794 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
'August 13, 1898* 
DALKEITH PALACE, N.B. 
Twenty-five members of the Edinburgh Junior 
Horticultural Association, visited Dalkeith Palace 
gardens on June 25th. It being a bonnie afternoon, 
everybody from the Scottish metropolis seemed to 
be hurrying to country dells or meadows. Our heavy 
train soon reached Dalkeith. Mr. Dunn’s general 
foreman, Mr. Palmer, there awaited us and lent the 
party courteous guidance throughout the “ Palace ” 
demesne. 
This ducal estate is well-known. Probably each 
department of its horticultural section has been 
figured once and again in our literature. This 
granted, we yet compile our quota which refers 
mostly to landscape scenes. 
A broad walk, having a high hedge to the south, 
and a large cottage on its north side, leads from the 
highway to the orchard entrance. Within the walls 
we found everything fresh and well-advanced. 
Standard Apple trees were abundant. The older 
ones are closely pruned. Other Apple trees, with 
Plum and Pear trees are grown as bushes or pyra¬ 
mids. Both Apples and Pears are represented in 
hundreds of varieties. Only good sorts are grown in 
quantity. The walls bear many cordon-trained 
trees. Morello Cherries were laden with fruits, and 
for bush fruits, Black Currants showed best. The 
ground becomes hot and dry in summer, which fact 
Mr. Dunn well knows and counteracts by mulching 
everything freely. Vegetable crops are raised from 
spaces between the fruit trees. The orchard lies to 
the sun, the ground being awfully steep. 
By an east door we passed from the orchard to the 
" grounds.” Being at a distance from the Palace, 
verdure is allowed to luxuriate in natural form. 
This is proper in the outlying grounds. Wide-spread 
beauties are pleasingly blended. Tall bowing grasses 
such as Dactylisglomerata, Festuca loliacea, straight 
and imposing Foxgloves and Mulleins, soft, lowly 
Ferns, and other subjects grow in profusion, all cast 
like a lovely quilt beneath mighty and handsome 
trees. Such giant Rhododendron clumps there were. 
The old R. ponticum is everywhere. Its flowers 
lend a colour not at all common. The Portugal 
Laurel (Prunus lusitanicus) is much utilised for 
screening and for clothing banks. Through the 
grounds flows the river Esk. For long distances its 
sides are hemmed by high banks. These rise 
slopingly back for hundreds of feet. Domestic 
ducks there enjoy themselves in many pools and 
shallows. 
On the banks and near the stream were some 
specially well clothed Beech trees, draped indeed 
like a specimen Abies. We thought Beeches liked 
a dry situation. They were very decorative. Very 
interesting also was the view we had of the old Oaks 
—the remnant of our ancient Caledonian Forest. 
They stand at considerable elevation and have a full 
east exposure. Time has converted the once stout, 
and vigorous natural architecture, into twisted, 
knotty, and gouty looking, patriarchal relics. Cabi¬ 
net makers offer large sums for such quaint 
memorials, knowing well the purity and hardness of 
the rugged warriors. At one point we looked over a 
wide valley to an abrupt bank, tellingly decorated. 
On its middle left side were some typical trees of 
Cedrus atlantica with their rigid horizontal arms. 
Higher on their right swayed in graceful lines the 
branches of Abies or Picea. Lower, and nearer the 
river were drooping Birches. Deciduous trees were 
well placed for effect and variety. Bushy Ivy formed 
a groundwork to the less thickly planted spaces. 
Sunk fences are not common on estates, yet their 
appropriatness of use in presenting an unbroken 
sweep of lawns and meadows, cannot be denied. 
Many writers on landscape-gardening scorn them as 
ludicrous. The kept lawns around Dalkeith Palace 
merge into broad deer parks ; and without having 
adopted an unseen obstruction such as this, an 
erection at once offensive to the eye of taste and 
deleterious to the view, must have been employed. 
Horse Chestnuts and Planes (Sycamore) stand as 
impressive and imposing front objects on the out¬ 
skirts of the great lawns. We passed through tun¬ 
nels in our survey, cut in sandstone rock. What the 
intention was for having these tunnels Mr. Palmer 
could not state. Perhaps Loudon's idea may have 
been adopted, viz., to hide walks crossing each 
other, by leading one below the other. This, how¬ 
ever, is only used in small areas to deceive one as to 
extent of grounds. 
