May  26.  1904. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
447 
Belvoir  Castle, 
N”  one  of  the  bright  spring  days  that  have  been  our  delight 
and  the  cause  of  reinvigorating  one’s  pa;  sive  spirits 
during  recent  weeks,  it  Avas  our  privilege  and  pride  to 
journey  to  ancient  Belvoir,  Avhose  lofty  castle  meets  the 
eyes  of  southern  travellers  at  an  hour’s  journey  from  its 
massive  walls.  For  it  is  in  view  fi-om  afar  off ;  its  lofty  structure 
supreme  above  the  mounds  of  Avoodiands  that  undirlate  around  it 
for  miles  and  miles.  What  is  called  the  Belvoir  country — splendid 
for  agriculture  and  for  hunting — expands  Avest  and  north  in  a 
nearly  level  plain,  Avhile  eastward  and  to  the  south  the  land  is 
likewise  even,  though  studded  with  arboreal  groAvths  that  shelter 
the  fertile  farms  and  gardens.  Over  all  this  Avide  domain  the  castle 
of  Belvoir  finds  survey,  and  the  peoples  of  the  plain  look  upward  to 
it.  Raised  443  ft.  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  the  occupants  of  Beh^oir 
Castle  can  plainly  see  Lincoln  Cathedral  on  clear  days,  although  this 
largest  of  English  churches  is  twenty-seven  miles  to  the  north-east. 
Peck,  in  his  MSS.  dated  1727,  justifies  the  name  of  Belvoir  (pro¬ 
nounced  Beever),  Avhich  is  derived  from  the  beautiful  prospect  of 
the  surrounding  counties,  by  his  list  of  173  parishes  in  the  counties 
of  Nottingham,  Leicester,  and  Lincoln,  Avhich  can  be  seen. 
Belvoir  Castle  itself  is  situated  in  the  north-east  corner  of 
Leicestershire,  very  near  to  the  borders  of  Lincolnshire,  and 
Grantham,  the  post  town,  is  8  miles  distant.  The-  hill  upon  Avhich 
the  castle  stands  is  200  feet  above  the  level  of  the  land  immediately 
adjacent,  and  its  vernal  slopes  are  fianked  by  stately  woods  that 
resound  Avich  the  mellifluous  songs  of  a  thousand  birds.  His  Grace 
the  Duke  of  Rutland,  K.G.,  and  family  enjoy  this  resplendent  home 
and  the  handsome  gardens  which  our  notes  describe,  and  on  certain 
days  in  each  week  the  public  are  free  to  visit  some  of  the  finest 
parts  of  the  grounds  and  flower 
gardens,  Avhich  privilege  is  A^eiy 
freely  utilised  and  Avell  appre¬ 
ciated. 
The  present  castle  was  built 
in  1801  and  succeeding  years, 
but  an  old  part  of  the  preceding 
castle,  dating  back  to  early  in 
the  sixteenth  century,  remains. 
Several  castles  had  occupied 
the  same  adaptable  site,  and 
had  disappeared,  for  conjecture 
places  the  occupation  of  this 
place  anterior  to  the  coming  of 
the  Normans.  The  earliest  re¬ 
cord  of  a  castle,  hoAvever,  is  the 
description  of  one  that  was 
built  by  Robert  de  Todeni, 
standard-bearer  to  William  the 
Conqueror,  who  also  built  a 
priory  at  the  foot  of  the  hill, 
where  he  Avas  buried  in  1C88. 
The  present  noble  owner  is  a 
descendant  of  this  brave  Nor¬ 
man,  but  the  name  has  changed 
through  the  property  passing 
at  Amrious  times  to  daughters. 
The  ornamental  gardens, 
with  their  beautiful  evergreen 
and  floAvering  trees  and  shrubs, 
are  renoAvned  for  their  spring 
and  summer  floral  efl’ects,  and 
with  reason;  but  though  the 
beauty  of  the  Castle  Garden 
and  the  Duchess  Garden  is  re¬ 
markable,  and  can  never  fail  to 
cause  Avonder  or  give  pleasure, 
the  fruit,  vegetable,  and  her¬ 
baceous  plant  gardens,  all  Avith- 
in  the  Avails,  are  also  exemplary 
in  every  respect.  This  particu¬ 
lar  part  of  Mr.  W.  H.  Divers’ 
charge  is  removed  to  an  easy 
distance  from  the  castle.  The 
place  is  spacious :  7  acres  are 
circummured  and  sheltered  by 
the  four  lengths  of  masonry,  and  the  extramural  area  under  culture 
is  7J  acres  more.  A  word  should  be  given  to  the  Avails  particularly, 
for  they  are  not  only  handsome  and  in  excellent  condition  for  the 
purposes  of  the  fruit  culturist,  but  they  are  also  substantially 
ornamental,  insomuch  as  here  and  there  a  turreted  or  pinnacular 
addition  to  the  broad  coping  supplies  dignity  and  stateliness.  The 
walls,  as  a  feature  in  gardens,  are  almost  constantly  utilitarian,  and 
that  only ;  but  by  the  least  elaboration,  how  different  they  appear  ! 
