July 22, 1893. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
741 
A GARDENERS’ OUTING 
IN DEVONSHIRE. 
The members of the flourishing Devon and Exeter 
Gardeners’ Mutual Improvement Association had 
their annual summer outing last week, when over 
sixty turned up at the rendezvous—Streatham Hall, 
near Exeter, the seat of Mrs. Thornton West. 
Under the guidance of the gardener, Mr. Franklin, 
and his foreman, Mr. Triscott, the party proceeded 
up the avenue, on both sides of which are some 
capitally-grown Coniferae of the better kinds. In 
passing, two grand specimens of Oak were noted, 
one having a spread of more than ioo ft., and perfect 
in its symmetry and every other respect. The 
conservatories were in¬ 
spected, the forcing-pits 
and stoves, the excellence 
of cultivation in the Pine- 
pits being a general sub- 
iect of remark. The 
• principal conservatory is 
6o ft. by 50 ft. In the 
orchard houses the state 
of the trees, Peaches, 
Nectarines, and the like 
spoke well for the credit 
of those in charge of 
them, while foliage plants, 
Crotons, Allamandas, 
Oranges, etc., were in the 
pink of condition. 
The flower-garden was 
next visited, and although 
there were no new features 
in their laying out, every¬ 
thing was neat, trim, and 
full of flower. Flanked 
by two golden yews, the 
huge Palm-house, recent¬ 
ly erected, was much ad¬ 
mired. It measures 71 ft. 
by 40 ft., and is 45 ft. in 
height. It reminds one of 
Kew. Bananas were well 
fruited, and indeed every¬ 
thing showed skilful cul¬ 
tivation. Dicksonia an- 
tartica, and such other 
tall subjects were well 
grown, some of the plants 
running from 25 to 30 ft. 
in height. In the large 
stove (80 ft. x 25 ft ), 
Anthuriums, Crotons, 
Cyanophyllums, Maran- 
tas, and Medinillas were 
fine. Vines, Melons, and 
Cucumbers were all 
equally well done. Pass¬ 
ing through the Diana 
wall, down the terrace, 
we came to the pond, in 
which were some good 
Nymphaeas, and other 
aquatics. Taken all in 
all, the visitors were 
charmed with the place. 
Killerton Park. 
Proceeding in several 
four-horse breaks a drive 
of six miles landed us at 
Killerton Park, the seat of 
the Right Hon. Sir Thomas Acland, Bart., noted for 
its coniferae and referred to in that connection in 
Veitch’s “ Manual on the Coniferae.” Mr. Garland, 
well known as one of the best gardeners in the county, 
was waiting to receive his confreres and was a most 
entertaining and instructive cicerone. The first 
thing to catch the eye was a magnificent Tulip-tree 
girthing 15ft. 6in. and as healthy as a trout. It has 
flowered most profusely this season. On the lawn 
were fine specimens of Rhus cotinus, conspicuous by 
their fluffy inflorescence. (Why is this shrub not 
more generally grown ? It is a fine shrub for a lawn !) 
Hard by the mansion were a pair of Chamaerops 
Fortunei, 13 ft., high and clothed to within 3 ft. of 
the ground. They have stood there in the open, 
without protection, for 25 years. Dracaena australis 
is planted out, too, and does equally well. 
The vegetable and fruit gardens were eagerly 
scanned, for Mr. Garland has a big reputation as a 
fruit and vegetable grower. Here again the skill of 
a master hand was visible in every yard of ground. 
1 he trees were healthy and laden with the choicest 
of fruit, and vegetables were super-excellent. A 
house full of Tomatos grown to absolute perfection 
made some of the visitors stare. The varieties v'ere— 
Perfection, Challenger, Veitch’s Flying Dutchman, 
and other leading sorts. Leading away from the 
house was an exquisitely kept lawn, on the borders 
of which were some good things. Amongst them we 
noted Desfontainea spinosa, 6 ft. high and as much 
through in full flower, Coletia Bictonensis and C. 
horrida, Bambusa metake, Retinospora plumosa 
aurea, and many other good things. The Coniferas 
proper are numerous and valuable, many of them 
being among the first specimens imported into 
England. Many of the Cupressus run from 70 ft. to 
80 ft., Thuja gigantea over 70 ft., Taxodium, 80 ft., 
and so on. 
