we close the top ventilators, leaving the bottom ones open in degree, according to the weather outside; by this means a suitable temperature is maintained throughout the night. In each division it is advisable to allow the atmosphere to fall 6° or 8° below saturation point for several hours during the middle of the day; this will allow the plants to discharge all superfluous moisture, which, if retained, would prevent sound, durable growth.

PLANTS UNDER GLASS.

By W. MESSENGER, Gardener, Woolverstone Park, Ipswich. Iry-leared Pelargoniums. Young plants now rapidly growing, will be in need of close attention as regards shifting before they become rootbound. Let the points of the shoots be nipped occasionally to ensure bushy growth, as the plants are apt to run away thin if stopping be not resorted to. Spring-struck plants will require re-potting, and old plants, if growing in an intermediate-house, will now be coming into flower, and should be removed to a greenhouse or cool conservatory. These plants show to advantage when grown in baskets, three or more according to the size of the basket, being placed therein in good turfy loam, one sixth part decayed manure and some silver-sand. Such baskets should be lined with wood-moss, and when planted, they should be placed in an intermediate-house. The earlier-made hoots should be pegged-down, or otherwise secured to the sides of the basket, and have their points pinched out, the resulting shoots being allowed to hang unrestrained. These plants are valuable

climbers, making a brilliant display if afforded a light, airy position.

Zonal Pelargoniums.-Plants, if strong and wellrooted in small pots, will soon begin to show flower if repotted in 5-inch pots, and stood close to the glass in a temperature of 50° to 55° by night, and 10° more than this by day, affording plenty of air on fine days. It is not too late to insert cuttings in order to raise plants for winter-flowering, but the shoots must be strong and sturdy. They can be placed in a warm house in a light position, where they will soon strike.

Caladiums.-Those that are growing freely may be finally repotted in light rich soil, which should not be made very firm; the plants requiring abundance of water when growing freely should have excellent drainage. They must be shaded from strong sunshine, otherwise all the light possible should be afforded to bring out the colours of the leaves.

Glorinias.-Plants making free growth may be shifted into their flowering-pots in a compost of loam, dry cow-dung rubbed through a fine-meshed sieve, leaf mould, and a considerable proportion of silver-sand. Young seedlings may be pricked off directly they are fit to be handled into small pots or pans, and if late-flowering plants are desired sced may be sown.

Gesneras. Shake the old soil from the earliest flowering species of these and start the tubers singly, or two or three of them together in one pot, in a Cucumber or Melon-pit. They will start quickly, but once the leaves commence to form the plants must have a position where the syringe cannot reach them, or the leaves will get rusty.

Tydeas-Cuttings being now plentiful, they may be taken off and inserted in sandy peat, and the old plants thrown away. For large plants, insert the cuttings singly in small pots, and pinch the points from time to time; or place the cut'ings thickly together in pane, and when they are growing strongly take off the tops and strike these, and throw the others away. These, if pinched once, make capital plants. Thyrsacanthus rutilans, as it goes out of flower, may have the tops of the plants taken off and inserted in thumb-pots, placing them under a hand-glass'in the propagating house. The old plants may be cut back for the purpose of affording cuttings.

FRUITS UNDER GLASS. By G. NORMAN, Gardener, Hatfield House, Herts. Figs in Glasshouses.-Fig-trees may be forthwith planted in new borders, and good all-round varietcs for forcing are Brown Turkey and White Marseilles, having middling-sized fruits, and Negro Largoas a large one; and of small-fruited varieties, of which there are many, Black Ischia, a good forcer, of a deep purple, and flesh of deep red; Brown Ischia, a free and excellent forcer; Pingo de Mel and Violette Sepor are among some of the best for house culture. Figs mostly grow to a large size, unless the root-runs are greatly circumscribed, and need a good deal trellis -10 feet in width and as much in height, is not too much per plant. In making a hole for the roots of

