Supplement  to 
220 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER.  March  15,  1900.  - 
Amidst  the  Damsons. 
Scarcely  five  minutes  will  have  passed  after  leavin^^  the  station 
before  there  will  appear  on  either  hand  evidence  of  one  of  the  industries 
of  the  surrounding  country — Damson  growing.  Of  these  fruits  there 
are  scores  of  acres  in  the  neighbourhood,  and  as  a  Damson  producer  it 
must  rank  with  the  Pershore  district  of  Worcestershire  and  one  or  two 
apparently,  some  50  or  60  yards  in  diameter,  and  the  same  distance 
apart,  and  still  farther  from  the  road.  In  the  spaces  between  the 
groups  are  specimen  Wellingtonias,  which  have  ample  room  to  show 
their  development.  There  is  no  cramping  ;  on  the  contrary,  a  bold  aspect 
has  been  insured  by  this  system  of  planting.  The  trees  show  admirably 
on  the  grass,  which  is  kept  short,  but  is  never  cropped  closely  wirh 
a  lawn  mower.  The  ground  here  is  nearly  level,  the  soil  being  clay 
with  an  admixture  of  chalk,  and  of 
whose  fertility  the  trees  speak  plainly. 
The  drive  continues  thus  for  a  con¬ 
siderable  distance,  and  then  rises  to 
the  village  of  Mentmore,  with  ^  the 
mansion,  flower  gardens,  and  park  on 
the  one  hand,  and  the  vegetable  and 
fruit  gardens  on  the  other.  Of  the 
village  and  its  features  something 
more  will  be  said  later ;  in  the  mean¬ 
time,  however,  a  little  history  will  not 
be  out  of  place,  especially  as  it  has 
considerable  bearing  on  what  has  been 
said  in  the  opening  paragraphs. 
Photo  hy  'Jheo  Piy^ott, 
Leighton  Huzzord. 
Fig.  58. — Mextmoee  :  In  the  Suuthoeical  Garden. 
others.  Writing  of  the  industry  in  the  Journal  some  half-dozen  years 
ago,  an  authoritative  writer  said,  “  That  they  (Damsons)  pay  remark¬ 
ably  well  scarcely  needs  telling,  as  it  is  very  certain  such  shrewd 
business  men  as  Lord  Itosebery  and  his  experienced  gardener  (Mr. 
Smith)  would  not  go  on  establishing  orchards  of  them  for  the  benefit  of 
the  estate  and  those  who  rent  the  farms  if  Damsons  were  ‘played 
out,’  But  for  the  Damson  orchards  it  is  very  probable  many  of  the 
farmers  would  have  been  bankrupt  ere  this.  Thirty  acres  of  trees  cost 
very  little  to  keep  in  good  order,  and  they  rarely  fail  to  produce  heavy 
crops.  It  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  the  soil,  a  mixture  of  chalk  and 
clay,  suits  the  trees  admirably,  this  promoting  that  exceptionally 
robust  productive  habit  so  essential  to  success.  Quite  young  trees 
bear  well,  while  the  older  ones  seem,  when  the  fruit  is  ripe,  to  be  a 
mass  of  purple.  In  addition  to  the  orchards  formed  and  handed  over 
or  let  to  the  tenants.  Lord  Eosebery  has  about  a  hundred  acres  of 
Damsons  on  his  own  hands,  Mr.  Smith  having  sole  charge.”  The 
writer  gives  many  other  interesting  details,  and  concludes  with  the 
following  remarks,  that  are  as  pertinent  now  as  at  the  moment  when 
they  were  written,  and  which  point  a  moral  in  packing  that  might  well 
betaken  to  heart  by  many  fruit  growers.  “The  Mentmore  Damsons 
always  sell  well,  no  matter  how  heavy  may  be  the  crops,  owing  to  the 
reputation  gained  for  honest  packing.  There  is  no  forming  a  top  layer 
with  picked  fruit  while  that  underneath  is  much  mixed,  and  it  pays 
better  to  throw  or  give  inferior  fruit  away  than  to  mix  it  with  better 
samples.” 
From  the  Station. 
