jOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AITD  COTTAGE  GARDENEIL 
Septemb  ei:  3,  1888. 
sis 
resting  place  for  the  departed  is  one  never  to  be  forgotten. 
The  wild  but  exquisite  beauty  of  the  place  baffles  description. 
Upon  the  walls  were  Honeysuckles,  Roses,  Jasmines,  Heliotropes, 
Tacsonias,  Passion  Flowers,  Virginia  Creepers  and  Ivies,  each 
growing  in  its  own  careless  way,  while  the  graves  were  adorned 
in  a  similar  manner  with  dwarf  flowering  shrubs  and  a  variety  of 
blooming  plants,  including  Liliums  of  several  sorts,  and  various 
creepers  entwine  the  headstones  and  ironwork  around  the  graves. 
Formality  was  at  a  minimum  here,  and  Nature  in  many  of  her 
most  enchanting  phases  reigned  supreme.  The  fragrance  which 
perfumed  the  air  gave  an  additional  charm  to  this  paradise  of 
rest. 
We  next  made  a  detour  of  the  hill  slowly  and  surely  upon  the 
backs  of  mules  and  on  ox  sledges.  Having  reached  the  summit  the 
panorama  of  the  Isle,  with  its  splendour  of  winding  streams,  rugged 
deep  and  rocky  ravines,  gardens,  vineyards,  and  Banana  groves  in  a 
high  state  of  cultivation  and  promising  an  abundant  harvest  to  the 
cultivators,  lay  spread  before  us.  Yet  with  all  its  natural  beauty 
and  providential  blessings,  poverty  abounds  on  every  hand  through 
the  curse  of  drink  ;  numbers  of  able-bodied  men  and  women,  dirty 
and  ragged,  were  hanging  round  the  drink  shop  doors,  pestering 
passers-by  for  coins,  which  immediately  went  to  enrich  the  drink- 
seller.  Truly  hath  the  wise  man  recorded  that  wine  is  a  mocker, 
and  true  also  is  it  that  it  biteth  like  a  serpent  and  stingeth  like  an 
adder. 
Quitting  Madeira  after  a  four  hours’  stay  we  started  for 
fourteen  and  a  half  days  of  sea-gazing,  this  being  relieved  at 
intervals  by  entertainments  —  concerts,  dancing,  athletic  sports, 
and  various  other  amusements,  and  upon  long  sea  voyages  it  is 
surprising  what  little  things  will  amuse  voyagers.  Our  next 
place  of  call  was  Cape  Town.  The  scenery  here  varies  greatly 
from  that  of  Madeira.  At  first  sight  the  rugged  grandeur  of 
miles  of  lofty  mountains  viewed  from  a  distance  under  African 
blue  skies  and  brilliant  sunshine  present  the  appearance  of  a 
bank  of  snow  white  clouds.  The  Table  Mountains  which  over¬ 
look  the  town  and  gardens  are  6200  odd  feet  above  the  sea,  and 
it  is  a  hard  and  toilsome  task  to  make  the  ascent  in  a  shade 
temperature  of  75°,  and  that  at  midwinter,  yet  when  the  towering 
peaks  are  scaled,  and  the  weary  pedestrian  takes  a  Ipok  round  him 
upon  the  hundreds  of  miles  of  hills,  dales,  and  sea,  and  contemplates 
the  varied  beauties  of  Nature  and  the  marvellous  works  of  creation, 
like  David  he  is  persuaded  that  only  the  fool  hath  said  in  his  heart 
“  There  is  no  God  !  ” 
The  gardens  are  conveniently  situated  to  the  centre  of  the 
town,  close  to  the  Parliament  House  and  fine  public  library, 
museum,  and  picture  gallery,  and  are  approached  through  a  splendid 
avenue  of  English  Oaks.  I  was  fortunate  in  making  the  acquaint¬ 
ance  of  the  Superintendent,  who  kindly  escorted  me  around,  and 
pointed  out  to  me  various  trees  and  shrubs  of  which  I  had  no  pre¬ 
vious  knowledge.  Here  are  fine  specimens  of  the  Gardenia  tribe 
just  coming  into  flower  and  promising  an  abundance  ;  also  Palms  and 
Cacti  of  nearly  every  variety,  some  of  the  latter  30  feet  high,  while 
smonget  the  evergreens  may  be  seen  huge  bushes  of  Poinsettia 
vulcherrima  with  hundreds  of  brilliant  scarlet  bracts,  and 
Euphorbias  splendens  and  jacquiniasflora  just  at  their  best.  I  was 
struck  with  the  much  brighter  appearance  of  the  latter  when  grown 
outside,  and  smiled  as  I  thought  of  the  miserable  specimens  one 
sees  sometimes  at  home  of  the  former  and  the  latter  in  5-inch  pots. 
Although  it  was  midwinter,  the  lover  of  gardens  could  see  many 
things  pleasing  to  the  eye,  sweet  to  the  nasal  organ,  and  delighting 
to  the  soul.  Now  a  bed  of  modest  Yiolets  claim  attention  by  their 
sweet  fragrance,  then  hedges  of  China  Roses,  Oleanders,  Myrtles, 
and  Plumbago  capensis,  and  a  few  annuals,  such  as  Stocks,  Phlox 
Drummondi,  Coreopsis,  Mignonette,  and  Sweet  Peas,  with  autrmn 
flowering  Cinerarias,  Brugmansias,  Thunbergias,  Pomegranates* 
Polygala  Dalmaisiana,  Coronillas,  Salvias,  and  Uhdea,  the  flowers 
of  the  latter  closely  resembling  Sparmannia  africana. 