the plants, the soil should be taken out to a depth of 4 to 6 inches, and sufficiently wide for the roots to extend in all directions at full length. The trees to be planted should have been thoroughly cleaned with insecticide some time before. In planting, turn the roots out of the pots, take away the crocks, and remove by pricking and shaking the whole of the soil from the roots; slightly shorten the strongest of these, then place the plant in its place, lay out the roots straight, and work the soil between the roots, making all quite firm, the uppermost roots being then about 2 inches beneath the surface; afford a moderate amount of water, and fill in. The chief shoots may be temporarily fastened to the trellis in such a manner as to let the tree sink as the soil settles. The earliest fruits are often obtained from potted or tubbed trees; and any of these with ripening fruits will require a moderately dry, well-ventilated house, but in consideration of the second crop of fruits that will be taken from the trees, these points must not be carried to excess. In order to maintain a suitable atmosphere, the floor of the house, and other surfaces must be damped once, twice, or thrice a day, according to the aridity of the air. When all the ripe fruits have been gathered, a thorough syringing of the trees should take place, doing this in the early morning; and air should be afforded at that time by the top ventilators if weather permits. As Fig-trees absorb much moisture from the soil, liberal applications of water are required from time to time, and nothing favours the spread of red-spider so much as dryness at the root. When a second crop is set, afford weak manure occasionally, and alternate this with sootwater. If the bottom-heat materials are sinking, and likely to leave the pots above the surface in some measure, place fresh materials between the pots, not EO much to afford heat at this date as to maintain equable conditions in the soil. To have fruits of the best flavour, they should be ripened on the tree; and indications of ripeness are the drooping of the fruit, exudation of honey from the eye, and the cracking of the skin. Gather the fruits when quite dry, and handle them tenderly, pinching the stalk off close to the wood, and at the same time bending the fruit slightly on one side. If to be sent to a distance, pack them like Strawberries.

Trees growing against Trellises, that were started in January, will need the removal of superfluous laterals, and the remaining shoots to be tied to the trellis, the points of these being pinched out in front of the fifth leaf. To bring two crops of Figs to perfection requires a long season of warmth; and the temperatures of the Fig-house from now onwards may range from 60° to 65° at night, 70° by day, with fire beat when it is dull, 85° with sun-heat, and 90° for a short time after closing the house in the afternoon. Afford air in the morning when 70° is reached, increasing the quantity at 75° and 80°, and leave on a little air all night when the weather is mild. Syringe the trees thoroughly once or twice a day. Should scale threaten to become troublesome, use soap-suds with a sponge; if soft-soap is used, it need not be stronger than 4 ozs. to the gallon. If mealy-bug be present, look for them diligently. Maintain the borders in a suitably moist condition.

THE APIARY. By EXPERT.

Sections and Section-Racks.-These are likely to receive considerable attention this year, seeing that our brethren in America-where all the sections used are made-are just now exercising their judgment, and many of them advocating a new-style section without any "bee-way" cut in the wood, the said bee-way being provided by the divider or separator. One fortunate thing about the discussion is, that the outside measure of the section itself will remain the same. This is a comfort to all those who have a large number of racks made to take the ordinarysized section. Some in America favour a section showing a larger surface of comb but less in thickness as being more attractive to purchasers. But in any alteration that may be introduced, the number of racks so in use here, made to take what may be called the standard size (44 inches x 4 inches) will have considerable weight with all who produce comb-honey in any quantity, before we alter sizes. The proposed new section will, it seems, be 4 inches x4 inches without bee-ways cut in sides of wood. Those who have tried them say that the bee-wayless sections are better filled with honey to the edge of the wood all round. Think of that point, ye ambitious ones in our ranks, when working for the prize-taking sections another year! There is little doubt our pioneers in bee-supplies will have the new sections on hand ready for this season,

