December^, 1894. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
285 
MARLEY HALL, DEVON. 
Marley Hall, the seat of J. Forbes, Esq., is beau¬ 
tifully situated on rising ground about two miles 
from Exmouth, and commands some fine views of 
the River Exe and its estuary, besides an extensive 
stretch of the South Devon Coast reaching from 
Star Cross to Berry Head. On the opposite side of 
the river, the Halden Hills rise in all their beauty, 
and several fine establishments nestled among the 
hills can easily be discerned, Powderham Castle, the 
seat of the Earl of Devon, Mamhead, the residence 
of Sir L. Newman, Bart., being very conspicuous. 
In easy reach of Marley on the east side of the 
river are the fine gardens of Bicton ; Nutwell Court, 
Lady Drake, Tarrington House, long time famous 
for its pines and peaches, whilst immediately joining 
Marley is Bystock, the seat of J. P. Bryce, Esq., 
with its extensive woods and preserves, magnificent 
rockeries, and well-kept glass erections, and pleasure 
grounds. 
The approach to Marley Hall is by a well-kept 
drive, on the grass turf on either side being splendid 
specimens of choice Conifers. In fact some twenty- 
five years ago when Messrs. Luscombe, Pince & Co., 
had the laying-out of the grounds no expense was 
spared, and so now many of the shrubs and trees 
which have made magnificent growth, are at their 
best. The Araucarias, Abies, Wellingtonias, Picea, 
and Thujopsis are numerous and well proportioned, 
whilst noble deciduous trees as single specimens on 
the wide lawns have their lower branches down to 
the ground, and give a richness and charm that 
wondrously enhances a wide domain. A wide 
terrace adjoins the mansion and at regular distances 
vases are fixed which are filled with good forms of 
bedding plants, the outer edges having large quan¬ 
tities of lobelia and Ivy-leaved Pelargoniums hanging 
over them. This large terrace, which is paved with 
fancy tiles, can be covered over, and when large 
parties were held in days gone by, made a grand 
addition as a promenade for the company without 
interference from unpropitious weather. 
The Hall is a fine stone structure very substantial 
and imposing, giving one the idea of durability, 
strength, and proportion ; the inside of the Hall, 
however, is par excellence that for which Marley is 
famous. The entrance hall, marble staircase and 
landings, the magnificent lower rooms, including the 
Drawing-room, with its white marble columns being 
such as are seldom met with, and must be seen to 
be duly appreciated. On the lawn in near proximity 
to the entrance hall are two basket beds, some 14 or 
15 ft. in diameter, the wire edge clothed with Ivy, 
and the over-arching wire covered with flowering 
climbers, these beds have been filled with flowering 
Begonias, one having pink flowers, the other crimson, 
and grand they have been. Whilst Pelargoniums, &c., 
have repeatedly lost their beauty through constant 
rain, these have always been gay, and the admiration 
of all who have seen them. The whole of the plants 
are seedlings raised by Mr. D. Moiest brought on 
in gentle heat, during the spring, and planted out 
late in May or early in June. I may say that I have 
never seen Begonias do so well as here, the flowers 
are broad and massive in every part, many almost 
circular, measuring 6 in. across, the colours most 
vivid, and foliage stout and dwarf; truly a fine strain. 
Close by is the oval-shaped sunk flower garden 
whose sloping grass sides give a freshness and charm 
in keeping with the other choice portions. In the 
centre, ends, and on each side of the stone steps lead¬ 
ing down to it are large vases filled with the usual 
flowering bedding plants, &c., whilst the beds 
which are some 8 ft. wide, have choice herbaceous 
plants in the centre, and rows of self-coloured 
Begonias running all round, edged with Lobelia and 
yellow Pyrethrum. Two thousand Begonias in all 
are planted out so that some idea of the beauty of 
this can be imagined. 
