690 
June 22, 1901. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
walks, which, in their course, traverse some of the 
choicest bits of scenery one could desire to see. In 
passing through one feels inclined to consider the 
ever-changing scene a combination of the gardenesque 
and picturesque. Clothed here with an underwood 
of flaming Rhododendrons, there with spacious 
masses of Daffodils, Primroses, Wood Anemones, 
Wood Hyacinths, Ferns, Luzulas, grasses and 
mosses, as their respective seasons come round, and 
the whole shaded with a canopy of the foliage of the 
more majestic inhabitant of the forest, is a treat 
few could fail to appreciate. Even in the cheerless 
days of winter this scene has much to make it 
attractive. Though leafless and bare are the 
trees of the forest, yet if their wide-spreading 
arms are laden with snow with the strong con¬ 
trast afforded by the waters of the river and 
the bold effect presented by the mammoth ruin, the 
prospect is indeed one not devoid of grandeur. Per¬ 
haps, however, the autumn months would be the 
time that the prospect would be most impressive, 
with its glowing tints, the nameless shades ranging 
from green to yellow, from yellow to scarlet and 
brown, from brown to decay, and subsequently 
death, so indicative of the consummation and disso- _ 
lution omnium rerum. In the midst of all this ever- 
changing scene stands the proud castle, with a 
rugged, defiant stolidness that almost voices out a 
derisive contempt for this round of mutations. And 
though it has seen " Many a vanished year and age, 
and tempests’ breath and rage,” it alone appears 
amid all this to bid defiance to the subtle laws of 
change. 
In the vicinity of such a scene as we here 
endeavour to depict it is but natural that the divine 
powers of the imagination of a spectator should be 
called into operation to assist in thoroughly imbib¬ 
ing all the associated charms present and past. And 
if we uncurb those unique faculties and allow them 
to soar in freedom into one of those magnificent 
flights that almost makes one unconscious of one's 
being, and scene after scene is unfolded upwards 
and onwards through the dim mists of antiquity, 
does it not indeed add a charm to the place and a 
strength to our being that makes us as a race feel 
deeply grateful and proud of our crowning position, 
the very keystone of creation ? But enough for 
visions of a pageantry of equestrian knights parading 
the long shady avenues, and vizor armed warriors 
peopling each point of vantage, each tower and 
battlement, and lady fair careering in state amid 
the gorgeous splendour of the palatial domains, 
are things which are too fleeting for our modern, 
too practical modes of thought. 
The flower and kitchen gardens are very fine 
and maintained in the highest state of perfection 
by the able management of Mr. Archibald. 
As would be expected, the glass department 
occupies an important part here, and includes 
all the special and general divisions incidental 
to modern gardening. However, it is impossible 
for us in this paper to enter into the matter 
particularly ; perhaps we may have an oppor¬ 
tunity of doing so afterwards, and it will 
suffice meanwhile to say that everywhere, in which¬ 
ever department of the estates, the prudent manage¬ 
ment and professional abilities of Mr. Archibald 
cannot be too highly admired. He may be said to 
be the pioneer in this locality of the introduction 
of the single stem system of training of wall fruit 
trees, and as might be expected his success over 
the ordinary conventionalities of the hosts of other 
styles, as a rule more ornamented than useful, have 
fully been rewarded with most gratifying results. 
All the offices, including men’s accommodation and 
bothies, are amply represented, convenient and com¬ 
fortable. Mr. Archibald's own house is yet another 
instance of the accommodation which every good 
garden should have attached to it. It contains 
every modern convenience, is commodious, and 
above all is well situated, in fact, it is in every 
respect the ideal of Loudon’s ” gardener’s house 
vide “ Suburban Hort.” par. 523. Of all this and 
much more is Mr. Archibald worthy for his 
courteous demeanour towards all ranks and classes 
who visit those famous grounds, is always of the 
most respectful character. An able land steward 
who wisely and intelligently carries on the manage¬ 
ment of the high charge with which he is entrusted, 
fully enjoys the esteem of all and the confidence of 
his noble employer, with whom he has now served 
for many years .—D.C. 
JOHN CLAUDIUS LOUDON. 