་

Handling Bees.-When the time comes for a thorough examination of hives again, it can be ascertained almost at a glance how matters stand within, and which combs contain brood, as well as making plain the presence of a queen, because the manner and behaviour of the bees are entirely different to those on frames, which are queenless and broodless. In examining frames of brood, be careful to first draw them an inch apart, and then steadily raise them but half out of the hive, just sufficient to ascertain the condition of affairs; this done, replace them at once for fear of chilling the brood. By so doing, the queen-bees will hardly be conscious of any disturbance at all. When combs are treated in this way, it is quite a common thing to see the queen carrying on her important work of egg-laying without any interruption at all during the handling, and she may be watched going from cell to cell depositing an egg in all the empty ones. The queen usually lays four or five eggs in rapid succession, and then rests a minute or two to be fed and stroked over or rubbed down (for this egg-laying business is an arduous task) by the adjacent bees, and the operation again repeated. In early spring, however, eggs are not laid nearly so rapidly as later on; the queen has not yet got into full working order. Be watchful now for old or worn-out queens, such are better destroyed without delay, and the bees united to a stock with a good queen. Then run for all they are worth such, strengthened stocks up to the end of harvest-time. and then divide into two again in the usual manner On examining a cell just after an egg is laid, a smal pearly speck is seen standing on end at the bottom, but slightly on one side of the cell-base. A semi-liquid substance covers the egg and attaches it in position, this is speedily laid down at the bottom of the cell by one of the nurse-bees, and in the course of the next two days is turned over by them so as to respectively assume the angles of 35 and 50 deg. before it hatches, which takes place early on the fourth day after it has been laid. Nearly all eggs laid thus early in the year will produce worker-bees; the time has not yet come for the drone, though towards the end of the month these gentry will be found on the way in all flourishing colonies, especially when the queen is over two years old. Many old-fashioned bee-keepers welcome the early drone, but although often a sign of prosperity, it is occasionally a sign of near exhaustion of the laying powers of the queen. This is a point not to be lost sight of, and to be guarded against, for a queen that is found producing an abnormal quantity of drones at this season is not worth keeping, if any regard is bad for the ultimate harvest of honey.

Mead.-For making mead from honey-comb, I send a description of the way we make ours, viz. : Cut the comb up in small pieces about the size of a Walnut. Place in a clean washing-pan, cover with warm-water, no hotter than you can bear your hand in comfortably. Let it soak half-an-hour, add a little warm-water, and then squeeze the comb up with your hand. It will break all to pieces. Next tie a cheese-cloth over another pan, and pour the contents of the first pan on the cloth. When the liquid portion has run through, pour it back again into the empty pan, and add more warm-water, and squeeze the whole again well. Next add as much water as will make up the quantity of mead required. Strain again through the cloth, and when all has drained through the cloth, squeeze the latter to get the whole out, and pour into a clean boiler. It does not matter whether it is a galvanised boiler or not, just for the boiling, but the liquor must not stand in a galvanised-vessel for any length of time. While in the boiler, drop a fresh egg in, and if the egg shows itself nearly half its size above the top of the liquor, you will have some real strong mead by the time it has been kept about twelve months. If the egg goes to the bottom your liquor will be small beer. In the latter case, to make it the desired strength, more honey or sugar must be added till the egg will rise to the proper height. It is, however, no use adding honey or sugar unless you have the liquor warm enough to melt it. When made right let it boil half-an-hour steadily; while boiling put lb. hard ginger tied up in thin rag, also lb. cloves, to each nine gallons. When taken from the fire put it outside to cool, but before quite cold toast a bit of bread, and put a small quantity of yeast on it to start it fermenting. Next day put it in your barrel, but do not cork it up tight for some time, and put the ginger and cloves in the barrel with the mead. This is how we have made our mead for the last forty years, and I do not remember ever having any spoiled. We have made it in iron-boilers and in galvanised ones, but never found any difference; there is no fear if it is done right,

IT is expected that the floral Ghent Quinquennial Exhibi- display at this exhibition, and tion. the collections of plants remarkable for their cultivation, will exceed any hitherto seen on these occasions.