Passing from this lovely spot and through a piece 
of shrubbery we enter the kitchen garden, the 
principal entrance, however, into this part is by the 
frame yard at the lower end. A range of Peach 
houses at the North end, 160 ft. long occupies a 
portion of the space, the remainder at this end and 
the three other sides have walls some 10 ft. high 
covered mostly with Pears, Plums, and choice 
Currant trees, the centre walk has a border of 
herbaceous plants, Carnations being grown in large 
quantities. Long rows of Sweet Peas are close by, 
one of these being the pure white form, it being an 
essential that white flowers are always used in the 
decoration of the lower rooms of the Mansion. At times 
this is a heavy task, the family mostly being in resid¬ 
ence. Peaches in the range do well, and fine crops have 
been gathered this season. In this range are grown 
the Souvenir d'la Malmaison Carnation for which 
Mr. Moiest is noted. Another good thing done here 
are the Marguerite Carnations sown in spring in a 
little warmth, planted out in the borders then about 
September, lifted and put in boxes, and abundance 
of flowers may be had for three or four months 
following. 
In the frame yard are Melon and Tomato houses, 
&c., in this range is the most floriferous plant of 
Stephanotis I have seen for some twenty years; 
one previously being at Abney Hall, near Manchester, 
where Mr. MacKellar used to cut such abundance, 
and perhaps does still. Gloxinias are grown by 
hundreds here, the pure white Her Majesty being 
an especial favourite, flowers of this are still being 
cut and have been since May, whilst a fresh batch 
of bulbs are potted up, growing well, and will, early 
in the New Year, begin to give a quantity of this 
most acceptable form. Mr. Moiest is specially 
successful with these, and recently gave an interest¬ 
ing paper on their culture at the Exmouth Gardeners’ 
Society, which was much appreciated. 
Another kitchen garden neatly contains the range 
of Vineries, go ft. long in three divisions, well built, 
and heated in Week’s best style. Good crops of 
fruit have been gathered, the object being to get 
abundance of fair-sized bunches, well coloured, 
without any pretence to enormous, and often less 
useful clusters. Here we noticed large numbers of 
choice white Chrysanthemums—fine blooms of lead¬ 
ing sorts. The Pine Stoves, 90 ft. long in three 
divisions are full. Some three to four dozen Queens 
and Smooth Cayennes are in various stages of ripen¬ 
ing, and many fruits reach 5 and 6 lb. The succes¬ 
sion house is full of stout plants, whilst suckers are 
constantly taken and pushed on. A house entirely 
devoted to Bananas is a great success a number of 
immense clusters having been cut this season. In 
a large greenhouse near are quantities of Arum 
Lilies, and Marguerite Daisies whilst on the roof 
are masses of the White Swainsonia that has long 
been a mass of bloom. Many other objects of 
interest might be mentioned, but this will give some 
idea of the charm of this well-kept garden, which 
reflects great credit on the tact, method and per¬ 
severance of the painstaking gardener.— W. S. 
--4-- 
THE JESSAMINE. 
Many of the readers of the Gardening World will 
remember that a year or so ago, the Editor 
announced that fruit of the Common White Jessa¬ 
mine had been sent him by Mr. Robert Ballantyne, 
the chairman of the committee of the National 
Chrysanthemum Society, which had been borne in 
his garden in the Victoria Park Road; and it was 
thought at the time to be traceable to the warm, dry 
character of the summer of 1893, and yet at the 
close of a summer, the very opposite of the one in 
the previous year—wet, sunless in a remarkable 
degree, and cold—it has again borne fruit, and, so 
far, this disposition to fruit appears to be 
independent of season. It is a plant which endures 
the smoke and confinement of cities well; there it 
is as hardy as the Ivy or Aucuba, though amid 
smoke and the impure atmosphere of cities and 
towns, it can scarcely be expected to blossom so 
freely as in more favoured parts. Mr. Ballantine’s 
garden being on the confines of Victoria Park, the 
situation is more open than is the case in more 
crowded districts of London; but that it both blossoms 
and fruits in such a locality is certainly worthy of 
record. 
To the other good qualities of this hardy and 
accommodating shrub, which is as well known as it 
is deservedly popular, must be added the fragrance 
of its charming white blossoms. It is said to be 
one of the earliest contributions to our gardens from 
foreign parts; it came from Northern Asia to 
Persia in 1548, and in all probability to this country 
soon after ; and it is thought that it was first intro¬ 
duced to Europe by some Spaniards, who brought 
it from the East Indies in 1560. I wonder if we 
should be prouder of the possession of this plant were 
it a native. 
