324 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
January 21, 1899. 
special interest for him. An account of the 
three days’ excursion, together with various 
articles relating to forestry appears in the 
“ Transactions of the English Arboricul- 
tural Society, Vol. IV, Part I.” Several 
of the places visited by the excursion party, 
and others for which no time was found, 
are here represented by photographic re¬ 
productions, showing that a great amount 
of general interest centres in the place, inde¬ 
pendently of the lofty mountains, smiling 
fertile valleys, woodland, lake and stream, 
which are always a source of attraction to 
holiday makers and excursionists. 
On Thursday morning the company left 
their hotel at 6.30 to make the ascent to 
“ The Beacon Nursery” of Messrs. Herd 
Bros., at an altitude of over 700 ft. above 
sea level and fully exposed to all the winds 
that blow, and therefore well adapted for the 
rearing of forest trees. Other nurseries of 
the firm were inspected at different times 
during the stay. On the second day three 
estates to be visited were down on the pro- 
pramme, and long journeys necessitated a 
start at 9 a.m. The historic mansion of 
Sir R. G. Musgrave, Bart., Edenhall, was 
the first goal of the excursionists. Oak, 
Beech, and Sweet Chestnut are the chief 
timber trees on the estate, while the typical 
and the glaucous forms of the Douglas Fir, 
were noted by the avenue of approach. 
Amongst some fine specimens of the Scotch 
Fir two of them girth 8J ft. and 8ft. 
respectively, the height being 70 ft. Other 
fine trees were Sequoia gigantea, over 50 ft. 
high ; Cupressus nutkaensis, 25 ft. ; Abies 
nobilis, 45 ft. ; two Larches over 90 ft. 
high, and girthing 8 ft. 4 in. and 9 ft. 4 in. 
respectively ; and the two famous Cedars of 
Lebanon, rvhich were reputed to have been 
planted by the fairies. The Cedars have 
an enormous spread of branches, and girth 
22 ft. 8 in. and 22 ft. 4 in. respectively, 
being quite a record for the partjn The 
glasshouses contained magnificent crops of 
Grapes and Peaches, and the whole garden 
reflected credit on the gardener, Mr. A. C. 
Smith. The company then headed for 
Ullswater Lake, the “ English Lucerne,” 
passing into Westmoreland at Eamont 
Bridge. A short halt was made at Pooley 
Bridge, and then again crossing the Eamont, 
the journey up the north side of the 
“ English Lucerne ” commenced. Many 
interesting places and fine scenery in the 
Lake District were passed, till the party 
reached the charming grounds of W. J. 
Marshall, Esq., Patterdale Hall, Patter- 
dale, Westmoreland, where Coniferae thrive 
luxuriantly. The party was conducted 
round the grounds by the gardener, Mr. A. 
Milne. Some of the many fine Conifers 
were Abies nobilis, 45 ft. ; Thuya gigantea, 
30 ft. ; Cupressus nutkaensis, 35 ft.; Tsuga 
mertensiana, 50 ft. ; Picea Menziesii, 70 ft.; 
and Cryptomeria japonica, 45 ft. Many 
others were also in luxuriant health. On 
the return journey the residence of Mrs. 
Wedgewood, Hallstead, was visited, where 
Mr. Thompson, the gardener, conducted 
the excursionists round the grounds. Many 
fine Conifers were the order of the day here 
also. The Himalayan Abies Pindrow often 
fails in this country owing to the action of 
late spring frosts. A specimen here is 25 ft. 
high. Abies magnifica, planted in 1875, is 
35 ft. ; and A. Veitchii forms a handsome 
specimen 15 ft. high. Other fine trees here 
are A. concolor, Picea alcoquiana, P. 
smithiana, the Himalayan weeping 
Spruce, about thirty years old, Tsuga 
mertensiana (albertiana) and two fine 
Deodar Cedars. 
On the third day the company journeyed 
by rail from Penrith to Keswick, visiting 
Castlerigg Manor, the residence of R. D. 