Cape plants

The

will be largely shown. Probably a collection of plants shown by the late JOHN LINDEN will also be exhibited. The different sections for nurserymen and amateurs will be judged by jurors unconnected with the city of Ghent, hence the position of a member of the jury of the exhibition will in itself be a distinction much appreciated in the horticultural world. following list, taken from the Semaine Horticole, shows how varied are the nationalities of those who have accepted the invitation of the organising committee. So far, the jury is composed of 211 horticulturists of note, including 25 Germans, 30 English, 54 Belgians, 16 Dutchmen, 6 Italians, 4 Russians, 2 Swedes, 4 Swiss, 67 Frenchmen, 3 from Luxemburg, and delegates from Austria, Brazil, Spain, and even from Japan. The exhibition, which will remain open until Sunday, April 24, will be visited by H. M. King LEOPOLD at 8 A.M. on Saturday, April 16, for the purpose of viewing the exhibition, and meeting the members of the jury. His Majesty will also officially pronounce the opening of the exhibition at 10 A.M. on that day. We are also informed that it is probable that Ilis Majesty will on Sunday, April 17, give a garden-party at Läcken, to which the diplomatic body and the members of the jury will be invited. The Veitch medals awarded to M. le Comte de KERCHOVE, the President of the Ghent Society, to M. ED, ANDRÉ, the Editor of the Revue Horticole, and to M. LATOUR-MARLIAC, the raiser of the beautiful hybrid Nymphæas, will, it is expected, be presented at the luncheon to the jury on the 15th. On Saturday, the 16th an "International Raout" will be held at 8 P.M., at the Société Union; evening dress. Sunday, a concert will be held in the Place d'Armes, at noon. The Banquet to the Jury

On

Amateur Gardeners.

masters

Artists
Lawyers
Clergy
Titled persons

...

Civil Servants... Actors

42

27

Soldiers...

are very largely represented amongst the clergy, from Dean Hole to Dr. Jessopp, Canon Isaac Taylor to the Bishop of Worcester, Canon Eyton to the Rev. Thomas Hincks, the SubDean of Manchester and Archdeacon Barber, Canon Bernard and the Prebendary of Wells, the Bishops of Thetford and Southwark, and In another calling the Rev. James Rankin. one should not omit the Secretary of the Education Department, Sir Ernest Satow, Sir Thomas Lister, the late Sir James Stansfeld, and Sir Richard Temple. The actors include Mr. George Giddens and Mr. Edward Terry, Mr. Lionel Brough, Miss Marion Terry, and Mr. Henry Neville; the soldiers, Sir Henry Colville and Lieut.-Colonel Ross of Bladensburg, Colonel Waring and Sir Brook Kay; the doctors, Sir George Birdwood, Mrs. Elizabeth Anderson, and Dr. Fleming, until recently the principal veterinary-surgeon to the Army.

Besides all these who find a delight in the practice of horticulture, there are others who seek relaxation in the pursuit of botanical study. These are men of affairs like Lord Battersea and Sir M. Grant-Duff, Sir Herbert Maxwell and the Secretary of the London Institution; scientists, like Prof. E. B. Cowell and P. A. Simpson; authors like Miss d'Esterre Keeling, and Miss Yonge; with Mr. Latimer Clark the engineer, Miss Olga Nethersole the actress, and Sir William Huggins the astronomer.

These examples will suffice to show that the oldest of all human avocations still holds men, however much the division of labour now-a

Amongst authors one may particularise Miss Braddon and Mrs. Mona Caird, Mr. Manville Fenn and Mr. Rider Haggard, Mr. W. C. Hazlitt and Mrs. Lynn Linton, Mrs. Macquoid days may have carried them in their ordinary

and Miss Helen Mathers, Mr. J. E. Muddock and Mrs. Beedell, Lady Verney and Mrs. Woods, Mrs. Amelia Barr and Mr. Harold Frederic, Mr. George Kennan and Miss Flo. Marryat, Lady Dorothy Nevill and Miss Beatrice Harraden, Mr. Thomas Hardy and Mr. G. W. Cable.