(Continued fromp. tog.) 
For about five years, namely, from 1833 to the 
middle of the summer of 1838, Loudon laboured 
most diligently and strenuously in order to get his 
great work, The Arboretum et Fruticetum Britannicum, 
completed. It was his most earnest desire that all 
the drawings of trees and shrubs should be made 
directly from nature. He rose early every morning, 
breakfasted at 7 a.m., and from that time till he 
returned to dinner at 8 p.m. he was frequently with 
his artists in the open air. At this laborious under¬ 
taking he had seven artists in continuous employ¬ 
ment. When so employed, he never even halted for 
refreshment nor to sit down. The literary part of 
the work was resumed in the evening after dinner, 
Loudon dictating to his wife, as amanuensis, till 2 or 
3 a.m. before retiring to rest. The fatigue was 
enormous, but his extraordinary enthusiasm and his 
strong constitution carried him through it. 
About this time he had four monthly publications 
all running at the same time, yet in 1836 he added 
yet another, namely, The Suburban Gardener. His 
health was so impaired about this time that he soon 
found the management of five monthlies and the 
Arboretum more than he was able to attend to pro¬ 
perly, so he sold The Magazine of Natural History to 
Mr. Charlesworth ; and in 1838 he also disposed of 
The Architectural Magazine. Midsummer saw the 
completion of the Arboretum, at which he had been 
labouring so assiduously. The circumstances under 
which he found himself at this period was anything 
but enviable, and would have discouraged anyone 
with less courage and enthusiasm than himself. He 
was suffering from an enormous swelling in his right 
knee, which some of the most eminent London 
doctors of that day believed to be due to a diseased 
bone. Something supposed to be a liver complaint 
also troubled him greatly. From a financial point 
of view, he was also in sore straits, for, besides 
the large sum of ready money he had paid his artists 
from time to time, he owed his printer, stationer, and 
wood-engraver a round sum of £10,000. They did 
not press him for the money, however, but consented 
to wait for payment till the sale of the Arboretum 
should enable him to settle their claims. The 
agreement stipulated that the latter work together 
with Cottage Architecture, should be placed in the 
hands of Messrs. Longmans till the creditors were 
paid. 
Undaunted by bodily ailments, no sooner was his 
magnum opus completed than he prepared and pub¬ 
lished the Hortus Lignosus Londinensis, and in the last 
number of The Suburban Gardener announced to the 
public that he intended to resume his former work 
as landscape gardener, and go out for that purpose 
when required or give advice at home on any plan 
that might be sent him. From this increased exer¬ 
tion his wife and friends tried to dissuade him in 
consideration of the state of his health. Mrs. 
Loudon, during her eight years’ experience as his 
amanuensis amongst plants and gardens, had picked 
up a good deal of information on those subjects and 
began to write books on the subject herself. Mr. 
Loudon’s sisters, or two of them, learnt the art of 
wood engraving. He himself became so ill that his 
most intimate relations began to despair of his 
recovery. After placing himself under the care of 
Dr. William Lawrence, an eminent surgeon of those 
days, he rapidly recovered, as the result of a different 
view of his complaint conceived by the doctor, and 
the consequent different treatment to which he sub¬ 
jected the patient. 
Land for an arboretum was very generously pre¬ 
sented to the town of Derby by the late Joseph 
Strutt, Esq., and in 1839 Loudon began to lay it out. 
He also published his edition of Repton's Landscape 
Gardening in that year; and added a Second Addi¬ 
tional Supplement to the Hortus Britannicus. In 1840 
he undertook the editorial management of The 
Gardener's Gazette, but only retained it for a twelve- 
month. 
Apparently the Jardin des Plantes, at Paris, was 
notable for its collection of Crataegus amongst other 
trees, and as Loudon was anxious to identify some of 
the species he conceived the idea of visiting that 
city. Accordingly he, his wife and little daughter 
set out for Paris in 1840. His health being again on 
the decline furnished an additional excuse. They 
travelled by way of Brighton, Dieppe and Rouen, 
staying altogether about two months in France. 
