October  16,  1898. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
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round,  and  on  the  heights  of  Caiton  Hill  we  have  the  Nehion 
monument  and  Athenian  pillars  forming  a  picturesque  boundery 
to  the  east. 
“  Better  see  the  ‘  old  town  '  first,”  was  the  advice  of  our  guide, 
philosopher,  and  friend  ;  “  we  can  go  to  Dalkeith  to-morrow,  and 
the  next  day  cross  the  ‘  new  town  ’  on  to  the  Botanic  Gardens, 
where  there  is  much  to  afford  instruction  and  delight,  with  a  rock 
garden  not  to  be  forgotten.”  Across  the  viaduct-like  bridge,  then, 
at  first  we  went,  and  after  sundry  twists  and  turns,  creeping  higher 
and  higher,  we  arrived  at  the  summit  of  the  crest  beyond,  and 
entered  the  precincts  of  the  Castle.  For  seeing  the  most  in  the 
least  time  it  was  thought  we  had  better  have  a  guide,  even  at  a  cost 
of  eighteenpence.  He  was  useful  in  leading  the  way  no  doubt  up 
and  down  the  rugged  steps,  from  room  to  room — from  Queen 
Mary’s  apartments  to  the  crown  room  and  ancient  regalia,  from 
armoury  to  citadel,  gabbling  history  all  the  time,  rolling  it  off  in  a 
monotonous  whirl ;  but  had  it  not  been  for  our  friendly  interpreter 
we  should  have  had  in  the  way  of  information  just  eighteen  pen’orth 
of  nothing,  and  here  we  have  the  beginning  and  the  end  of  the  first 
and  the  last  professional  guide  in  Edinburgh.  All  the  same  tbe 
half  hour  was  enjoyably  spent,  as  a  call  at  the  Castle  may  be  by 
gardening  tourists  from  the  south  who  find  their  way  to  Edinburgh. 
Among  other  sights  they  may  see,  when  on  that  side  of  the  city, 
are  8t.  Gile»’  Church — a  cathedral-like  structure,  once  the  scene  of 
the  fulminations  of  John  Knox,  whose  grave  is  marked  by  a  plate 
inscribed  I.  K.,  1592,  in  the  paved  square  near  the  old  Parliament 
House,  also  worth  a  call.  The  windows  in  St.  Giles’  are  very 
beautiful,  and  the  entire  building  imposing.  Passing  John  Knox’s 
house,  which  many  visitors  are  glad  to  enter  by  payment  of  a  fee, 
another  item  of  old  Edinburgh  is  brought  into  view — the 
Tolbooth  Prison,  where  many  a  cruel  deed  was  done  in  the  bad  old 
times  of  long  ago.  Next  we  reach  Holyrood,  evidently  famed  far 
more  than  anything  else  by  present-day  visitors  as  the  palace  of 
Mary  Queen  of  Scots,  whose  room  with  its  secret  stairs  is  entered 
by  devoted  pilgrims  who  speak  in  whispers  in  the  curious  little 
den,  while  a  brisk  business  is  done  in  such  portraits  as  never 
gladdened  the  eyes  of  her  whom  they  so  charmingly  represent.  A 
peep  into  an  ancient  chapel  in  ruins  and  we  are  outside  again, 
tempted  to  take  a  drive  round  Salisbury  Craigs — the  Queen’s  Drive 
it  is  called,  and  a  charming  resting  tour  it  would  have  been  on  a 
fine,  clear  day,  hugging  the  mountain  on  the  right,  with  “Arthur’s 
Seat  ”  on  the  summit,  and  far-reaching  views  on  tbe  left  ;  but 
before  the  circle  of  four  or  five  miles  was  reached  our  guide  was  no 
longer  a  Fish  out  of  water,  and  we  were  glad  to  reach — 
Mr.  Molyneax’s  favourite  hostelree, 
And  he’s  not  a  bad  judge  after  all,  said  we. 
“  Dalkeith  to-morrow  !  ”  How  easy  it  is  to  plan  and  anticipate. 