The professional element is also strong. It includes physiologists like Professor Michael Foster and Dr. Lionel Beale; physicians like Dr. Yeo and Dr. G. V. Poore, Sir William Gowers and Sir W. O. Priestley; librarians like Sir E. Maunde Thompson; botanists like Dr. Marshall Ward, Professor Oliver, and Mr. Pickering; zoologists like Professor Poulton and Miss E. Ormerod; schoolmasters like the Rev. W. G. Rutherford of Westminster and Mr. Bosworth Smith of Harrow; geologists like Professor Boyd Dawkins; chemists like Mr. W. H. Perkin and Dr. Liveing, mathematicians like Professor Allman and Mr. J. J. Walker, Biblical scholars like Dr. C. H. Wright, art critics like Sir John Robinson, educationists like Sir Philip Magnus, and archaeologists like Sir Herbert Maxwell. Amongst the artists are Mr. Francis Bate and Mr. Stanhope Forbes, Mr. G. D. Leslie and Mrs. Ernest Normand, Mr. Alfred Parsons and Mr. Hamo Thornycroft, Mr. Louis Wain and Mr. J. C. Hook, Mr. T. G. Jackson and Mr. Collcutt; the architects are also in the list.

The lawyers may be represented by names so various as Mr. Justice Wills and Mr. Horace Smith, the Solicitor to the Grenadier Guards, and the Chief Justice of Tasmania, Lord Kincairney and Mr. Maclaren, Mr. Alderman Rogers and Mr. Parker Reed, Q.C.

Nor should mention be omitted of the Governor-General of Canada and Lord Battersea, Lord Armstrong and Sir John Edwards-Moss, the Countess of Warwick and Sir Henry Bellingham; while amongst those who take an interest in forest-culture are Lord Bangor, the Earls of Southesk and Courtown, and Lord Charlemont, Lord Middleton, and Sir James Whitehead. It goes without saying that amateur gardeners

work away from the tillage of the soil.

LINNEAN SOCIETY.-The next meeting of the society will be held on Thursday, April 7, at 8 P.M. precisely, when the following papers will be read:-Dr. ELLIOTT SMITH, "On the Brain of the Edentata, including Chlamydophorus."

(Communicated by Prof. Howes, Sec. L.S.) Mr. H. FARQUHAR, “Preliminary Account of some New Zealand Actiniaria." (Communicated by T. W. KIRK, F.L.S.) Exhibitions:-Mr. J. E. HARTING. (1) A specimen of the Asiatic Partridge, Perdix daurica, of which a large consignment has been lately received in London vid St. Petersburg. (2) A skin and skull of the Wild Cat (Felis catus), recently obtained in Inverness shire.

ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY.-The next Fruit and Floral meeting of the Royal Horticultural Society will be held on Tuesday, April 12, in the Drill Hall, James Street, Westminster, from 1 to 5 P.M. A lecture on "Blight and Blessing," illus trated by lantern slides, will be given by Mr. FRED ENOCK, F.L.S., at 3 o'clock,

CAPE FRUIT.-The Scot has arrived with 570 boxes of Grapes and Pears-of the latter, 22 is the number. Of the Grapes it is said "some of them turned out in excellent condition, and realised top prices, while others were very wet, and hardly worth selling. The few boxes of Pears were in first-class

condition.

CUCUMBER "EVERYDAY."—We learn that this new Cucumber, raised by Mr. OWEN THOMAS, of the Royal Gardens, Windsor, and exhibited by him at the Royal Horticultural Society's meeting on December 14, February 4 (when it was recommended an Award of Merit), and on March 4, when it was awarded a First-class Certificate, will be distribute next year by Messrs. SUTTON & SONS, of Reading.

TASMANIAN FRUIT-The P. and O. Steamship Company inform us that the ss. Ormus, with 16,000 boxes, and the ss. India, with 18,000 boxes of Apples,

The India is expected about the No date is given for the probable

are now en route. 7th proximo. arrival of the Ormuz.

GARDENERS' ROYAL BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION VICTORIAN ERA FUND. Your readers will doubtless remember that this Fund was established last year to commemorate the completion of the sixtieth year of Her Majesty's beneficent reign. They will also recollect that its object is to temporarily assist unsuccessful candidates whilst awaiting election who have been (or their husbands) subscribers to, or life members of, the Institution. The total amount received for this fund up to Dec. 31 last has been invested, and the committee are glad to be able to announce that the income derivable therefrom this year enables them to distribute the sum of £106 108., the first half of which was sent on April 1 last to eighteen unsuccessful candidates as follows, and has been divided at the rate of 15s. for cach year they (or their husbands) had subscribed:

