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JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
September  80,  1897. 
vegetables.  Though  of  considerable  size,  almost  every  bit  of  ground  is 
utilised  to  its  utmost  capacity,  and  the  breadths  of  Asparagus,  the  various 
green  and  tap-rooted  vegetables.  Potatoes  and  Onions,  are  immense. 
Moreover,  the  whole  of  them  are  in  capital  condition  -  not  large,  but  small 
to  medium-sized,  such  as  usually  give  the  best  quality.  Then  there  are 
no  weeds  to  be  seen,  so  that  the  crops  have  the  benefit  of  the  food  that 
the  soil  contains.  In  the  enrichment  of  the  ground,  which  varies  accord¬ 
ing  to  the  crop  that  is  to  be  put  in,  both  natural  and  artificial  manures  are 
employed.  The  fruit  trees,  which  are  numerous  in  this  portion  of  the 
garden,  are  in  splendid  health,  and,  generally  sjieaking,  are  carrying  fair 
crops  of  fruit,  though  some  trees  are  lighter  than  usual.  Bush  fruits  are 
also  largely  grown.  Wall  fruit  cannot  be  termed  a  particular  feature  at 
Halton,  owing  to  the  small  lengths  of  wall  available.  Where  fruits  are 
grown  thereon,  they  are  in  fine  condition,  and  produce  good  crops. 
We  may  now  wend  our  way  to  the  pleasure  grounds  about  the  mansion. 
These  are  charmingly  diversified  by  the  aid  of  trees,  shrubs,  undulating 
lawns,  large  borders,  immense  beds,  with  a  lake  of  some  considerable 
size.  Around  this  is  a  broad  grass  drive  broken  here  and  there  by  shrubs 
others.  Both  are  planted  with  a  dwarf  crimson-scarlet  double  tuberous- 
rooted  Begonia  named  Lafayette,  which  for  floriferousness  and  effective¬ 
ness,  is,  so  far  as  I  am  aware,  unrivalled.  They  are  sheets  of  brilliance 
such  as  one  seldom  sees,  but  which  are  always  certain  of  admiration. 
In  another  portion  of  the  garden  a  different  style  of  planting  is 
adopted.  It  is  known  as  the  German  system  of  bedding,  and  appears  to 
consist  mainly  in  several  bold  masses  of  plants  in  one  bed  of  immense 
size.  It  is  a  pleasing  change  from  the  ordinary  styles  of  bedding,  but 
such  as  I  imagine  one  would  quickly  tire  if  much  were  seen.  Then 
there  is  the  Indian  garden,  with  its  Palms,  Dracaenas,  and  other  plants 
that  lend  a  sub-tropical  tone,  the  whole  being  accentuated  by  the  Indian 
tent  which  has  been  erected.  The  Italian  garden  was  next  visited,  with 
its  beautiful  statues  in  porphyry  and  marble,  encircled  in  an  Ivy-clad 
wall.  The  centre  grass  plot  contains  only  one  large  bed  of  mixed 
plants,  and  the  formality  is  maintained  throughout.  The  walk  round  is 
of  mosaics  on  marble  kerbs,  and  the  steps  are  also  of  marble.  It  is 
pleasant  to  see,  but  one  cannot  but  feel  thankful  that  such  is  not  the 
style  of  English  gardening  in  this  nineteenth  century. 
or  beds,  and  backed  by  shrubberies  of  great  extent.  At  the  head  of  the 
lake  is  a  pleasant  summer  house  ;  indeed  these  structures  are  to  be  met 
with  frequently  all  over  the  estate.  Scores  of  fantail  pigeons  find  a 
home  in  a  cote  near,  and  look  very  pretty  strutting  about  the  soft 
green  grass  or  drinking  from  the  lake.  The  area  of  grass  that  has  to  be 
mown  is  very  large,  and  as  some  of  the  borders  are  narrow  the  work 
occupies  several  hands  and  many  machines  to  keep  it  in  the  excellent 
condition  that  is  so  much  desired.  Something  is  constantly  being  done 
on  it,  and  must  be,  or  it  would  soon  jiresent  an  untidy  appearance.  A 
circular  concrete  bicycle  track  has  been  laid  down  close  to  the  mansion, 
and  looks  rather  peculiar  in  the  turf  at  the  first  glance. 
The  flower  gardens  in  contiguity  to  the  mansion  are  brilliantly 
beautiful  now,  and  have  been  for  some  considerable  time.  On  each  side 
of  the  path  leading  to  the  entrance  of  the  house,  and  clearly  shown 
in  the  _  photographic  illustration  (fig.  47),  there  are  circular  beds, 
while  diverging  on  each  side  of  the  cloor  along  a  terrace  walk  are  beds 
of  varying  designs.  Standing  on  this  terrace  the  picture  is  one  of 
singular  beauty,  though  the  planting  is  without  exception  of  the  simplest. 
One  bed  will  be  filled  with  Zonal  Pelargoniums  of  one  colour,  and 
a  second  with  another,  the  same  practice  being  adopted  with  Begonias  and 
Fuchsias;  occasional  “dot ’’plants  being  used  in  some  of  them.  Each 
bed  contains  a  stone  vase,  and  these,  again,  are  planted  in  some  simple 
yet  effective  manner.  Handsome  as  are  all  the  beds,  the  two,  one  on 
each  side  at  the  top  of  the  walk  on  the  terrace,  are  superior  to  all  the 
Everything  is  grand  at  Halton,  and  of  all  the  conservatoi'y  shown 
to  the  right  of  fig  47  is  the  most  imposing.  The  dome-like  roof  seen 
in  the  illustration  is  very  lofty,  and  the  stone  pillars  that  rise  for  its 
support  are  handsome.  Take  another,  aud  this  time  an  interior  view, 
from  the  corridor  right  across  the  circular  conservatory.  This  is 
admirably  depicted  in  fig.  48,  which  shows  the  main  features  as  they  may 
be  seen  by  anyone  emerging  from  the  mansion  into  the  corridor.  No  need 
to  tell  here  of  the  Palms,  the  Ferns,  the  Bamboos,  and  other  plants  that 
grow  therein,  for  the  photographer  has  placed  everything  before  us  as 
plainly  almost  as  life.  The  whole  of  the  conservatory  is  lighted  by 
electricity,  and  several  lights  are  concentrated  on  the  statue  shown  in  the 
jucture.  When  these  are  on,  the  effect,  according  to  Mr.  Sanders,  is 
superb,  and  we  can  well  believe  him,  while  we  are  sure  others  will  do 
so  too.  As  is  the  case  with  the  path  in  the  Italian  garden,  the  floor  is  of 
mosaic  and  the  kerbs  of  marble. _ 
Time  and  space  are  both  exhausted,  and  of  necessity  the  end  must 
come  now.  The  look  through  Halton  has  been  a  cursory  one,  and 
brief  allusions  have  only  been  given  where  longer  ones  were  deserved  and 
called  for,  but  they  must  suffice  for  the  present.  In  conclusion  we 
would  testify  to  the  cleanliness  of  the  whole  of  the  gardens,  and  to  the 
kindness  of  IMr.  and  Mrs.  Sanders.  In  justice  we  must  add  that  the 
superb  photographs  from  which  our  illustrations  were  prepared  were  taken 
by  Messrs.  S.  G.  Payne  &  Son  of  Aylesbury,  on  whom  they  reflect  the 
highest  credit. — H.  ,1.  Wkight. 
