also given to Mr. B. 
Tait, Treasurer, and Mr. W. Swan, Hon. Sec., for 
carrying out the many details that had added so 
much to the enjoyment of the day. At 8.10 p.m. the 
train was again entered, and Manchester was reached 
by 10 o’clock, when the party broke up with many an 
expression of pleasure and satisfaction.— W. S. 
PROPOSED TURNER MEMORIAL. 
I met at the late Carnation Show Mr. Glasscock, of 
Bishop’s Stortford, who told me that it was intended to 
raise funds for the purpose of providing certain prizes 
at the Grand National Dahlia Show as a memorial of 
the late Mr. Charles Turner. I was too busy to take 
any notice of it at the time, and I now read a para¬ 
graph in most of the gardening papers asking that 
subscriptions may be sent in to the Hon. Treasurer, 
Mr. T. Moore. May I be allowed to say, first, that 
sufficient prizes are already offered in the schedule 
published to make a first-rate Dahlia Show, and if 
larger prizes were offered the best blooms would be 
merely shifted from one class to another, an arrange¬ 
ment which would make scarcely any difference to the 
general effect. Secondly, I wish to say that raising a 
few pounds to provide prizes at one exhibition for 
Dahlias is an arrangement totally inadequate to 
provide a suitable memorial of Charles Turner. 
Now that the idea of a memorial has been started 
it must not be a local affair, as this promises to be, 
but a national one ; and in order to carry this out, 
I propose that a preliminary meeting be held at 
South Kensington on August 11th, immediately 
after the various committees have completed their 
labours, which will be about 12.30 p.m. The name 
of Turner is honoured and respected all over the 
country, and an appeal for funds, backed up by the 
leading horticulturists of the metropolis, would meet 
with universal approval and support .—James Douglas, 
Great Gearies, Ilford. 
— s —- 
THE BOSCOBEL OAK. 
The members of the North Staffordshire ArchfEolo- 
gical Society recently made an excursion to Boscobel, 
where they were met by Mr. J. Penderel Brodhurst, who 
conducted the visitors over that interesting dwelling, 
pointing out to the curious the secret hiding places of 
Prince Charles and his companion Col. Carlos. The 
famous Oak tree which for generations has been 
pointed out as that in which the fugitive prince took 
temporary refuge was critically inspected. The 
question arose whether the present tree was actually 
that in which Charles hid, or merely a descendant 
thereof, and popular opinion seemed to lean towards 
the latter alternative. This is probably the cor¬ 
rect conclusion, for Evelyn says the royal Oak 
had ceased to be a living tree in 1662, in 
consequence of the spoliations inflicted upion 
it by too fervent Boyalists about the time of the 
Bestoration. One of the party who had a prac¬ 
tical knowledge of the woodman’s craft took measure¬ 
ments, which showed that the tree now standing is 
still growing, and he expressed a decided opinion 
that it was not more than 230 years old, while it was 
certain that it had never been “ polled.” It may be 
mentioned that saplings from the famous pollard 
which sheltered Charles were planted in several other 
places, and further, that in the Bodleian Library at 
Oxford, a fragment of the original tree is preserved 
in the form of a salver or stand for a tankard. The 
palisades of iron which now surround the tree were 
erected by Miss Frances Evans in 1817, in place of a 
brick wall erected previously by Mr. Basil Fitzherbert. 
Beturning near the house, Mr. Penderel Brodhurst, 
standing upon the historical mound in the garden, 
read a paper, in which he observed that it would be 
hard to find in the Midlands a more retired spot than 
that in which the old hunting lodge, known to fame 
as Boscobel House, was built some three centuries ago. 
The precise year in which the house was erected was 
a little doubtful, but it was probably about 1580. Who 
designed the house and who built it there was no 
evidence to show, although it was possible papers 
existed at Chillington which would throw light upon 
the matter. It was not improbable that John Giffard 
was his own architect. Originally, the entire building 
was half-timbered ; but within the last hundred years 
considerable alterations have been made, which have 
robbed it of its most characteristic features. The 
house is reached from the roadway by a quaint old 
garden, which is now in much the same condition as 
when the Second Charles was a visitor. At the time 
of Elizabeth the lodge was surrounded by a forest, a 
small space only being cleared for its erection. 
