October  8,  isaf. 
353 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER 
sequestered  among  the  trees  at  the  head  of  the  lake,  to  the  left  to 
examine  and  admire  the  size  and  contour  of  a  stately  Wellingtonia, 
yonder  to  regard  the  spreading  arms  of  some  venerable  Cedar,  and  always 
to  be  more  and  more  impressed  with  the  diversity  and  charm  of  this 
English  home.  Surely  it  is  to  snch  as  this  that  Mrs.  Hemans’  graceful 
lines  on  “The  Stately  Homes  of  England  ”  should  be  applied. 
Immediately  after  reaching  the  gardens  an  adjournment  was  made 
for  breakfast,  the  traveller  having  discussed  his  first  one  at  4  30  was 
quite  ready  for  another,  a  similar  homely  welcome  to  that  accorded  by 
Mr.  Pope  at  the  station  being  proffered  by  Mrs.  Pope  at  home.  Little 
time  was  spent  within  doors,  however,  for  we  were  soon  out  to  look  at 
the  hoHses  and  the  gardens.  So  far  as  modern  glass  structures  are 
concerned  Highclere  cannot  be  said  to  be  very  well  equipped,  and  yet 
the  produce  grown  in  those  at  command  is  of  very  high  quality.  Some 
frames  have  been  converted  into  pits,  to  enter  which  a  flight  of  steps 
must  be  descended,  when  it  may  readily  be  seen  to  what  useful  purposes 
they  are  put.  As  they  are  all  efficiently  heated  Melons,  Cucumbers,  and 
Tomatoes  are  grown  easily  and  abundantly,  the  two  latter  being 
•aplendidly  represented  at  the  time  of  the  visit.  Tomatoes  are  evidently 
seen,  but  never  at  home  before,  and  it  was  worthy  of  note  that  while 
quality  was  assiduously  sought,  quantity  was  evidently  of  no  leas  impor¬ 
tance.  Every  corner  of  the  garden  was  occupied,  and  all  the  quarters 
were  wonderfully  clean,  the  grower’s  idea  being  obviously  to  let  the 
useful  crops  have  the  benefit  of  the  food  in  the  soil  instead  of  its  being 
appropriated  by  the  useless  and,  moreover,  unsightly  weeds.  The  garden 
is  subdivided  by  wide  paths,  each  flanked  by  fruit  trees  of  varying  ages 
and  sizes ;  but  these  latter  are  not  grown  in  sufficient  numbers  to  deprive 
the  vegetable  crops  of  the  light  and  air  so  needful  to  insure  their  perfect 
development.  The  aspect  of  the  garden  is  due  west,  from  which  quarta: 
come  some  terrific  storms  that  would  uproot  most  things  that  had  not  got 
a  thorough  hold  of  the  soil ;  but  here  they  do  not  seem  to  suffer 
materially,  though  many  bushels  of  Apples  have  been  blown  from  the 
trees  during  the  gales  of  wind  that  they  have  been  too  often  subjected  to 
of  late. 
So  far  as  vegetables  are  concerned,  the  equipment  of  this  garden  ia 
one  of  the  finest  we  have  seen,  for  in  it  are  contained  all  the  kinds  likely 
to  be  needed  in  the  kitchen.  The  quarters  of  Potatoes,  Onions,  Winter 
Greens,  Celery  and  others  are  of  considerablo  size,  and  the  produce  is  of 
the  first  quality.  The  now  familiar  Climbing  French  Bean  was  in 
Fig.  65.— highclere  CASTLE. 
in  great  demand,  for  they  ate  to  be  seen  everywhere  and  in  almost  all 
stages  of  growth.  The  plants  for  fruiting  during  the  early  months  of 
next  year  were  splendid,  being  wonderfully  stout  and  strong,  while 
those  at  present  in  bearing  are  carrying  heavy  crops  of  medium  sized, 
beautifully  shaped  fruits.  The  variety  most  appreciated  is  Polegate. 
It  is  seldom  nowadays  that  one  comes  upon  an  establishment  where 
•the  cultivation  of  Pines  is  just  being  taken  up  ;  yet  such  is  the  condition 
of  affairs  at  Highclere.  Tnere  was  apparently  everything  else  but  Pines, 
so  to  make  the  whole  thing  complete  one  of  the  converted  pits  becarne 
a  Pine  house,  a  stock  of  young  plants  being  procured  to  place  in  it, 
the  best  attention  was  given  the  plants,  which  now  look  to  be  in  perfect 
health,  and  promise  to  crown  the  undertaking  with  unqualified  success. 
It  is  evident  that  Mr.  Pope  thoroughly  understands  the  requirements 
of  this  luscious  fruit,  and  is  determined  to  grow  it  to  as  great  a  state  of 
perfection  as  is  the  case  with  the  other  crops  under  his  charge.  There 
were  other  houses  besides  these  pits,  but  as  they  were  a  considerable 
distance  away  in  another  garden  we  will  glance  first  at  the  vegetable 
and  fruit  quarters  ere  calling  special  attention  to  them. 
As  a  vegetable  grower  no  gardener  in  England  is  more  renowned 
than  Mr.  Pope.  All  the  big  shows  know  him,  and  all  the  leading 
•exhibitors  are  aware  that  the  Highclere  collection  always  take  some 
beating.  Several  times  have  the  various  products  of  this  garden  been 
evidence,  and  considering  the  enormous  number  of  pods  with  which  the 
plants  were  clothed  must  be  of  some  considerable  utility.  There  was, 
too,  a  long  row  of  the  Batter  Bean,  of  which  the  flavour  is  so  delicious 
as  to  warrant  its  inclus’on  in  those  gardens  where  it  is  now  a  stranger. 
The  same  as  in  most  other  places  this  year.  Peas  have  not  been  very 
long  lived,  but  crops,  as  a  rule,  have  been  well  up  to  the  mark.  Some 
of  the  Onions  were  splendid  examples  of  what  early  sowing  and  trans¬ 
planting,  in  combination  with  the  best  culture,  will  do,  and  the  weight  of 
bulbs  from  the  several  varieties  must  be  something  considerable,  though 
there  were  no  really  immense  specimens.  Mr.  Pope’s  favourite  varieties 
are  Cranston’s  Excelsior  and  Ailsa  Craig.  While  the  beds  themselves 
are  kept  scrupulously  clean  the  paths  are  not  neglected  any  more  than 
are  the  two  broad  borders  of  herbaceous  flowers  that  run  down  the 
centre  of  the  garden.  , 
As  has  been  said,  there  are  several  fruit  trees  of  various  forms  in  the 
kitchen  garden,  while  on  the  high  old  wall  that  runs  through  are  some 
beautiful  specimens  of  trained  Peaches,  Nectarines,  Pears  and  othere. 
Though  the  fruit  had  been  gathered  from  the  majority  of  them  at  the 
time  of  this  visit,  it  was  ascertained  that  the  crops  had  been  on  the  whole 
satisfactory,  a  statement  that  wa.s  amply  borne  out  by  the  magnificei^ 
Pears  that  were  still  hanging  from  some  of  the  trees.  There  was  a  look 
of  health  and  strength  in  the  wood  of  these  that  was  very  pleasing,  and 
the  system  of  training  and  the  freedom  of  insects  spoke  volumes  for  the 
attention  that  is  bestowed  upon  them.  Small  fruits  of  course  are 
strongly  in  evidence,  and  none  more  so  than  Raspberries,  of  which  the 