Marshall, Esq., from the vicinity of whose 
mansion they obtained a fine view of Lake 
Derwent water. Here the proprietor him¬ 
self, being a great lover of trees, conducted 
the party. Conifers were very fine, includ¬ 
ing a magnificent Abies nobilis glauca 50 ft. 
high; the Maidenhair tree, 20 ft.; 
Cupressus nutkaensis, 45 ft.; Thuya 
gigantea, 40 ft. ; Libocedrus decurrens and 
Cupressus lawsoniana, each 30 ft. to 40 ft. ; 
Abies nordmanniana, 50 ft.; Thuyopsis 
dolobrata variegata, over 18 ft. ; andTaxus 
elegantissima aurea, 20 ft. high, 18 ft. in 
diameter near the base, and clipped into 
pyramidal form. A plant of Castanea 
chrisophylla is nearly 20 ft. high, and prob¬ 
ably one of the finest in the country. In 
glorious weather the journey was next con¬ 
tinued northward down the side of Lake 
Bassenthwaite, a beautiful bit of water sur¬ 
rounded by mountains and woodlands. A 
drive round the lake brought them to 
Armathwaite Hall, the residence of Thomas 
Hartley, Esq,, where the cicerone was the 
gardener, Mr. John Borthwick. Some of 
the trees here were also grand specimens of 
their kind, including twenty-two trees of 
Abies nordmanniana, each 45 ft. to 60 ft, 
high ; A. concolor, 60 ft. ; Tsuga mertens¬ 
iana, 60 ft.; Deodar Cedar, 65 ft. ; Thuya 
gigantea, 65 ft. ; and two Silver Firs, 120 ft. 
and 100 ft. high respectively. Mire House,the 
residence of Miss Speckling, was also visited, 
but Underscar estate had to be passed over 
for lack of time. 
—-— 
Buxted Park, Uckfield, Sussex.—Owing to the 
death of Viscountess Portman the other week, this 
fine estate now passes into the hands of her second 
son, the Hon H. B. Portman. 
Gorgeous New Carnation.—A new variety of Car¬ 
nation, entitled “The Mrs. Lawson,” has been 
produced by Mr. Peter Fisher, a florist, of Ellis, 
Massachusetts, and is creating a great sensation 
among American horticulturists. Mr. Fisher recently 
refused several offers of a thousand pounds for a 
single plant. The blossoms are of enormous size 
and the colour a deep pink. A Boston flower dealer 
sells them at sixteen shillings a dozen, sometimes 
cutting six hundred a day. Mr. Fisher receives a 
royalty on every dozen, and is getting rich .—Daily 
Mail— 17 - 1 - 99 . 
“The English Illustrated Magazine” for January 
contains some wonderful examples of colour reproduc¬ 
tion illustrative of fashions, but they are almost too 
dazzling to behold even in a murky London atmos¬ 
phere. As samples of what can be done in the way 
of colour printing they no doubt represent wonderful 
progress in the art. The caricatures of M P.'s and 
their fads are both amusing and instructive as to the 
views that may be taken of our leading politicians. 
Mr. Joseph Chamberlain is apparently quietly 
contemplating the beauties of Cypripedium chamber- 
lainianum with'his one eye-glass ; while Mr Austin 
Chamberlain plods lightly behind the plough. Sir 
Wilfred Lawson tunes his harp while sitting on the 
top of the pump. Mr. James Lowther and Mr. 
Henry Chaplin have solved the problem of aerial 
flight; and Lord Rosebery is off to Epsom on a toy 
horse in spite of the man with the umbrella and the 
tracts. 
Canadian Fruit.—During a recent visit paid by Mr. 
Peter Barr to the Central Experimental Farm at 
Ottawa, and in the course of a conversation with 
Prof. Robertson, Commissioner of Dairying and 
Agriculture, he stated his belief that Canadian 
Grapes could be worked up into high favour in 
England. This could only be done, he said, by 
popularising the fruit amongst the industrial classes, 
and to do this it would be necessary to work by 
direct methods. His plan would be to send over a 
reliable man to London who could place the grapes 
with the retailers. The industrial classes of Britain 
have not had an opportunity of acquiring the taste 
for hothouse Grapes, after which others fall very 
flat, and seeing that the Spanish and Portuguese 
Grapes which are now so largely cousumed by them 
are much inferior to the Canadian produce, there 
should be no fear but that the last-named should 
eome into favour. Possibly, also, the wealthier 
classes would, in time, acquire a taste for them. 
