September  1,  1898. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
1G9 
The  north  terrace,  with  its  handsome  stone  balustrade,  is  exceptionally 
imposing  and  elicits  the  admiration  of  everyone.  Beyond  the  stone  wall 
on  the  one  side  we  have  the  water,  and  quite  on  the  other  side  of  the 
walk  there  is  the  soft  green  turf,  with  a  background  of  fine  trees  almost 
the  whole  length.  At  one  portion,  however,  there  is  a  flower  garden, 
with  a  splendid  range  of  plant  houses  against  a  wall  at  the  back.  These 
beds  are  filled  with  plants  of  decided  character  or  colour,  so  as  to 
harmonise  with  the  boldness  of  the  terrace  and  the  grandeur  of  the  view. 
Continuing  our  onward  way  we  traverse  the  forefront  of  the  mansion,  a 
plain,  substantial  edifice,  of  which  the  character  is  well  shown  in  the 
photographic  illustration  (fig.  30).  Its  aspect  is  somewhat  severe,  as  are 
the  immediate  surroundings  within  the  low  stone  wall,  for  there  is  nothing 
but  smooth  grass.  Keeping  within  the  shadow  of  the  house  we  come  to 
the  rocky  verge  of  the  water  in  the  foreground  of  the  picture.  The  banks 
are  clothed  with  greenery  of  various  types,  and  present  a  pleasantly  cool 
outlook.  This  lake  is  comparatively  small,  but  the  whole  of  it  cannot 
be  seen  from  the  corner  of  the  terrace  next  the  mansion,  hence  an 
impression  of  greater  size  is  unconsciously  embedded  in  the  mind  that 
is  not  dispelled  until  the  other  bank  is  reached. 
weather  has  come  since  they  were  seen,  and  it  may  have  materially 
altered  the  general  aspect  of  affairs.  Several  trees  on  the  wall  were  in 
excellent  condition,  and  under  ordinarily  favourable  circumstances  would 
give  bountiful  results.  Small  fruits  occupied  a  goodly  amount  of  ground, 
and  these,  again,  were  entirely  satisfactory.  To  Strawberries  much 
attention  is  given  in  order  to  insure  fruits  of  the  finest  quality  both  in 
respect  of  flavour  and  appearance.  As  a  matter  of  fact  such  is  the  case 
with  all  the  fruit  crops,  and  they,  doubtless,  give  adequate  returns  for 
the  skill  that  is  expended  upon  their  culture. 
We  traverse  a  corner  of  the  Great  Deer  Park,  in  which  the  graceful 
animals  have  ample  space  to  roam  either  in  the  open  or  beneath  the  shade 
of  noble  trees,  while  the  waving  Bracken  forms  abundance  of  cover. 
It  was  from  this  point  that  a  handsome  old  Lime,  whose  branches 
cast  shadows  of  great  extent,  with  Oaks  and  Beeches,  were  seen  to  the 
best  advantage  Re-entering  our  guide’s  charge,  but  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  water  from  the  mansion,  we  find  evidences  of  newly  made 
alterations,  that  will  look  well  in  the  course  of  a  year  or  two.  Very 
large  beds  have  been  formed  for  Rhododendrons  and  other  plants  on  the 
slope  towards  the  water,  while  on  the  higher  ground  beyond  are  rockeries, 
with  belts  of  shrubs  and  forest  trees.  The  rockeries  are  still  bare,  but 
will  eventually  be  charming  corners.  On  the  grass  hereabouts  several 
of  the  trees  are  very  fine,  and  must  be  of  great  age.  By  cool  walks  and 
deviating  ways  we  return  towards  the  gardens,  observing  by  the  way 
some  grand  Yew  hedges,  the  splendid  entrance  gates  from  the  large 
park,  and  other  features,  until  we  reach  Mr.  Taylor’s  home,  where  an 
adjournment  is  made  for 
rest  and  refreshment  ere  _ _ _____  _ _ 
seeing  the  houses  and  gar¬ 
dens  that  are  adjacent. 
Naturally  enough  the  vegetable  gardens,  producing  such  valuable 
foods  as  they  do,  are  of  some  extent,  but  by  no  means  too  large  for  the 
demands  of  the  establishment.  Broad  drifts  of  each  kind  are  grown,  and, 
of  course,  there  are  many  varieties  of  everyone  of  them.  Potatoes,  for 
example,  were  seen  in  large  quantities,  and  the  same  may  be  said  of 
Asparagus,  Seakale,  Peas  and  Beans,  with  root  and  green  crops.  The 
first  named  were  being  dug  in  splendid  condition  on  June  17th,  and  a 
trial  of  them  proved  the  flavour  to  be  then  well  developed.  Salads  had 
also  a  place,  though  the  month  is  not  one  when  outdoor  salads  are  likely 
to  be  met  with  in  immense  quantities.  As  is  customary  in  good  gardens 
the  cultivation  of  the  ground  is  excellent,  so  as  to  admit  of  the  continuous 
close  cropping  that  must  perforce  be  followed  up  If  such  were  not  the 
case  it  would  probably  soon  be  found  that  a  break  in  the  supply  was 
inevitable,  and  no  gardener  likes  such  to  occur  from  any  reason  that  it 
w  as  in  his  power  to  overcome. 