In 1841 Loudon made up his mind to pay a visit to 
Scotland, which he had left so hurriedly ten years 
previously, with the promise that he would return 
the following year. Soon after publishing a Supple¬ 
ment to the Encyclopaedia of Plants he went from 
London to Derby,taking his wife and daughter Agnes 
with him. They stayed a few days with their 
staunch friend Joseph Strutt, Esq., and then pro¬ 
ceeded by way of Leeds to Manchester. When 
they arrived at Leeds it was raining heavily, but his 
old determination had again laid hold of Loudon, 
and to the gardens they went in the midst of a 
terrible thunderstorm, which continued all the time 
they remained in the Botanic Garden. Soaked to the 
skin on their arrival at the station they found the 
last train for Manchester that night ready to start, 
but Loudon could brook no delay, and thither they 
went without changing their clothes. Next morning 
the rain still descended heavily, and though unwell 
he insisted upon visiting the Botanic Garden, where 
he so aggravated his cold that he was obliged to go 
to bed on his return to the inn. 
Sufficient energy returned on the following morn¬ 
ing to urge him on his career, as he was bent on 
seeing the Botanic Gardens at Liverpool, and 
thither he went, but on arrival was unable to get out 
of the coach and had to send his wife to look at some 
plants he desired to examine. He sailed for Scotland 
that night but was very ill during the voyage, so 
much so that when he landed at Greenock he was in 
a state of high fever. From there he persisted in 
proceeding to Paisley by rail, and from thence to 
Crosslee Cottage, the residence of Mr. and Mrs. 
Woodhouse, with whom he had promised to spend a 
few days. Directly on his arrival he was obliged to 
go to bed. A doctor, having been summoned, 
determined his ailment to be bilious fever. 
He never left his hed for a period of six weeks, 
and for some time his life appeared in great danger. 
His eagerness to start work again returned as soon as 
he was able to sit up. Taking leave of their friends, 
Loudon and his family commenced a tour through 
the south of Scotland, visiting every garden of any 
importance on their route and noting down every¬ 
thing of interest. His energy was unabated, not¬ 
withstanding the weak bodily condition to which he 
had been reduced,and neither fatigue nor wet weather 
could restrain him from visiting any and every 
garden in which he heard of anything worthy of his 
inspection. After a fortnight's travel and work of 
this nature the party reached Edinburgh, but 
Loudon stayed only one night ; and leaving his 
family there he set out alone for Glasgow on August 
13th on his way to Stranraer, to lay out gardens for 
the Earl of Stair, at Castle Kennedy. 
On September 1st, he returned to Edinburgh and 
spent a fortnight taking particular delight in showing 
his wife all the places familiar to him when a boy 
when he resided in the city about thirty-seven years 
previous to that time, but by this time vastly altered. 
On September 13th, he hired a carriage for the pur¬ 
pose of taking his family home by land. On 
reaching Newcastle they halted two or three days 
with their friends Mr. and Mrs. Sopwith ; and 
Loudon was immensely pleased with the admirable 
order of arrangement which prevailed in Mr. Sop- 
with’s library. From Newcastle they journeyed to 
Chester-le-Street, and thence to Durham. Loudon 
was more delighted, perhaps, with Raby Castle, 
than with any other garden inspected while making 
the detour of the county. The next stage of the 
journey was Darlington, from whence they travelled 
by rail to York, the inspection of which occupied 
three or four days. This completed the tour by 
road, for they travelled thence by rail to London. 
CHARCOAL. 
Charcoal is often used as a manure, but in itself it 
is useless to plants, as they can only absorb matter 
either in a liquid or gaseous form, and charcoal is 
one of the most indestructible substances. The 
real use of charcoal in the soil is the remarkable 
power it has of absorbing and retaining gases in its 
pores, many of which are highly nutritive to plants. 
According to an authority on chemical analysis, 
charcoal can absorb 90 times its own volume of 
ammonia, 85 hydrochloric acid, 81 sulphuretted 
hydrogen, 35 carbonic acid, 9 25 oxygen, 7 5 nitro¬ 
gen, and i'75 hydrogen. When roots have a 
tendency to cling round pieces of charcoal in the 
soil, it is not the solid carbon they are after, but the 