Of the bed-chambers, that around which the 
greatest interest centres is the “ Squire’s bedroom.” In 
a closet near the fireplace is the hiding place wherein 
Charles II. was concealed, communicating with the 
garden below. At the time the King occupied it, there 
was a sliding panel in place of the present door from the 
room outside. Immediately at the entrance of the 
cheese-room is another hiding place, masked by a 
trap-door; and it is upon this.landing that “Old 
Bowley ” is alleged to have trod, that he might easily 
by the back window watch the road from Tong, and 
by the front window the way to Brewood, to guard 
against a sudden surprise of the enemy. From the 
southern windows of this room it is possible to see 
into seven counties. Beferring to the Latin inscrip¬ 
tion in the garden, formed of coloured pebbles, the 
reader pointed out that the inscription did not quite 
accurately represent the facts, since Charles II. was 
at Boscobel more than one day, although he slept in 
the house only one night. The battle of Worcester 
was fought on September 3, 1651, and the King, 
accompanied by the Duke of Buckingham, Lords 
Derby, Landerdale, and Wilmot, arrived at Whiteladies 
about daybreak on the morning of the 4th. It was at 
the joint suggestion of Mr. Charles Giffard and Lord 
Derby that Charles determined to trust himself to the 
loyalty of the Penderels. He reached Boscobel, on 
his return from Madeley, on the morning of the 6th- 
The day was spent in company with Col. Carlos in the 
Oak tree, and that night Charles slept in the secret 
chamber in the “Squire’s” bedroom. The next day, 
the 7th, was Sunday, and was passed by Charles 
mainly in reading in a summer arbour in the garden. 
With reference to the so-called “ Boyal Oak,” Mr. 
Brodhurst thought the most conclusive evidence that 
this was not the tree which Charles used was given 
in the following extract from the King’s narrative :— 
“We (that is to say, Carlos and I) went and carried 
off with us some victuals for the whole day, viz., 
bread, cheese, small beer, and nothing else, and got 
up into a great Oak that had been lopped some three 
or four years before, and being grown out again very 
bushy and thick could not be seen through, and here 
we stayed all day.” It is clearly evident that the 
present Oak has never been polled. It is possible that 
the tree may have stood near the Boyal Oak and have 
survived its companion, which there is abundant 
evidence to show was cut to pieces by the curious 
within hal£-a-century of the Bestoration. 
-— a _ ■ —s —- 
A FEAST OF CARNATIONS. 
It was my privilege to be present at the Oxford 
Union Carnation and Picotee Society’s Show on 
Aug. 4th, and, as a visitor, to partake of the “ feast 
of Carnations ” Mr. E. S. Dodwell promised to any 
who might pay him a visit. It was indeed a remark¬ 
able exhibition. Mr. Dodwell has in his unique 
Carnation and Picotee garden some 1,500 pots, con¬ 
taining in all about 3,500 plants, and these are 
distributed in admirably-constructed houses and 
frames well adapted for their culture. In addition, 
in the open ground were large beds of seedlings in 
full bloom, and had there been no competitive exhi¬ 
bition, Mr. Dodwell's extensive display would have 
made a thoroughly good show in itself. I must 
candidly confess that I was amazed at what I saw, 
and I should have missed a great treat had I not 
availed myself of Mr. Dodwell’s invitation. In addi¬ 
tion, there was the exhibition by the Union, and the 
flowers, which were numerous and very fine, were 
arranged under a tent set up in Mr. Dodwell’s garden. 
From Oxford Station to the Stanley Boad is a distance 
of about two-and-a-lialf miles, but a tram car will 
take the visitor nearly to it. Mr. Dodwell’s residence 
and garden is a new one. The soil was a very stiff, 
deep clay, but by means of charring it, and adding 
great quantities of road-scrapings, the soil has become 
well suited to the growth of the Carnation family, 
and they do remarkably well in it, notwithstanding 
that the drought has been severely felt at Oxford. 
To the meeting at Oxford came growers from all 
parts of the country, and it was a truly representative 
gathering. In walking round the garden at noon the 
visitor came upon exhibitors in all sorts of out-of-the- 
