April 2, 1904. 
THE GARDENING WORLD . 
28? 
one wish that some wealthy horticulturist would take the 
matter in hand, and try what really oonld be done. Although 
there are many thingsi growing out-doors in Cornwall that 
are tender further north, there are hundreds of other things 
that would do' equally well were they tried. If Kew, for in¬ 
stance, had a, 'branch in 'Cornwall, what a selection could be 
made for out-doors from the rich collections of plants grown 
under glass ah Kew. Although Kew, however, has not a 
Cornish branch, many of the fine things and interesting plants 
found in some Cornish gardens have at one time or another 
been distributed from Kew either as seeds or plants. 
The date of my visit was September, and though this was 
too late to see flowering shrubs at their best, some few were 
in good condition, and these are referred to later. 
On September 2nd I left London for Cornwall, my first stop, 
however, being in Devon, at Plymouth. This is a, town well 
worth a visit, the place being extremely interesting, historically 
and otherwise. The “ Hoe ” is the show place and fashionable 
promenade of the town. This is laid down with grass bisected 
with a good, wide, well-kept road and numerous side paths. It 
stands well above the sea, which is reached by several flights 
of terraced steps. From the “ Hoe ” a fine sight is obtained 
of the harbour, Drake’s Island, Mount Edgcumbe, the fine 
breakwater two and a half miles away, the English Channel 
beyond, etc. Standing near the “ Armada. Memorial ” on the 
Hoe, the sea, may be seen in, three different directions, and 
whichever way one looks: the naval and military aspect of the 
place meets the' eye, for there are war vessels and batteries 
everywhere. 
Tim following day, September 3rd, I commenced business by 
visiting Mount Edgcumbe, the Cornish seat of Lord Mount 
Edgcumbe. This place is reached by a ferry from a landing- 
place known m “ Admiral’s Hard.” Mr. Richards, the head 
gardener, was: expecting mei, and had made arrangements for 
showing me the gardens. There are several gardens, and they 
are widely distributed, the kitchen garden being quite twenty 
minutes’ walk from the flower gardens. The grounds generally 
are very pretty, being a, high hill surrounded by the sea, on 
three sides. From many points about the grounds splendid 
^ kws are obtained of the English Channel, the three towns, 
Plymouth, Stonehouse, and Devonport, the Government, dock¬ 
yard, the Devon and Cornish hills 1 , the unique bridge at Salta,sh, 
and other places. 
In the gardens proper many interesting things are to be 
seen. My attention, was, first attracted by a, very fine collection 
of Changes in the Italian, Garden. There were a great many 
plants, and all were in the best of health, and bearing good 
crops of fruit,; some of the plants must be quite 20 ft. high, 
with, flunks 6 in., or so in diameter, while others are large 
bushes perfect in shape from base to summit. The Myrtle^ 
leaved Orange was represented by several very line and well- 
tiuited bushes. These Oranges, are wintered in an, Orangery, 
very similar in structure to the Wood Museum at, Kew. In the 
same garden wera some veiy fine bushes, of Abutilon vitifolium, 
smothered with seeds, which must have been veiy fine earlier. 
ieae was also: a, veiy fine. Oleander growing among the 
Orange®, and at the time of my visit it was smothered with 
" e n ^ fj uric ^ a,bout this garden there: are some very fine trees 
of Onerous, Ilex, Q. lueombeana, and Q. Suber, and on the 
ranches of these tree® large masses of Polyp,odium vulgare are 
90 fI 1D m luxuriailtl y. There is also, a fine Holly with a trunk 
, U Ju ^ x before a, branch is seen, and 2 ft. in, diameter 3 ft, 
e § T '° ,un( P Other fine specimens in the neighbourhood 
ns garden are Magnolia grandiflora, large specimens 
covered with flowers, Trachycarpus, excelsa (Chamaerops For¬ 
tune), 20 ft. high, with a large head of leaves. This fruits 
a e j ’ and fl uantl ties of plants come, up round about, Veronica 
Andersoni 9 ft. high and 9 ft, through, was in full flower; Arun- 
maria no,bibs, 18 ft, high and 21 ft. through, and a, plant of 
Uunnera mamcata, remarkable from the fact that it is growing 
ju a dry bank, are all fine specimens. 