Loudon relates that a variety of the Jasmine, with 
large double flowers and exquisite scent, were first pro¬ 
cured in 1699 from Goa by the Grand Duke of Tuscany, 
and so jealous was he of being the sole possessor 
of this species that he strictly forbade his gardener 
to part with a single cutting. However, the gardener 
was in love, and so on the birthday of his betrothed 
he presented her with a nosegay, in the midst of 
which was a sprig of this rare Jessamine. Charmed 
with its fragrance, the girl planted the sprig in fresh 
mould, and under her lover's instructions was soon 
able to raise cuttings from the plants, and to sell 
them at a high price. By this means she soon saved 
enough money to enable her to wed the gardener, 
who had hitherto been too poor to alter his condi¬ 
tion. In memory of this tender episode, the damsels 
of Tuscany still wear a wreath of Jessamine on 
their wedding days, and the event has given 
rise to a saying that a " girl worthy of wearing the 
Jessamine wreath is rich enough to make her 
husband happy." 
Of this common Jessamine there are varieties with 
leaves margined with gold as also with silver, and a 
double form, but the most beautiful of all to my 
way of thinking is the green-leaved single flowered 
type. 
I must mention the naked flowered species, J. 
nudiflorum, as such a valuable hardy species also. 
We have no more showy autumn and winter 
bloomer. I recently saw in a railway station garden 
in the West of England a plant of it covering a pro¬ 
minent piece of rockwork, and flowering freely. It 
begins to bloom early in autumn, but is at its best 
from December to February, and whether frost or 
snow abound the golden garlands are there. A 
yellow Jesamine—probably this is the flower of the 
season of the Epiphany—another fine yellow flower¬ 
ing species is J. revolutum, the blossoms bright 
yellow and very fragrant, blooming from May till 
October, but it should be planted against a wall. 
Both the common and naked flowered Jessamines 
are very accommodating plants, as they will do well 
in any soil and almost any position, but an open, 
sunny one is to be preferred, as on such an aspect 
the plants bloom more freely.— R. D. 
_ _ 
DEAN HOLE IN AMERICA. 
The Dean of Rochester, who is now on a visit to 
the United States, was entertained at a complimen¬ 
tary dinner, at the Hotel Savoy, New York, on 
November 14th, at the invitation of leading repre¬ 
sentatives of American horticulture. The chairman, 
Mr. W. C. Barry, of Rochester, N.Y., presided; 
and in introducing the toast of the evening, said that 
American horticulturists fully appreciated the grand 
work which the Dean had done for Rose culture, in 
creating an interest in and love for the “ Queen of 
Flowers; ” by his writings, by his addresses, and by 
his zeal he had done more than any other man to 
secure for the Rose the recognition to which she 
was justly entitled, and in doing so he had been the 
means of bringing joy to many a household where 
sorrow and discontent would otherwise have been. 
Through his wise counsel and loving advice, perpetual 
sunshine reigns now in many a home which other¬ 
wise would have been in darkness. Through his 
persistent efforts, extending over a period of many 
years, Rose culture has made many strides, and now 
the " Queen of Flowers ” has won her way to popular 
favour everywhere and commands admiration from 
everyone. 
Dean Hole, on rising to reply, was greeted with 
applause, who said: Gentlemen, and I don’t believe 
there is any art or vocation more calculated to make 
men gentlemen than floriculture—floriculture emollit 
mores, nec sinit esse feros. Gentlemen—and a far 
sweeter word to me, my brothers—there is no 
pursuit in the world that makes men more inclined 
to a true fraternity than the love of flowers—to walk 
with God through the garden of creation. Well, 
gentlemen, when we look back, as I can, through the 
the lengthy years, we see green spots on the fields 
of time; there are bright days—what we call in 
the Church “ red letter days," incidents, talks on 
which we like to linger ; there are hours of joy, 
events which all of us remember, triumphant hours 
when we first wore our first jacket and trousers, 
when somebody gave us a watch, when somebody 
gave us our first ride on a pony, when we first fell in 
love—or thought we fell in love. It is impossible to 
to be amongst all this beauty (and a more delightfui 
banquet table I never saw in my life), it is impossible 
to be amongst all this fragrance without thinking of 
love among the Roses. And so I go back to that 