A  few  yards  beyond  the  orchards,  with  an  intervening  single  line 
of  railway,  and  the  drive  to  Mentmore  Gardens  is  entered  upon  in  real 
earnest.  On  the  day  of  my  visit  the  face  of  Nature  was  clothed  in  all 
the  purity  of  a  snowy  mantle,  and  from  the  trees  the  hoar  frost  hung 
in  festoons,  and  decked  each  minute  twig  in  chaste  winter  finery.  There 
were  something  over  20°  of  frost,  and  the  keen  air  acted  as  an  invigo- 
lating  tonic  after  the  enervating  influences  of  London  in  winter.  This 
approach  is  flanked  by  circular  groups  of  trees  and  Conifers,  each. 
History :  The  Mansion. 
Mentmore,  as  abov^e  indicated,  is  a 
comparatively  new  place,  the  mansion 
having  been  commenced  in  1851,  and 
completed  in  a  few  years  by  the  late 
Baron  Meyer  de  Rothschild.  It  is 
interesting  to  observe  that  the  designs 
for  this  splendid  building  were  sup¬ 
plied  by  Sir  Joseph  Paxton,  M.P.,  and 
his  son-in-law,  Mr.  George  Henry 
Stokes,  architect.  The  style  adopted, 
by  desire  of  the  Baron,  for  the  exterior 
has  been  described  as  that  which  pre¬ 
vailed  during  the  early  part  of  the 
reign  of  King  James  I.  The  com¬ 
bination  and  arrangement  have  con¬ 
tributed  to  produce  grouping  of  a 
picturesque  character  and  outline,  and 
the  details  and  ornamentation  are 
understood  to  be  the  result  of  a  careful  study  and  examination  of  the 
works  of  John  of  Padiia.  The  mansion  is  built  entirely  of  Ancaster 
stone,  of  flue  quality  and  colour;  the  cornices  are  highly  enriched, 
and  the  frieze  of  each  order  is  filled  in  with  carved  panels  and  heads. 
The  arrangements  and  lecorations  of  the  interior  are  on  a  similar 
scale  of  grandeur,  and  altogether  this  is  one  of  the  most  magnificent 
houses  of  the  great  that  adorn  our  land  -  at  once  an  embodiment  of 
wealth  and  stability,  a.ad  typical  of  the  character  of  the  “sea-girt 
isle.”  In  the  three  plotographic  illustrations,  numbered  respectively 
57,  59,  and  61,  are  given  different  aspects  of  the  mansion,  and  these 
will  largely  assist  in  conveying  to  the  mind  of  the  reader  an  idea 
of  its  ornate  splendour. 
History  :  The  Gardens. 
The  gardens  have  been  formed  and  the  grounds  planted  by  degrees, 
something  being  adceci  and  something  done  every  year  until  in  the 
aggregate  the  work  accomplished  is  of  great  magnitude.  At  first  the 
Baron  would  have  lo  gardens,  but  Covent  Garden  should  furnish  him 
with  the  requisite  floweis,  fruits,  and  v'egetables.  Then  he  would  grow 
a  little  fruit,  and  orcha  ds  were  planted,  which  now  extend  to  scores 
of  acres.  He  did  not  like  glass  structures,  but  eventually  one  house 
might  be  built.  A  strip  might  be  had  for  growing  a  few  vegetables, 
and  boarded  fences  for  raining  trees.  Now  there  are  nearly  20  acres 
enclosed  with  walk,  and  one  of  the  finest  collections  of  fruit  trees  in 
the  kingdom.  This  haf  Mentmore  grown,  and  the  pleasure  grounds 
have  increased  ii  a  similar  manner,  Mr.  Smith,  with  a  large  staff, 
adding  and  improving  every  year,  carrying  out  his  own  designs  after 
approval  by  his  employtrs,  and  completing  whatever  work  he  has  in 
hand  in  the  best  uanner.  He  evidently  works  on  the  principle,  and  a 
most  excellent  oie  it  is,  that  is  embodied  in  the  aphorism,  “  First  see 
your  way,  then  jo  ahead.’  A  headlong  rush  into  alterations  without 
due  oonsidei-atioQ  frequenly  necessitates  work  having  to  be  done  again, 
while  he  who  commences  an  undertaking  without  a  clear  perception  of 
the  ultimate  remit,  practually  labours  in  the  dark.  Neither  of  these 
mistakes,  both  (f  which  aresomewhat  too  common,  is  made  at  Mentmore. 