The  proportion  of  the  above  total  of  14J  acres  of  cirltivated  ground 
used  for  vegetables  is  2|  acres ;  2J  acres  are  used  for  fruits  of 
various  kinds,  and  the  remaining  acres  are  occuj)ied  by  vineries, 
plant  houses,  frames,  bedding-plant  ground,  drives,  and  paths.  I 
say  drives  adAusedly,  because  it  is  not  uncommon  to  see  the  Duke’s 
carriage,  draAvn  by  two  horses,  go  spanking  round  the  garden  and 
down  the  broad  central  Avalk.  The  breadth  of  these  is  12ft.,  and  they 
are  in  admirable  condition.  The  Av'all  fruit  trees  gave  promise  of  an 
abundant  crop,  in  common  Avith  the  trees  of  all  the  gardens  we  have 
seen  this  year ;  and  at  Belvoir  the  training  of  the  trees  is  a  point 
that  can  hardly  fail  to  attract  the  visitor’s  attention.  Morello 
Cherries,  fan-shaped,  and  cordon  Currants  and  Gooseberries,  are  uix>n 
the  same  length  of  Avail ;  while  Pears  and  Plums  occujAy  most  of 
the  other  positions.  Care  is  taken  in  due  time  to  protect  the 
blossom  by  netting  and  by  tiffany  or  other  light  material.  These 
are  fixed  to  spars  which  are  laid  obliquely  against  the  wall.  The 
Avalks  are  sided  by  pyramid  Pear  and  Apple  trees,  but  on  either  side 
of  a  transverse  Avalk  there  is  a  line  of  dwarf  A’ase-shaped  Apple 
trees,  the  centres  being  kept  completely  free  and  open,  but  splendid 
fruits  are  secured  from  trees  so  trained.  Practically  all  the  finest 
varieties  of  the  different  frnits  succeed,  and  so  many  as  153  kinds 
of  Apples,  and  120  sorts  of  Pears  are  cultivated.  The  soil  is  a  stiff 
clay,  and  consequently  cold,  causing  crops  to  be  late.  Apricots 
succeed  very  Avell,  and  Avhat  is  said  to  be  the  largest  Apricot  tree  in 
the  kingdom  is  pointed  out  upon  the  stable  Avail.  This  variety,  the 
Roman,  has  its  roots  beneath  a  granite  pavement,  and  gets  no 
attention  in  this  direction,  yet  it  fruits  Avell.  The  tree  was  planted 
in  1857,  is  254  ft.  high,  and  is  244  wide.  Peaches  also  succeed  on 
south  walls,  and  Mr.  Divers  finds  the  Logan-berry  to  be  very 
prolific. 
Part  of  the  Avalled-in  area,  amounting  to  1  acre  by  itself,  is 
divided  by  another  Avail  from  the  rest  of  the  garden,  and  is  devoted 
to  the  culture  of  the  more  choice  herbaceous  plants  in  beds.  The 
collection  is  indeed  a  A^ery  excellent  one,  and  seems  to  include  many 
meritorious  recent  novelties. 
Plants  thrive  vigorously  on  the 
deep  cool  soil,  and  what  may 
appear  as  insignificant  little 
l^atches  or  frail  specimens  in 
gardens  where  the  conditions 
are  less  favourable,  are  seen 
here  in  bold  masses  and  hand¬ 
some  grouplets.  Notable  in 
this  connection  Avere  Iris  pumila 
and  Fritillaria  pudica ;  while 
the  breadths  of  Narcissi  and 
Tulips  in  diA'ers  parts  made 
up  a  really  brilliant  shoAv. 
Every  subject  is  carefully 
named,  and  Druery’s  Patent 
Label  Avas  in  evidence  and 
admired  for  its  modesty,  clear¬ 
ness,  and  utility. 
But  Avhile  there  is  much  here 
that  would  interest  the  lover  of 
hardy  plants  or  of  fruit  trees, 
Avere  Ave  merely  to  mention 
them,  it  is  necessary  to  j^ass  on 
to  other  features  of  the  very  ex¬ 
tensive  and  Avonderful  grounds. 
Ere  Ave  actually  quit  the  AA^alled 
garden,  hoAvever,  it  will  be  in 
place  to  refer  to  the  glass 
houses,  Avhich  are  neither 
numerous  nor  A’ery  adaptable 
for  high-class  plant  culture. 
Yet  most  excellent  luscious 
StraAvberries,  of  rich  colour  and 
fine  odour,  are  grown.  Garibaldi 
being  favoured.  The  original 
Ingram’s  Strawberry  house  is 
still  in  use,  but  it  is  not  ideal. 
Amongst  subjects  of  note  in 
other  structures  were  Tropajo- 
lum  Spitfire,  Celsia  cretica, 
Ipomoea  rubro-ccerulea,  decora¬ 
tive  Pelargoniums,  and  small 
collections  of  the  better  known 
orchids  and  decorative  palms. 
The  peacheries  and  vineries  are 
good  lean-to  structures,  and  their  occupants  are  in  the  best  possible 
condition,  and  are  renderir  g  a  fertile  yield.  ElseAvhere  the  Coiintess 
Melon  Avas  doing  well.  A  fiame  filled  with  Commodore  Nut  Cabbage 
Lettuce  from  a  February  soAving  Avere  really  excellent,  and  A^ery 
even. 
The  Availed  kitchen  and  fruit  garden  is  connected  by  paths  to  the 
castle,  which  can  be  seen  above  the  trees  on  one  side.  Having 
traversed  the  Avood  and  the  castle  slopes,  one  is  able  to  note  the  hang¬ 
ing  gardens,  Avhich  must,  on  a  much  smaller  scale,  be  an  imitation  of 
the  hano-inff  wardens  of  Babvlon.  These  terraced  or  hanging  gardens 