Unfortunately  the  smallness  of  the  space  now  at  disposal  prevents 
justice  being  done  to  the  fruit  and  plant  houses,  which  are  extensive  and 
admirably  equipped.  In  the  fruit  department  the  Vines  were  splendid, 
though  not  a  bit  superior  to  the  Peaches,  Nectarines,  and  other  fruits. 
In  each  case  the  cleanliness  of  the  structures  and  of  their  occupants  was 
most  marked,  and  no  doubt  this  simple  fact  has  its  bearing  on  the 
excellence  of  the  crops  that  are  produced.  In  addition  to  those  named 
Mr.  Taylor  grows  Bananas  very  satisfactorily,  and  doubtless  these  are 
much  appreciated,  for  the  flavour  of  English  produced  “  fingers  ”  is 
incomparably  superior  to  those  which  come  to  us  from  the  West  Indies. 
Flower  gardening  after 
formal  designs  is  not  exten¬ 
sively  practised  at  Byram, 
though  here  and  there  are 
beds  of  varying  sizes  which 
annually  make  a  bright  dis¬ 
play.  For  the  supply  of 
hardy  cut  flowers,  however, 
reliance  is  placed  upon  the 
several  wide  borders,  in 
which  are  hundreds  of  plants 
producing  thousands  of 
flowers.  These  are  most 
effective,  and  answer  the 
dual  purpose  of  embellishing 
the  garden  and  at  the  same 
time  affording  ample  mate¬ 
rial  for  cutting.  It  would 
be  impossible  to  give  a  list 
of  the  names  of  all  the 
plants  grown,  as  it  would 
occupy  too  much  space,  so 
we  will  omit  them  entirely. 
There  are  bulbous,  shrubby, 
and  herbaceous  plants  thriv¬ 
ing  splendidly,  and  it  was 
noted  that  Roses  were  very 
healthy.  Some  of  the  clumps 
of  Liliums,  as  well  as  others, 
are  large,  but  at  the  same 
time  plenty  of  room  is 
allowed  for  each  to  make 
its  best  growth,  as  it  is 
under  these  circumstances 
alone  that  flowers  of  the 
finest  quality  are  yearly 
produced.  There  is  a  border 
of  such  plants  on  each  side  of  the  path  with  the  handsome  gateway 
shown  in  fig.  31,  at  the  extremity  of  which  is  seen  a  statue  of  Bellona, 
the  Goddess  of  War.  Statuary  of  various  kinds  is  abundant,  and  some 
of  it  is  particularly  handsome.  _ __ 
Before  turning  to  the  glass  houses  we  may  just  glance  at  the  vege¬ 
table  and  fruit  gardens,  from  which  large  supplies  have  to  be  drawn. 
Of  fruit  there  are  Apples,  Pears,  Plums,  Cherries,  Gooseberries, 
Currants,  Raspberries,  and  Strawberries  in  excellent  form,  and  from 
the  labels  it  was  easy  to  recognise  the  fact  that  many  of  the  best 
varieties  find  a  place.  Apples  and  Pears  as  espaliers  and  as  bushes  in  the 
open  look  wonderfully  well,  and  were  producing  a  fair  crop,  but  bad 
Fig.  31.— A  VIEW  IN  BYRAM  GARDENS. 
^  A  glance  at  the  plants  and  we  must  come  to  a  close.  The  structures 
are  comparatively  numerous,  and  the  stock  contained  within  them 
extensive.  Plants  that  are  requisite  to  meet  the  requirements  of 
the  establishment  were  seen  in  numbers,  and  these,  of  course,  com¬ 
prised  those  grown  for  their  foliage  as  well  as  others  for  the  beauty 
of  their  flowers.  Writing  for  the  perusal  of  experienced  gardeners  it 
is  not  necessary  to  give  any  names,  as  the  plants  that  would  be  used 
will  come  instinctively  to  the  mind.  Byram,  with  its  noble  parks 
and  trees,  its  terraces  and  lakes,  its  splendid  avenues  of  ’i  ews  and 
Limes,  its  fruit,  its  flowers  and  its  plants,  was  more  than  worthy  of  a 
visit,  for  it  is  a  credit  to  Sir  John  Ramsden  and  to  Mr.  Taylor,  his 
gardener. — H.  J.  Weight. 
