308 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
January 14, 1899* 
Valley, and though high and dry it com¬ 
mands a full view of stream, lake and canal 
through glades and vistas amongst the 
woodlands surrounding it on northern and 
western aspects. There is a fine porch on 
the south aspect, under which carriages can 
draw up, from either of the drives. Thepros- 
pect on the northern and western aspects is 
the finest, on account of water, woodland 
and mountain, the nearest point on the 
horizon being bounded by the hills rising 
behind Bovey Tracey. Away to the west, 
alps on alps arise till nothing but tors can 
be seen in the distance. Hey Tor and 
Rippon Tor are six to seven miles distant 
as the crow flies, and beyond these peaks 
other tors belonging to the Dartmoor 
Range may be seen. 
Gardeners and admirers of landscape can 
see something in the near foreground to 
arrest their attention ; while the numerous 
aged and stately Conifers on every hand 
invite the lovers of trees to inspect them 
and estimate their imposing heights. In 
passing along the highway on the east side, 
some stately giants of Abies nordmanniana 
are but the outposts of many fine trees of 
the same kind surrounding the mansion and 
skirting the drives in various directions. 
Many of them are 8o ft. high, possibly some 
of them are more. The Douglas Fir and 
its glaucous variety (Pseudotsuga Douglasii) 
also run up to 8o ft. and 90 ft., as far as the 
eye can determine, and, while they are very 
stately, some of them have a fine spread of 
branches near the base. Of beautifully 
pyramidal habit, Cupressus lawsoniana and 
C. nutkaensis taper up to a height of 40 ft. 
or more. There are many fine Deodar 
Cedars rising to a height of 80 ft.; 
and Picea Menziesii looks taller, the pyra¬ 
midal or spiry habit showing it off to the 
best advantage. Sequoia gigantea also does 
well in this part of Devon, for the trees are 
as straight as an arrow, rising to a height 
of 70 ft. or 80 ft., while maintaining their 
branches and foliage almost to the base, 
where the red and rugged trunk widens out 
like the base of a well proportioned light¬ 
house ; or it might be compared to “ the 
tallest Pine hewn on Norwegian hills, to be 
the mast of some great admiral.” Near 
the south front of the house is a fine Arau¬ 
caria of moderate height but developing 
female cones ; as well as many grand trees 
of the species already mentioned ; while on 
lower ground bearing away round to the 
north there are many of magnificent pro¬ 
portions. Here a huge Oak, covered with 
moss and the Polypody, gives an indication 
of the suitability of the soil and climate for 
the British Oaks. Near this point is a 
curious old building bearing the date of 
1779, and at one time used as stables and 
carriage house. The roof consists of a 
rough stone arch, and seedling Ferns are 
springing up in abundance amongst the 
stones. The face is covered with climbers, 
and a rockery near the front of it is to be 
put in order and planted afresh. The 
flower garden extends over the roof above, 
and some large trees there also indicate the 
age of this curious stone structure. 
The lawns and flower garden on the 
north aspect of the mansion cover some¬ 
thing like two acres, and in company with 
the gardener, Mr. A. McDonald, we passed 
through this neatly dressed portion of the 
grounds. Here Libocedrus decurrens runs 
up to 30 ft. and Thujopsis dolobrata 15 ft., 
making a beautiful pyramidal and healthy 
specimen. Abelia chmensis was still flower¬ 
ing, though in the last week of December ; 
and in mixture with Olearia Haastii and 
Escallonia, forms a beautiful hedge on one 
side of the grass, which dips down rapidly 
from the mansion in the form of two 
terraces. U mbellularia californica was push¬ 
ing forth its flower buds ; and the mildness 
of the season was more fully emphasised by 
Gentiana acaulis in bud and bloom in the 
lower border, the open flowers being as 
fresh as could be expected in April. 
Schizostylis coccinea was blooming beside 
it. 
While in this immediate neighbourhood 
we may also mention some grand trees on a 
piece of grass behind the vineries in the 
kitchen garden. Some great tussocks of 
Juniperus Sabina, about 3 ft. to 4 ft. high 
and as flat as tables on the top, arrest the 
attention on account of their remarkable 
health and vigour. We do not remember 
seeing finer specimens of this species. A 
male tree of Araucaria imbricata, 30 ft. 
high, bears an abundance of cones, now 
dropping. A broadly pyramidal tree of 
Cupressus macrocarpa, of a dark green and 
healthy appearance, runs up to 70 ft. or 
80 ft. in height, being loaded with globular 
cones. Cryptomeria japonica, 50 ft. high, is 
equally healthy, and has a very broad base, 
owing to the fact that the lower branches 
have rooted in the ground, and sent up a 
little forest of upright growths allround the 
mother tree. Here also are three grand 
specimens of Cupressus nutkaensis, each 
40 ft. high. Sequoia gigantea runs up to 
70 ft. or more; and a grand specimen of 
Pinus insignis is equally tall. 