At a distance from the palace, and alone, is a high 
circular conservatory. The circle of supporting 
pillars are elaborately and intricately carved from 
solid blocks. It was very costly. Large Palms, 
Tree Ferns, and a miscellaneous collection was 
housed. The tall shapely Salisburias (Ginkgo 
biloba or Madenhair tree) were close by. This tree 
is more generally grown on walls here in the north, 
but the said specimens were beautiful without such 
shelter. Escallonia phillipiana and Viburnum pli- 
catum are represented in cosy corners. These two 
flowering shrubs, though somewhat tender, do well 
in gardens about Edinburgh. 
Our notes must conclude with mention of the 
glasshouses. These consist of vineries, Peach, Fig 
and Melon houses, Pineapple pits, &c. Vine rods 
and laterals were well apart, and carried finished 
bunches. The heating system was ample, the pipes 
being black, which colour looks nicer than either 
light blue or lead. A small span had a varied col¬ 
lection of beautiful Caladiums. The beautiful 
Cloth of Gold Fuchsia filled a string of baskets hung 
from an Azalea house. Bananas were fruiting fairly. 
Near their house was a fine fernery. The orchard 
house was filled with mixed fruit trees in pots, bear¬ 
ing well. Stephanotis floribunda was trained, and 
showed splendidly in large pots. But -exit and 
to fruit room, where Mr. Dunn has abundance of 
refreshments. Having partaken of them, various 
votes of thanks were rendered. 
Passing homeward by the Kitchen garden central 
walk, the side borders of which are filled by squares 
of all the varieties of Violas certificated at Chiswick 
last year. Some were poor enough, though certifi¬ 
cated, but most were grand. They were mulched 
by short stable dung. Dahlias, Pinks, Sweet Peas, 
Carnations, &c., found a home in beds or lines near 
the vegetable grounds. All kinds of rare and good 
Roses are everywhere. Long archways are covered 
with climbing sorts. 
But now readers, adieu. Great gardens require 
lengthened descriptions, but we know our pen must 
halt. We enjoyed the pleasant trip, and were much 
wiser by it .—Harrison D. 
BELGIAN NURSERIES. 
IX.— Messrs. F. Sander & Co., Bruges. 
(Concluded from p . 763.) 
Orchids. 
On entering a large span-roofed house we noted a 
very curious form of Odontoglossum Pescatorei, 
with laciniated segments, not merely jagged, as is 
common amongst the best varieties of O. crispum, 
but deeply and finely fringed, in fact. O. Pescatorei 
also presented numerous varieties, spotted with 
violet on the lip, the plants being semi-established 
and flowering for the first time. The same may be 
said of O. crispum, O. c. andersonianum, O. vexilla- 
rium and O. triumphans. Cattleya labiata, also semi- 
established, was making vigorous young growths. 
Two whole benches in one compartment were devoted 
to O. grande. The central stage was occupied with 
Laelia anceps, while beneath it were great quantities 
of Cattleyas just imported. Another compartment 
was also occupied with C. gaskelliana, C. Trianaei, 
C. Warneri and C. labiata in the same stages as 
above recorded, thus showing great activity by the 
firm in its new establishment at Bruges. 
The central stage in another large house was given 
up to Cattleya Mossiae. Odontoglossum crispum 
was also to be seen in all stages of growth and with 
shapely flowers, as well as boldly blotched varieties 
of O. triumphans. O. luteo-purpureum, O. ruckeri- 
anum, O. cirrhosum and Oncidium marshallianum, 
with its huge pinnacles of showy flowers. O. con- 
color and O. sarcodes carried large spikes of bloom. 
In another cool house we met with such popular 
and useful subjects as O. Rossii majus, O. R. 
albescens (the sepals and petals having pale green 
blotches, the rest being white), O. Cervantesi, O. 
crispum, and others. The next compartment housed 
collections of Oncidium sarcodes, Odontoglossum 
luteo-purpureum, O. crispum, O. c. guttatum, O. 
triumphans, and many natural hybrids of the same 
genus, all bearing richly blotched flowers of their 
kind. Ihe beautiful Masdevallia Shuttleworthii was 
in its prime. The whole of the central stage in the 
next compartment was occupied with Laelia pur- 
purata in sheath. Not far off was a teak basket, 2 ft. 
by 2 ft., completely filled with one gigantic piece of 
that species. Next to this came grand batches of 
Cattleya Mossiae and C. citrina, the latter suspended 
in pans and filling the house with the grateful aroma 
of its flowers. 