The  time  w?s  fixed,  the  train  selected,  and  hopes  were  cherished 
that  the  rain  would  cease.  But  to  plan  is  one  thing,  to  execute 
another.  Dalkeith  was  not  seen,  nor  would  a  sight  of  Mr.  Dunn 
have  been  obtained  but  for  his  thoughtful  kindness  in  journeying 
to  see  ns  and  bid  us  welcome  to  Scotland — a  smiling  welcome, 
though  not  quite  the  old  cheery,  sparkling  glow  that  lights  up  his 
countenance  ;  alas  !  no  ;  but  a  smile  over  a  saddened  heart.  Death 
had  come  suddenly  into  his  family,  calling  him  quickly  away  to  the 
house  of  mourning  in  Perthshire,  and  he  was  so  good  as  to  come 
and  apprise  us  of  his  departure  from  home  early  in  the  morning 
and  his  enforced  absence  during  the  rest  of  the  week.  Thus 
Dalkeith  was  missed,  but  the  courtesy  of  its  gardening  chief 
tempered  the  disappointment,  and  his  call  under  the  circumstances 
was  highly  appreciated.  _ 
The  morrow  came,  with  no  longer  “Fair  Edina,”  but  “  Auld 
Reekie  ”  with  a  vengeance.  Mrs.  Scribe  looked  down  her  nose 
and  at  the  window  sorrowfully.  Looking  through  it  was  useless,  as 
the  city  seemed  blotted  out.  It  is  best,  however,  to  be  happy 
under  all  circumstances,  so  solace  was  derived  from  the  thought 
that  to  have  come  to  Edinburgh  without  seeing  a  “Scotch  mist” 
would  be  the  missing  of  a  national  characteristic.  It  is  just  the 
gentle  sliding  down  of  wire-like  streams,  almost  touching  each 
other,  of  rain  that  seems  opaque.  It  was  something  fresh  to  the 
southrons  —  a  change,  so  we  made  up  our  minds  to  enjoy_  it. 
Life  can  be  made  happy  under  nearly  all  circumstances  ;  it  just 
depends  on  the  “  frame  of  mind.” 
Mr.  Fish  was  not  afraid  of  the  water,  but  floated  his  way 
through  to  see  what  he  could  do  for  his  imprisoned  friends.  It 
ended  by  one  of  them  being  tempted  to  paddle  behind  him  till  we 
landed  in  a  cable  car  en  route  to  the  Botanic  Gardens.  It  might 
be  clearer  there,  the  native  thought,  for  the  guide  is  a  true  Scot, 
and  would  make  a  brave  show  in  kilts.  A  little  clearer  it  was, 
but  though  unfortunately  the  accomplished  head — Professor 
Balfour — was  absent,  a  glance  into  the  fine  lecture  halls  and 
laboratory,  a  quiet  itroll  through  the  grounds,  with  a  peep  into 
some  of  the  houses,  made  us  forget  the  weather,  and  the  visit  was 
much  enjoyed.  Like  the  Royal  Gardens,  Kew,  the  Edinburgh 
establishment  is  a  great  educational  centre,  in  which  botany, 
forestry,  and  cognate  arts  and  sciences  are  taught  to  students  by 
competent  mentors,  and  the  world  is  enriched  by  such  teaching. 
The  grounds  are  also  enjoyable  and  instructive  ;  neat  oblong 
beds,  occupied  with  plants,  systematically  arranged  ;  a  great  col¬ 
lection  of  flourishing  trees,  properly  and  clearly  named  ;  the  trunk 
of  a  Swamp  Oak,  Quercus  sylvestris,  supporting  as  fine  a  Mistletoe 
bough  as  ever  hung  temptingly  in  baronial  hall  at  Christmastide  ;  a 
water  garden,  with  its  square  beds  along  the  margin  in  which  many 
interesting  plants  are  happy  ;  and  a  rock  garden,  which  is  a  model 
of  its  kind  in  structure  and  arrangement,  with  something  in  it  to 
arrest  attention  at  all  times,  while  it  must  be  a  veritable  charm  in 
the  spring  and  early  summer  months,  when  the  majority  of  alpine 
plants  are  in  the  freshness  of  their  floral  beauty.  There  are 
thousands  of  them,  jet  every  plant  brought  within  reach  by  paths 
curling  around  mounds  and  twisting  about  in  the  valleys,  with 
steps  up  and  down,  and  everywhere  where  they  are  requisite  for 
the  enjoyment  of  the  plants,  and  giving  to  them  cultural  attention. 