is grounds, in a sheltered position, there 
f-vnrt ' 1 ° te ' nc 1 e ' r pl^ts. This, has, been in course of oon- 
: « r SW6ral y &ara > and some of the plants have attained 
- • y unaasions. Among other things, the followin'- were 
conspicuous: Myoporum serratum, a large bush covered with 
iruits, Leptospermurn •scoparium, Myrtus Luma (Eugenia 
apiculata), Cinnamomum Camphora, Pitta,sporum Tabira, 
Lagerstroemia indica, Abelia floribunda,, Acacias in variety” 
Correa alba, and several varieties of Correa speciosa, Cassia 
corymbose riumbago capensis, Mitraria ooccinea, Cycas revo- 
; . -1 ibouchma semideoandra, Helichrysum Antenna,ria, 
Lippia oitnodora, Luculia gratissima, Citrus medica, and Olea 
europaea,; the latter plant has produced and ripened fruit in, 
this position. Most of the above plants have been out, several 
years, and nearly all flower annually. About the woods there 
are some hue trees, particularly Pinus Pinaster. Many of 
the finest, tree® were, however, destroyed by a blizzard ten years 
or so, ago In some places large gaps were cut through dense 
woods by this blizzard, and some of these places have since been 
planted with young trees, the majority of which have a very 
promising look. Hydrangea, hortensis is used extensively as an 
undergrowth m the woods, and does well. At the time of my 
visit the plants were m full flower. In one part of the grounds 
where iron abounds, the flowers were all blue:; in other part® 
where iron is absent the flowers ware pink. The: kitchen 
garden is extensive and very well kept, and fruit trees and 
vegetables were m good condition. Of Apples there was a 
very good crop, especially on tree® exposed to the north 
On leaving Mount Edgcumbe, I made my way to Salt,ram, the 
Devonslnre: residence of Lord Morley. In this garden some 
of the finest things I saw were, Cupressul jmacrocarpa, Azara 
liuciophylla, I lttosporum tenuifolimn, Olearia macro,donta 9 ft. 
liigh and 10 ft. through, Enobotrya japonic^ EscallonS ma,- 
uaiitlia, and Solanum jasm incudes, grown on sticks, in the her¬ 
baceous borders, Abies, Piceas, and Douglas, Firs were repres 
rented by hue specimens, while fine bushels of Arbutus Unedoi 
covered with fruit, were to be seen in many places. 
On September 4th I left, Plymouth to visit Mena,billy, the 
seat of Jonathan Rashleigh, Esq. This is an extremely im 
cresting place, and should ba visited by everyone whoi visits 
Cornish gardens. Mena,billy is reached from Par Station 
1 rom which it is: distant about 3J miles. The: walk up, fro* 
the station is a very interesting one. The roads are hilly and 
are bordered by high banks in some places, and low stone 
walls: in others. These banks, and walls are smothered with, 
Polypodium vulgare, Scolopendrium vulgare, Ivy and many 
° le ( things; while at the time of my visit, the spikes of bright 
red Iruits of Arum macula,turn were numerous and attractive. 
* f 0 ™ s, °' mei P 0ii nts of the, road fine view® of the sea, are obtained, 
while inland scenery is, very fine from other points. I arrived 
at, Menabilly aibout 10 o'clock, acad Mr. Bennett, tliei head gar 1 
dener, an old Kewfite, took charge of me at once. 
To enumerate all the interesting plants contained in thisi 
garden would take a, long while,, so, I am only giving a selection,. 
Conifers are well represented and are: in first-rate, health, and 
veiy many rare plants are to be seen. Pinus Montezuimie is 
growing in quantity, and there are numerous: large specimens, 
the largest one, being 1 ft. high, with a curiously-branched 
trunk nearly 20 ft. in, circumference: at the, ground line. P. 
Montezuma© var. lindleyana is represented by a fine specimen, 
as also isi P. jpatula, a, distinct and rare Mexican species, P. 
Ayaoahuite, 20 ft. high, P. Kegelia and P. insignis. This, 
latter species, together with Cupressusi macrocarpa, isi largely 
used in, Cornwall for shelter, both being - quick growers and! 
thriving well. At Mena,billy there is, a, very large specimen of 
P. insignis which is labelled a,si follows::—“This tree was 
Planted in 1842 by Mr. Rashleigh, when it was: 2 ft, high; in 
1894 it was measured and was, 90 ft, 'high and 16 ft. 6 in. in 
girth.” 
Other fine, Conifers are Picea Morinda 50 ft. high, and fur¬ 
nished with branches to the ground; Picea, alcockiana,, Picea, 
Menziesii 80 ft, high, with a trunk 2 ft. 9 in. in diameter, P. 
ajanensis', Abie® braeteata 20 ft, high, A. amabilis, A. grand is, 
a. fine specimen 90 ft. high; A nobilis, very well coloured ; A. 
webbiana and A. weibbiana, Pindrow, both very fine, the, former 
30 ft, high, with a large: head, and carrying numerous pretty 
purple cones ; Pseudotsuga Douglasii, with a fine, trunk ; Cryp- 
tomeria japonica., Podoearpusi cliilina (syn. P. andina), and P. 
rebus,ta, many veiy fine plants; Atlirotaxisi laxifolia, a, very 