From the above it will be seen that the aggregate number of years of subscriptions is 142, which at 15s. for each year gives a total of £106 10s., the first instalment of which, as already stated, was sent on April 1 last, and the remainder will be sent on October 1 next. The Committee are very anxious to bring up the total amount of this Fund to £5000, to do which they require a sum of £925, and I should like to draw attention to the generous offer made by N. N. SHERWOOD, Esq., Trustee, to contribute £50 provided the amount required be raised, in response to which the following gentlemen have each kindly promised a similar sum :

ARTHUR W. SUTTON, Esq., Reading. LEONARD SUTTON, Esq., Reading. HARRY J. VEITCH, Esq., Treasurer. and several smaller contributions have been already received. The Committee sincerely hope before the close of the year they may be able to announce that the balance to make up this £5000 has been received. They trust, therefore, that every well-wisher of the Institution will note that the "Victorian Era Fund" is still open, and that donations to it will be most gratefully received. The committee also desire again to emphasise the notice which has already appeared in your columns and elsewhere, that the benefits of this particular Fund are intended for those only who have been subscribers to the Institution. GEORGE J. INGRAM, Secretary.

THE NATIONAL CHRYSANTHEMUM SOCIETY. -The recent smoking concert held in connection with the National Chrysanthemum Society, resulted in a net balance of £8 9s. 5d., which has been contributed to the funds of the Society. The Hon. Stewards Committee, through whose efforts the function was promoted, desire to express their thanks to the many friends who assisted in making the Concert a success.

THE SAN JOSÉ SCALE. We learn that Prof. J. RITZEMA BOS, Director of the Phytopathological Laboratory, "Willie Commelin Scholten," at Amsterdam, will shortly be despatched to America by the Dutch Government to study the San José Scale. The Dutch law does not prevent, as Germany has done, the introduction of fresh fruit from America, but it is of great importance to European countries to know if really this scale will thrive here, and we congratulate the Dutch Government on their foresight and enterprise.

INFLUENCE OF THE X-RAYS ON THE VEGETATION OF SEEDS.-MM. MALDINEY and THOUVENIN communicated to a recent issue of the Comples Rendus the result of their experiments with certain seeds grown under the influence of the X-rays. The plants selected for experiment were Convolvulus arvensis, Lepidium sativum, and Panicum miliaceum; three seeds of each were submitted to the action of the rays, and a corresponding number grown under exactly the same conditions, but without being so exposed. In the result the seeds sown under normal conditions were behind the others in germinating. "It may perhaps be objected," says the experimeter, "that the X-rays produce an elevation of temperature in the ground submitted to their action, and that therefore it is quite natural that seeds sown in such soil should germinate before others not so treated. But such is not the case. The experiments were made by the aid of a pair of thermo-electric needles attached to a very sensitive Thomson galvanometer, and no appreciable difference in tempe. rature could be ascertain ed between ground subjected for two hours to the X-rays and that which was not so exposed. We may therefore conclude that the rays hasten germination, at least of the seeds of Convolvulus arvensis, Lepidium sativum, and Panicum miliaceum. Further, as the young plants, on issuing from the seed, are habitually of a pale yellow colour, we may deduce the fact that the X-rays appear to be without influence to hasten the formation of chlorophyll in germinating plants."

ORCHARDS AND VINEYARDS AT THE CAPE.— For many there is always a charm in figures, especially when they have relation to horticulture. The pictures they often succeed in conjuring up are always beautiful, mentally; and in the matter of fruit-trees with the knowledge of surface nccessary for their proper cultivation, the gross acreage of land devoted to fruit is readily set out. In the just-published "Agricultural and Live-Stock Returns for 1896-97, issued in conrection with the Statistical Register of the Colony of the Cape of Good Hope," we find quite an army of figures, a few of which are selected for publication in these columns, and these relate to the fruits grown at the Cape, including the Vine to the whole colony, including Pondoland, but excluding Bechuanaland. We have space only for the "grand total" of all the divisions reported upon, and this in most cases by the police of the several districts and other officials. The array selected relates to "fruit trees planted" and "fruit trees standing":