There  are  spurs,  nooks,  and  knolls  as  if  just  where  they  ought  to 
be  for  the  well-being  of  the  plants  and  the  inspection  of  their 
admirers.  This  rockery  garden  is  a  great  work,  well  planned,  well 
carried  out  —a  lesson,  from  which  many  an  idea  may  be  gained,  a 
•uccess  worth  going  far  to  see,  and  as  Mr.  Fish  truly  said,  when 
seen  not  lOon  to  be  forgotten. 
The  grouping  of  Conifers  and  shrubs  in  small  colonies  of  each 
kind  is  a  feature  of  the  gardens,  and  a  satisfactory  one.  The 
varietal  differences  give  adequate  diversity,  and  the  general 
boldness  in  effect  is  far  more  pleasing  than  the  higgled?  piggledy 
formal,  unnatural,  sprinkling  and  dotting  about  of  all  sorts  and 
kinds  that  can  be  obtained  and  mixed  together,  as  is  too  commonly 
seen  in  shrubberies,  in  many  instances  to  mar  or  spoil  each  other  in 
the  heterogeneous  jungle.  Several  acres  of  adjoining  land  are  to  be 
incorporated  with  the  gardens,  and  improvements  are  in  progress 
in  various  directions,  a  general  air  of  activity  and  progress  pervading 
the  establishment.  _ 
Of  the  glass  structures  little  will  be  said.  A  resting,  not  a 
note-taking,  tour  was  indulged  in,  and  plant  names  left  so  severely 
alone  that  only  two  were  taken  down  at  Edinburgh,  or  elsewhere, 
during  the  peregrinations.  There  are  new  houses  and  old,  the  old 
appearing  to  be  steadily,  or  rapidly,  giving  plaw  to  tire  new.  The 
chief  structure,  circular  in  foi m  and  lofty,  reminded  of  the  King 
of  the  Belgians’  great  winter  garden  at  Laeken  ;  but  though  the 
Edinburgh  tropical  garden  under  glass  is  much  the  smaller,  the 
plants  of  various  kinds,  which  render  it  picturesque,  are  not  less 
excellent  in  culture  than  are  those  which  form  the  Royal  collection 
near  Brussels.  There  are  span-roofed  houses  connected  with  a, 
corridor,  ail  well,  interestingly,  and  instructively  furnished.  There 
are  Darlingtonias  luxuriating  in  a  manner  rarely  seen,  and  Droseras 
in  splendid  condition  for  catching  flies ;  Orchids  numerous,  clean, 
healthy,  and  happy  ;  Begonias  trained  up  the  roof,  and  clusters  of 
coral  like  flowers  hanging  down  in  bunches  large  enough  to  fill  a 
chimney-pot  hat.  _ 
But  the  two  plants  noted  down  must  not  be  forgotten  ;  one  is 
the  Swan-neck  Orchid,  dioecious  Orchid,  Cycnoches  chlorochilon, 
with  growths  on  the  female  plant  2  feet  long,  and  bearing  twelve 
fine  flowers  on  a  stem,  much  flatter  and  with  a  column  ten  tirnes 
stouter  than  in  the  masculine  form ;  colour  white,  with  greenish 
yellow  lip.  The  other  plant  is  very  different,  and,  as  growing  in 
a  border  in  one  of  the  houses,  had  somewhat  the  appearance  in 
general  outline  of  a  spreading  Pampas  Grass,  but  with  dark  green 
whipcord-l’ke  growths,  whorled  at  intervals,  giving  the  specimen  a 
plume-like  appearance.  It  is  the  Cape  plant,  Restio  subverticillatis, 
and  in  its  position  was  decidedly  ornamental  by  its  healthy  condition 
and  elegant  contour.  But  if  the  Kaffirs  could  see  one  of  their 
Hope- Grasses  (which  grow  as  undershrubs  in  swampy  places  in 
their  forests)  so  luxuriously  provided  for,  they  would  be  disposed 
to  have  a  darksome  grin  at  the,  to  them,  peculiar  tastes  and  habits- 
of  the  white  man.  The  huts  of  the  natives  in  the  Cape  of  Good- 
Hope  region  are  commonly  thatched,  and  some  entirely  made,  with 
Restio  tectorum.  and  the  flexible  growths  are  used  as  ropes,  baskets, 
and  brooms.  We  have  toured  far  enough,  however,  and  had  better 
get  back  from  the  jungles  of  Africa  to  civilisation,  and  we  find 