In company with our guide we now pro¬ 
ceeded northward along the drive leading to 
the granite lodge, and passing canals and 
streams that add considerably to the beauty 
of the landscape. Beautiful and healthy 
specimens of Picea pungens and P. Engel- 
manni stand one on either side of a bridge 
over a stream. A canal enters by one end 
and makes its exit at the other end of the 
lake, and standing on the bridge that 
crosses this disused canal we could not but 
admire the purple spray and the white stems 
of the leafless Birches hanging gracefully 
over the water. Great banks of Cherry 
Laurels and Rhododendrons line the avenue 
for a great distance, the latter being 
gorgeous in June. About half-way down 
the avenue, a pathway to the left leads 
round either margin of the lake studded with 
islands, which are planted with Conifers 
and other trees. A beautiful effect on one 
of these islands is produced by four trees of 
Cupressus nutkaensis standing like as many 
sentinels in a line. C. macrocarpa and 
Junipers are also very noticeable. Red 
Bracken in the foreground is also very 
effective. A thicket of Cypresses on another 
island is also very conspicuous, but particu¬ 
larly by contrast with the red-brown winter 
hue of Cryptomeria elegans, which is also 
very striking for this same reason in other 
parts of the grounds. A tall Spruce occu¬ 
pies the centre of another circular island, 
and is surrounded by tall Cherry Laurels, 
and these again by a mass of Rhododen¬ 
drons, the whole forming as it were a huge 
conical mound of vegetation. A fourth 
island looming out of this sheet of water is 
covered with Cupressus lawsoniana, C. 
nutkaensis, erect forms of Thuya orientalis, 
and Gorse, the latter being in the fore¬ 
ground. The outer ring of vegetation here 
consists of the Savin which carpets the 
margin down to the water’s edge. A fine 
view of the mansion on the high ground is 
obtained from the lake, and the latter is 
equally fine from the garden terrace. Pro¬ 
ceeding southwards again along a heathery 
meadow, we were loth to leave the scene, 
and turned several times to look at the 
serried ranks of Conifers skirting the wood¬ 
land on this margin of the lake. Perfect 
specimens of Cupressus nutkaensis, C. 
lawsoniana and Sequoia gigantea, shoot up 
straight as an arrow, to a height ranging 
from 30 ft. to 50 ft. Taking it all in all, we 
are not surprised that the owner should feel 
proud of this beautiful estate, with its many 
fine trees planted, it must have been, many 
years ago. An account of the kitchen 
garden and glass must be given on another 
occasion. 
-- 
Mr. Winnard, head gardener to Mrs. Llewellyn, 
Peterley Manor, Great Missenden, Berks, has been 
appointed head gardener to the Hon. F. G. Wynne, 
Glynllivon Park, Carnarvon. 
Mr. J. Threlfall, for ten years foreman under Mr. 
E. Molyneux, Swanmore Park, Hampshire, has been 
appointed head gardener to Col. R. Pilkington, 
Rainford Hall, St. Helens, Lancs. 
Mr. J. Hogan, for several years head gardener to 
the trustees of the late Henry Jump, Esq , Gateacre, 
Liverpool, has undertaken the management of the 
popular Kew Gardens, Southport. 
Mr. Jackson, who for seven years was gardener to 
J. Smith, Esq., Brookside, Newton-le-Willows, 
Lancashire, has been appointed head gardener to C. 
Langton, Esq., Bark Hill, Aigburtb, Liverpool. 
Co-optrative Horticulture.—We hear on creditable 
authority that one of our important industrial 
societies is about to embark upon the cultivation of 
market crops under glass, on cc-operative principles, 
and a large area in Wales is being prepared for the 
undertaking. 
Then and Now.—The first gardening paper, 
Gardener's Gazette, that was issued weekly was in 
1837, an< f was sent out on January 7th in that year. 
I became a subscriber in the autumn. It so happens 
that your next issue will bear that date, viz., January 
7th, sixty-two years after. 0 tempora. — G. F. 
Mr. J. Stoney, recently head gardener to the Hon. 
F. G. Wynne,Glynllivon Park, Carnarvon, has been 
appointed, and has entered on his duties as head 
gardener to Mr. F. H. Gossage, Camp Hill, Wool- 
ton, Liverpool, in succession to Mr. J. Jellicoe, who 
filled the position for over twenty years,and has now 
started as fruit and flower grower at Holly House, 
Gateacre, Liverpool. 
Gardeners’ Royal Benevolent Institution.— Mr. 
George Monro, of Covent Garden, will take the chair 
on the occasion of the “ annual friendly supper,” to 
beheld at 6p.m. on Thursday, January 19th, at 
"Simpson’s” 101, Strand, W.C. This, it will be 
remembered, is the evening of the day of the annual 
general meeting, for the election of officers, and the 
election of candidates to the benefits of the institution. 
Gave him the Sack too —A parson meeting a 
parishioner, a market gardener, wished him the 
compliments of the season, and said, " we must all 
try to do something more for our neighbours than 
we have hitherto done. You remember the precept, 
If any man take away thy coat let him have thy cloke 
also.” "I remember it well,” was the reply, “and 
acted on it this morning. One of my men took a 
lot of my Potatos, and I gave him the sack.” 
Grand Yorkshire Gala.—The annual meeting of the 
life members and guarantors of this association took 
place in Harker’s Hotel, York, on the afternoon of 
Saturday, last, the 7th inst., Sir Christopher Mil- 
ward in the chair. In his introductory address Sir 
Christopher congratulated the members present 
upon the success that had attended their efforts 
during the past year, although they had had to 
mourn the death of a staunch friend and supporter in 
Sir Joseph Terry. The chief business of the even¬ 
ing was the election of officers for the ensuing year. 
The Lord Mayor was unanimously chosen president 
on the nomination of the chairman, seconded by 
Mr. Alderman Foster. Sir Christopher Milward 
was asked to continue in the office of chairman of 
the council, and thanked for his valuable services in 
the past. Mr. Joseph Wilkinson was re-elected as 
treasurer, Mr. C. W. Simmons as secretary, and 
Messrs. Pearson and Taylor as auditors. Proceed- 
to financial matters, on the proposal of Mr. T. G. 
Hodgson £650 was voted for the use of the floral 
committee. Other grants included £230 for musical 
arrangements, ^120 for fireworks, £60 for balloon 
ascents, £175 for the entertainments, and a 
special grant of £100 for the improvement of the 
stage and the provision of a proper proscenium. 
