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AUGUST. 241 
with noble vases filled with large Geraniums, such as Tom Thumb, 
Cerise Unique, Commander-in-Chief, Ivy-leaved kinds, and other 
plants suitable for vase decoration. In the middle of the lake, opposite 
the mansion, is an island, which is reached by a bridge. Some very 
fine timber trees grow on this island, round which is a carriage drive, 
and Rhododendron ponticum and other shrubs fringe the water’s edge. 
Seen from the house, when in flower, these give life and beauty to this 
pretty spot. From this part of the pleasure grounds are some highly 
picturesque views. Before quitting the flower garden, we may just 
state that the beds were well filled, but owing to the unfavourable 
season the plants they contained had made but little progress; in fact, at 
some places, the more tender kinds of bedding plants are quite dead— 
even Defiance Verbena has shared the same fate, although not planted 
out until the last week in May. Passing the north wing of the house 
on our way to the kitchen garden, we come to a piece of ground on 
which is to be erected a large conservatory, in connection with the 
mansion. In the kitchen garden are three Vineries, two Peach houses, 
plant stove, orchard house, two ranges of pits, frames, &c. ‘The first 
Vinery is filled chiefly with pot Vines for table decoration; Hamburghs 
and Sweetwaters are the principal kinds grown here for that purpose. 
In the second Vinery was a fine crop, the bunches being large, well 
shouldered, and furnished with fine berries; the sorts were Black 
Hamburgh, West’s St. Peter’s, Black Prince, White Nice, &c. Mr. 
Gray, who is gardener here, had budded on those old Vines of Black 
Hamburgh, just as they were coming into leaf, the Bowood Muscat 
and Golden Hamburgh, and each bud was carrying a fine bunch of 
fruit. Why not try the Cannon Hall Muscat on the “ budding system,” 
_ which seems to accelerate the fruiting properties of Vines, and affords a 
ready way of proving new varieties of Grapes ? 
The first house of Peaches was in a forward state; the trees were 
loaded with fruit. 
Two ranges of pits have been recently erected, each 90 feet in length. 
The front pit is divided into four divisions by means of glass partitions, 
heated by hot water—in 4-inch pipes for top heat, 38-inch pipes being 
used for bottom heat. This house cr pit has a narrow passage along 
the back. ‘Two of those divisions are filled with Pines plunged in tan. 
Air is admitted by means of openings in the front wall, passing under 
the hot-water pipes, and thus becoming heated before it reaches the 
plants inside. Another division was filled with pot Vines for fruiting 
next season. The last division in this range was filled chiefly with 
Cockscombs, among which were some of the finest specimens I ever 
remember to have seen; they were grown in 8-inch pots. ‘The plants 
were about a foot high, and their combs nearly touched the pots on each 
side. This was a dark-leaved variety, which I believe was received 
from Scotland. The other pit runs parallel with that just noticed, and 
is used principally for growing Melons and Cucumbers in. The Melons 
were looking remarkably healthy, and were producing plenty of fruit. 
The plant stove is a span-roofed house, and contained a nice collection 
of plants, among which were some fine Begonias, remarkable for the 
beauty of their leaves; the best of these were Rex, splendida, grandis, 
VOL, XIV., NO, CLII. R 