Climbing over the Rhododendrons and Laurels 
was the Tropeeolum speciosum almost smothered 
with the profusion of its glowing scarlet flowers. 
Before leaving Killerton Sir Thomas Acland invited 
the party to inspect the family painting, many of 
them being the work of Sir Joshua Reynolds and 
other eminent painters. Refreshments on a liberal 
scale were also provided for the visitors. 
Escot. 
Resuming seats the party next drove across country 
to Escot, the seat of Sir John Kennaway, Bart., 
M.P., where an equally hearty reception awaited 
them. Sir John waited to receive his visitors, and 
gave them carte blanche to go where they pleased. 
Led by Mr. Underdown, Sir John’s head gardener 
and bailifi, the dining-room and drawing-room were 
visited, and from thereon to the flower gardens and 
terrace. Here was a much less formal treatment of 
the parterres than one generally meets with, and 
there was a happy blending of the ribbon-bedding 
with the variety of the herbaceous border. The 
effect is most pleasing. Fringing the flower garden 
are some fine shrubs — Kalmias, Indian Rhododen¬ 
drons, and similar specimens, marvels of luxuriant 
growth and skilful training. 
Escot is famous for its timber, and the long drive 
through the woods, and the noble park gave the 
party the opportunity of seeing some fine specimens. 
Amongst them were a fine Cedrus deodara, planted 
at Sir John’s birth in 1837, and now 70 ft. in height 
with a girth of 9 ft., and 
a spread of 44 ft. ; Abies 
grandis, planted by Mr. 
Underdown in 1870, has 
now a height of 70 ft., 
and a girth of 6 ft. 7 in. ; 
Araucaria Cunninghami, 
30 ft. ; Abies Douglasii, 
75 ft.; an iron wood tree 
(Acacia) 80 ft., and a 
Liquidambar of the same 
height. We also noted 
two Lucombe Oaks, plan¬ 
ted by the late Mr. Pince, 
both about 80 ft. in height, 
and a grand bit of Pinus 
insignis, planted in 1850, 
and which now tops 60 ft., 
and has a spread of over 
60 ft. 
The fruit and kitchen 
garden was next visited, 
and also the wilderness ; 
but there being a tem¬ 
perance fete in the park, 
and the day wearing on, 
our visit had to be some¬ 
what shortened. The gar¬ 
dens, however, bore un- 
mistakeable evidence of 
good cultivation, every¬ 
thing being in fine order. 
Abundant refreshments 
■were provided and freely 
partaken of after so long 
a drive and ramble. 
SlDMOUTH. 
From Escot the drive was 
continued to Sidmouth, 
where the members dined. 
Mr. Andrew Hope (of 
Messrs. Veitch & Sons) 
occupied the chair, the 
vice-chairman being Mr. 
Powell, of Powderham, 
and Mr. Lonsdale, of 
Exeter. After the usual 
loyal toasts, " Success to 
the Devon and Exeter 
Gardeners’ Association” 
was heartily pledged, and 
a pleasant hour was 
spent. The return jour¬ 
ney to Exeter in the 
evening—a drive of about 
twenty miles—brought a 
most enjoyable day’s out¬ 
ing to a close. 
- 
V1LLARSIA OVATA. 
In this we have an aquatic belonging to the 
Gentian family, and somevvhat similar to our British 
plant Limnanthemum nymphteoides, but has smaller 
leaves and branching flower stems. The leaves are 
roundly cordate, and float on the surface of the 
water or are erect and elevated above the surface as 
in the case of Nuphar advenum and others of the 
Water Lily tribe. The flowers are borne in 
branching cymes, yellow, and consist of five crisped 
segments, and are bearded in the throat with yellow 
instead of white hairs such as occurs in the case of 
the Buckbean (Menyanthes trifoliata) a near relation. 
Being of small size it is suitable for culture in small 
tanks or tubs in the open air, where it is pretty 
during the summer months. It may be seen in the 
nursery of Mr. T. S. Ware, Tottenham. 
Dracaena Coullingii. 