Taking  a  look  at  the  Rise  garden  I  found  the  plants  in  full 
bloom,  such  a  display  as  one  seldom  sees  at  home  at  midsummer  ; 
and  close  by  I  noticed  some  good  specimen  bushes  of  Hibiscus 
rosea  sinensis  and  the  single  crimson  chinensi#,  I  think  ;  a  fine 
piece  of  Strelitzia  regina,  also  several  Encephalartos,  including 
horridus,  macrophylla,  Altensteni,  and  villosus,  all  of  them  pushing 
up  big  seed  cones,  which  spoilt  their  symmetrical  appearance. 
In  viewing  the  arboretum  part  of  the  gardens  one  may  see  the 
Eucalyptus  towering  in  majestic  pride  above  all  its  neighbours. 
Here  also  aie  handsome  specimen*  of  the  Grevillea  robusta  and 
G.  Caleyi  with  scarlet  flowers,  and  Ficus  elastica  in  full  vigour  and 
fine  form.  Another  tree  of  ornamental  foliage  and  flowering  is 
Schinu*  molle,  the  Pepper  Tree.  But  in  the  Conifer®  one  looks  in 
vain  for  many  of  the  graceful  favourites  they  have  cherished  at 
home,  the  most  conspicuous  here  being  the  Araucaria  Cooki, 
A.  Cunningbami,  and  A.  brasiliensis,  with  Cryptomeria  japonica, 
Cupresius  macrocarpa,  one  or  two  Thujas,  and  several  of  the 
Pinus,  while  in  front  of  the  Government  House  was  a  noble 
specimen  of  Cupressus  torulosa.  The  gardens  are  well  plan*^ed  and 
designed,  and  it  is  a  pity  the  Corporation  is  not  more  liberal  in  its 
expenditure  on  labour  to  keep  it  in  better  order,  as  with  the  variety 
of  flowering  shrubs  and  plants  there  is  in  them  it  must  be  an 
attraction  to  the  inhabitants  in  the  spring  and  summer  months. 
My  next  visit  was  to  the  market  to  see  the  garden  produce,  which 
was  excellent  in  vegetables,  fruit  being  scarce,  only  Pines, 
Bananas,  Oranges,  Li^quats,  and  a  few  Apples  at  3d.  each. 
Tomatoes  were  well  in  evidence  at  Id.  per  lb. 
Having  taken  a  bird’s-eye  view  I  now  made  for  the  railway 
station  and  started  for  Wynberg.  As  this  is  the  aristocratic  quarter 
I  set  out  with  one  object  only — viz.,  of  seeing  the  palatial  residence 
and  gardens  of  that  much-talked-of  man,  the  Hon.  Cecil  Rhodes, 
but  I  was  doomed  to  disappointment  and  missed  a  treat  through 
the  gardener  not  being  at  home,  but  to  an  individual  with  a 
predilection  for  scribbling  the  surrounding  scenery  and  picturesque 
beauty  of  the  district  would  give  plenty  of  matter  to  write  upon, 
the  same  remark  applying  to  the  surroundings  of  Port  Elizabeth 
and  East  London,  where  we  called,  and  also  Durban,  with  its  botanic 
gardens  and  park.  The  most  distinguishing  feature  of  the  former 
place  is  the  architecture  of  the  dwelling  houses,  all  of  them  having 
verandah*,  which  are  covered  with  various  flowering  plants  and 
Roses,  Bougainvillea  glabra  and  speciosa,  Bignonia  radicans  and 
vennsta,  also  Tecoma  australis  and  Holmskioldia  with  crimson 
flowers,  which  in  form  are  like  the  Bougainvillea.  The  occupiers 
seemed  to  vie  with  one  another  in  planting  with  good  taste  their 
front  gardens,  and  keeping  them  in  order. 
Between  the  rival  claims  of  East  London  and  Durban  it  is 
difficult  to  decide,  both  having  many  features  of  interesting  scenery 
and  landscape  beauty.  On  the  journey  of  seventy  mile*  by  rail 
from  Durban  to  Maritzburgh,  which  takes  five  hours  to  accomplish, 
the  lover  of  Nature  gets  so  enraptured  with  the  undulating  and 
ever  changing  scenery  and  richness  of  vegetation,  that  he  ig 
grateful  for  the  privilege  that  slow  travelling  affords  him  to 
dwell  upon  it.  Here  are  Orange  and  Lemon  groves.  Banana 
gardens,  fields  of  Pine  Apples,  all  in  various  stages  of  growth. 
Niggers  of  all  ages  and  sizes  were  working  amongst  them. 
Here  and  there  we  passed  a  kraal  of  mud  huts,  some  of  them 
not  more  than  6  feet  square,  built  like  a  dog’s  box,  with  a  ho'e  to 
crawl  in  and  out.  One  with  a  taste  for  botany  can  gratify  it  here 
on  many  objects  in  the  plant  and  vegetable  kingdom.  At  every 
turn  the  eye  catches  sight  of  some  object  of  floral  beauty  and 
interest ;  sometimes  a  Bougainvillea  and  Plumbago  in  a  dense  mass 
of  flower  and  climbing  a  Pinus  or  Eucalyptus  40  feet  high,  then 
banks  of  Agave  americana  variegata  10  feet  high  beneath  them  ; 
Alternanthera  paronychioides,  Ageratum  mexicanum,  and  crimson 
Celosias  forming  an  object  lesson  from  Nature  in  the  art  of 
decoration. 
At  present  (second  week  in  August)  we  are  busy  with  the 
general  pruning  of  fruit  trees.  From  early  sowings  Peas,  Carrot*, 
Turnips,  and  Onions  are  just  coming  up.  They  have  been  shaded 