The figures relating to the Vine industry are few, and are as follows:-Vine stocks planted, 5,967,760; ditto destroyed, 6,817, 303; ditto standing, 36,533,019. Certainly the total of the existing vineyards is a great one; the product ought to make a good show. Of raisins the product was 2,019,561 lb.; the wine Eupplied was 34,435 leaguers. This measure represents 128 gallons, so that the product was exactly 4,407,680 gallons. Brandy was produced to the extent of 1,410,624 gallons. It may be noted that the first horticultural census was made so recently as 1891, the first publication of the figures by the Agricultural Department dating 1893; and these, we trust, justifying the space occupied by them

pygmæum; Stringy Barks of New South Wales; Fruit-tree and Vine Pests; Comboyne Brush; Export of Oranges, &c.- Tijdschrift over Plantenziekten (Ghent), 1897.-English Illustrated Magazine, April, 1898.

THE DOWNES, HAYLE.

THIS garden was laid out in 1867 by the late Mr. Rawlings under the direction of John Sedding, the architect. As the ground was practically a tabula rasa, everything remained to be done, and every step was taken deliberately, and in furtherance of a preconceived scheme. Money was not spared, and the grounds contain no shoddy work.

The house itself is a beautiful one, semi-Gothic in general character, now well overgrown with evergreen and other creepers. It stands on the summit of a slope, at whose base is the town of Hayle and the sea-level. As an example of architect's gardening, The Downes may be considered a very favourable specimen, though, as the house has been long unoccupied, and the garden consequently neglected, it is a little difficult to discount the toning-down of formality which nature has meanwhile effected. One is spared the more dreadful puerilities of which Mr. Sedding has elsewhere expressed himself as capable: "In the formal part of my garden, my Yews should take the shape of pyramids, or peacocks, or cocked hats, or rampant lions in Lincola green, or any other conceit I had a mind to."

Still, the architect's influence in the garden, even when the fo malising is moderated as at The Downes, is seen to be essentially evil. The compasses and rulers of the office have little function in the garden. Mr. Rawlings took great pride in the considerable collection of choice Hollies he got together at much trouble and cost, but he caused nearly every one to be clipped as one clips a Privet-hedge, so that the leaves alone remain of the beauty and character of the trees. A double avenue of pyramidally-clipped Yews show up the natural beauty of a graceful Cedar hard by, which has escaped the topiarist.

The tiled edging of the beds is all that remains of a geometrical garden, which must in its glory have rivalled a child's sampler in artistic significance. Ia this department, Mr. Rawlings endeavoured to carry out the ideas and colour schemes formulated in Sir Gardiner Wilkinson's book "On Colour and Taste;" and all the patterns were annually submitted to Mr. Sedding for approval, the colours being actually laid in pigments in the beds before planting. Needless to say, the architect caused the garden, although but slightly inclined, to be laid out in a series of half-a-dozen terraces, each but a few feet below its neighbour.

Still, the formality of the garden is by no means its only feature, and even its formality will appeal to many. Once we get off the line of the formal steps and main walks, we come across beautiful little Jieces of garden where herbaceous plants grow in pleasant natural groups, and all is retired and reposeful. A stretch of lawn extends on the western side of the house; and on the second terrace, within a row of clipped Yew, is a piece of grass, formerly a bowling-green. The clipped edges are mostly well-grown and kept, on the north of the upper terrace being a splendid Sweet Bay-hedge many feet in thickness.

On the east of the house, where is the main entrance, is a pleasant court-yard bounded by Ivy. covered walls, which is approached from the road by a short avenue of deciduous trees.

On the whole, then, we may say that, from the point of view of those who hold the opinion that a garden should be obviously a piece of architecture, The Downes is nearly perfect; whilst, even to those who feel that a great part of the art of gardening is the concealment of artifice, the place will appeal as a fine example of formal gardening, which has been pursued without altogether forgetting the beauty of hardy plants naturally grouped, and of unbroken greensward. It is now the residence of the Rev. T. James. The photograph was taken by R. H. Prestop, of Penzance. Harry Roberts,