Some idea of the contents of these houses may be 
gleaned from the fact that they are sixty-six metres in 
length, those having a vestibule being 70 metres long. 
One'of the latter, measuring 35 ft. wide, and divided 
into four compartments was devoted to "Orchids 
requiring a high temperature. A fine sight was pre¬ 
sented by great quantities of Dendrobium Rhalaen- 
opsis schroderiana suspended from the roof in largp 
pans. The fuscous-orange and yellow flowers of 
Phaius Humblotii were also conspicuous. Many 
plants of the beautiful Cattleya intermedia, with its 
soft blush flowers and purple lip also attracted 
attention. Others were C. amethystoglossa and C. 
schilleriana, the latter being suspended in pans. In 
company with these were Dendrobium thyrsifiorum, 
flowering freely and Cypripedium villosum. There was 
a compartment chiefly devoted to Lycaste Skinneri, in 
many of the best forms. Very choice were varieties 
having dark red sepals and petals ; and that having 
rosy petals and a spotted white lip. L. aromatica 
was fragrant and free ; while Cypripedium mastetsi- 
anum was highly coloured. Ten houses in one 
block behind the bureau accommodated Odonto- 
glossums, and the seedlings of various Orchids. 
Other Flowering Plants. 
Rhododendrons and Azaleas are extensively grown 
at Bruges, particularly Indian Azaleas. A pretty 
plant is Tradescantia albo-striata, havmg its leaves 
beautifully striped with silvery lines. The flowers 
are also pretty, being white and plentifully produced 
in terminal cymes. 
Only the very best of the Indian Azaleas are 
grown, and seeing that their cultivation is as easy as 
the very worst varieties we see no use for the latter. 
Le Flambeau and Pluto are grand sorts of a rich 
crimson-red, glowing in the sunshine. Many of the 
very best and some of the newest and most highly 
developed double varieties were also at their best on 
the occasion of our visit. Very fine was John D. T. 
Llewellyn, the flowers being pink in the centre, 
blotched on the upper segments, fading to silvery- 
white at the edges, and very full. The salmon-pink 
and silvery-edged Souv. de Mdlle. Marie Rosseel was 
also extremely pretty. Deutsche Perle is too well 
known and appreciated to require further comment. 
The half expanded bulbs of the salmon and white 
Vervaeneana resembled to a remarkable degree a 
Tea Rose in miniature. The huge rose-coloured 
flowers, and wavy petals of Memoire de Louis Van 
Houtte were also handsome. The flowers of Dr. 
Moore were also of a soft rose hue. Sacuntala, like 
Deutsche Perle, was a choice pure white sort. With 
the exception of the first two mentioned above, all 
the rest were fully double, with flowers of the 
largest size and most refined form. Souv. de 
Francois Vervaene and Empress of India were semi¬ 
double forms having a rosette of small petals in the 
centre. The former had white, and the latter silvery- 
pink flowers, blotched with red on the upper petals. 
Elsewhere the propagation of Azaleas by grafting 
was being accomplished. They are kept in cases 
while this is being done. Azalea stocks, 3 in. to 6 in. 
high, were being reared by the thousand in other 
houses, some planted out and others iP : pots. Nearly 
full grown specimens, that is, of saleable size, were 
planted out in leaf mould in the beds-of the houses. 
Flowering plants in pots were stood between the 
rows. We counted twelve Azalea houses, each 140 
ft. long. Five of these were in one block, built on 
the most modern principles, light and airy, with 
very wide panes of glass. Numerous pits were also 
more or less devoted to Azaleas. About an acre of 
ground was surrounded by a brick wall, the founda? 
tions of another block of six hpuses having a con¬ 
tinuous internal area. This huge space was also 
meant for Azaleas. The summer quarters of the 
young Azaleas are very extensive; and planting oHt 
was being accomplished at the time. The dug out 
beds were being filled with Qak and Beech leaves, 
mixed with sand. Enormous quantities of waterare 
required at Bruges during the summer months for 
Azaleas, notwithstanding the,fact that the district is 
below the level of the sea. To meet this require¬ 
ment a cement tank has been constructed, 2J ft. 
deep, about 3 ft. wide, and running across the 
Azalea-ground for a distance of 250.yards. 
Gloxinias and tuberous Begonias are also grown in 
this establishment to some extent to meets the 
necessities of their admirers. Two houses are 