Annie Metcalfe, the wife of the head gardener at 
Swinton Park, near Masham, lost control of her 
bicycle, while descending a hill, and was thrown to 
the ground, sustaining fatal injuries. 
Belgian Horticulturists.—At the monthly meeting 
of the Syndical Chamber of Belgian Horticulturists, 
and the Royal Agricultural and Botanical Society of 
Ghent, in the Casino on the 8th inst., a Certificate of 
Merit was accorded to Epiaendrum Endresio- 
Wallisii, exhibited by M. L. De Smet-Duvivier ; and 
a Certificate for culture and flowering to Caraguata 
cardinalis, shown by the same exhibitor. The Jury 
expressed the desire to see again an importation of 
Euphorbiaceous plants from Australia, exhibited by 
M. A. Van Hecke, Saffelaere. 
Sale of Eel Pie Island.—The eyot, commonly 
known as Eel Pie Island, at Twickenham, is well 
known to all pleasure seekers upon the bosom 
of Father Thames, not only for its beauty 
but also for its utility, for it has not 
only charming pleasure grounds and gardens some 
four acres in extent, but it has likewise a fully 
licensed hotel where tired, hungry, and thirsty souls 
may rest, eat, drink, or be merry as the fancy takes 
them. The island has been in the market for some 
time but purchasers have been chary in coming 
forward. It came to the hammer at the Mart, 
Tokenhouse Yard, E.C., on Thursday, the i2tbinst., 
where it was ultimately knocked down for £4,700. 
This is not at all an exorbitant price for, as a 
pleasure resort, the island is well patronised by 
river people all through ihe summer months, and on 
Bank Holidays there is invariably a rush thither. 
On August Bank Holiday, last year, for instance, 
10,000 people visited it. In view of this the lethargy 
of buyers is rather curious. 
Messrs. Toogood and Sons.—We are in receipt of 
the catalogue of garden seeds for 1899 issued by this 
eminent Southampton firm. The catalogues of large 
seed houses are very big productions now-a-daysand 
that of the Messrs. Toogood is no exception to the 
general rule. It comprises upwards of 80 pages of 
text. Vegetable seeds are arranged in alphabetical 
order in the first part of the catalogue and flower 
seeds in the latter part. All the leading and standard 
varieties are ofiered and also a number of novelties. 
The complete collections of flower and vegetable seeds 
for gardens of various sizes are a prominent feature, 
and these collections have been liberally treated in 
the matter of quantity. Illustrations are very 
numerous and good, photogravures being chiefly 
in evidence. The covers are somewhat garish. The 
ground colour is French grey and upon it appear 
shades of bright scarlet, crimson, yellow and yellow- 
green, that are, to say the least of them, very striking. 
Death of Lady Louisa Fortescue.—This gifted lady 
has lately passed to her long home at the advanced 
age of eighty-six. Her beautiful grounds and gardens 
at Dropmore, which have for many years past been 
under the charge of Mr. C. Herrin, were, in her 
ladyship's lifetime, the rendezvous for all the literary, 
musical, artistic, and political celebrities of the day, 
who were only too glad of the opportunity to enjoy 
the charms of the flowers and trees, and to make and 
renew the acquaintance of the Thames at one of the 
lovliest spots in the whole of its course. Dropmore 
was built, and the gardens made by Lord Grenville 
in the latter part of last century. His lordship 
wanted an agreeable spot which ,was not far from 
Windsor Castle, and within easy drive of the metro¬ 
polis. He found what he wanted in a wild heath not 
far from Maidenhead, where he found a peaty soil 
eminently suitable for the culture of Rhododendrons 
and Conifers. Both of these classes of plants were 
extensively planted, ani the fame of Dropmore, more 
especially with regard to its Conifers, is known far 
and wide. The public were privileged under certain 
conditions to pass through the grounds by the beauti¬ 
ful drive leading to Burnham Beeches, and many a 
visitor who seized the opportunity thus graciously 
given for seeing some of the grand old trees that the 
grounds contained must have carried away with them 
many pleasant recollections. An account of the 
Conifers of Dropmore appeared in The Gardening 
World, Vol. III., p. 821. The estate passes, by the 
death of Lady Louisa, to Mr. Bevill Fortescue, who 
will we hope keep up the credit of this, one of the most 
stately of " the stately homes of England.” 
