beauty when arrived at maturity. At present, they may average about 25 ft. or 30 ft. in height, and are backed up by a plantation on each side. As a matter of taste, perhaps some may think that, in some parts of the grounds at Dropmore, the transitions are too sudden, from those which are in high keeping, to those which are rough and nearly in a state of nature; but this could be easily remedied, should it be thought desirable. In the kitchen-garden, Mr. Frost has begun to try his skill at pine-growing, in which, I think, there is but little doubt of his succeeding, as his small young stock is in a fine healthy state, and promises to make fine plants for fruiting. I regretted much that the day was so far spent as to afford much less time than I desired, not only for viewing the premises, but also for conversing with Mr. Frost, whom I found very intelligent, and not less kind in his attentions. He has a nice little library, which augurs well. Cliefden House. The approach on the Dropmore side to Cliefden House, the seat of Sir George Warrender, is by a lodge; after passing which the road curves to the right, sheltered by trees on each side, for about a hundred yards; when it enters the grand avenue, and, with a turn to the left when it reaches the centre, proceeds in a straight line of about a quarter of a mile to the iron gates, on each side of which there is an iron palisade, attached to walls built at right angles, and extending on either side towards the extreme wings of the mansion. These walls, together with the house and palisades, form a large quadrangle, which may be considered as the court of honour. The avenue, with its broad road and wide verges, or rather slips, together with the mansion and court of honour, cannot fail to produce a striking effect on the visitor when entering on that side of the premises. The walls on each side of the quadrangle form parts of the boundaries of two gardens detached from each other, in which are carried on the forcing and growing of fruit, vegetables, &c. The lawn on the terrace side of the mansion (described in Vol. IX. p. 645.), and intended to be laid out as a flower-garden, remains in statu quo. Mr. Dodds retains his ardour as a florist as well as a gardener, and, apparently, excels in both. His pines were in fine condition; and he showed me a fine light-coloured seedling dahlia, which gained the first prize at the Englefield Green show, on the following day. On leaving Cliefden on the Taplow side, the road leads down, and winds through a woody glen, where there is a small lake, and some dressed ground. The trees here look fine; and Mr. Dodds has made some improvements in enlarging the water, &c. One thing struck me with regard to Cliefden; namely, that, to make a place of such a character complete, there should be at least two or three hundred acres of park attached to it. I observed, on a piece of lawn at the commencement of the avenue near the lodge, some patches of Erica vulgàris, which, perhaps, to many might appear to look out of place; there could be no objection, however, to this plant being introduced as a skirting at each side of the avenue, close to the bottom of the branches of the trees. Taplow House. I was highly delighted with the grounds at Taplow House, the seat of Pascoe Grenfell, Esq.; and I know of no place of equal extent that could afford me greater satisfaction; but, as you have given in detail most of the beauties of this place (Vol. IX. p. 658.), I shall refrain, and only notice a few things which may be interesting to some of your readers. Mr. Springall is still here, and, I believe, enjoys the respect of all who know him. He is a good gardener, and indefatigable in his pursuits to bring to, and keep in, perfection all that comes under his management. The cones of pelargoniums noticed by you are more splendid than ever, and form very delightful objects on the lawn; but, as they are taken up every autumn, it is almost wonderful how they are so well kept, as to be brought out every spring, with little or no injury. I think Mr. Springall told me that now one or two of them were 7 ft. high, and 34 ft. in diameter. Mr. Springall, in common with many of his profession, is a lover of dahlias; but, perhaps, not so much in the way of a florist as some others; as he retains a prime dahlia, if a good border flower, as answering his purpose equally with any new variety that may turn up. Hence, he has many excellent varieties which, as show flowers, would be thought little of. His mode of enlivening the clumps of evergreens on the lawn, as well as the shrubberies which may chance to fall on the sides of the walks, may be worthy of notice, as being not generally adopted. He allows about 4 ft. space of border round the clumps, and along the shrubberies; which, during the summer, is well supplied with a portion of every thing that is showy and beautiful; and it is astonishing what effect he produces by this means. On one side of the lawn is a small oval flower-garden, quite in seclusion: the beds are on grass, and most of them filled with masses of the most choice flowering plants of the present day. This is a very pleasing retreat, in which there is a small recess with a seat, overhung with foliage. There was a beautiful cone of trained purple petunias on the lawn, which, with the cones of geraniums, and other tasteful devices, rendered the whole most delightful. In walking round the kitchen-garden, I was arrested by the appearance of a fine and full crop of raspberries just coming in for gathering: this, on the first day of September, I thought a rare thing, particularly as I saw that they were not of the old double-bearing kind. Mr. Springall told me they were a distinct variety from any other, and that he received them, some years ago, from the north; but, nevertheless, that a different kind of treatment was necessary than that of the common mode. It is this: At the spring season, when the common kinds begin to shoot, these are all cut down nearly to the surface of the ground: the consequence is, that, instead of fruit, new shoots are produced, which in the autumn bring forth a crop. However, it is necessary, from this mode of procedure, to keep up a constant succession of young plants, as in two or three years, at most, the old ones will be worn out: hence Mr. Springall, every season, plants out two or three rows of young plants; which plan is, year after year, followed on through the quarter, at the same time destroying the old plants that have become useless. There are, doubtless, many gardeners who are acquainted with the above mode of producing a late crop of raspberries; but to such as are strangers to it the above may be useful. Here I saw a crop of the large-veined white beet, the leaves of which, I was given to understand, were used as a substitute for spinach, by first separating all the small veins from the leafy part, and then boiling it in the common way; and that the large white rib in the centre was used as a substitute for sea-kale. A friend of mine has since favoured me with a root of this plant; and I am willing to allow that the leaf, when separated from the veins, and well boiled, may be considered as a very good substitute for spinach ; but I cannot speak so favourably of the midrib answering instead of sea-kale, as its flavour is far less delicate, and accompanied with a taste that is much less agreeable. But to return, Mr. Springall's peach trees under frames do him great credit: he has had an abundant crop of fine fruit this year; and the wood promises equal success for the ensuing season. On bidding adieu to Mr. Springall, I considered that I was parting from one who possessed that complete devotion to his calling, upon which success, in general, depends, and in which he has preeminently distinguished himself. Cumberland Lodge Gardens. — The object of my visit to these gardens was principally to have a sight of the celebrated vine growing there; and my expectations, from what I had heard, were more than realised. I was informed by one, but which was contradicted by another, that this vine was raised from a cutting of the large vine at Hampton Court. Be this as it may, it is but of little consequence: it is sufficient to know that they are both of the black Hamburg kind. The vine at Cumberland Lodge Gardens is 25 years old, and is planted inside about midway from back to front, standing at nearly equal distances from each end of a house, which, by repeated lengthenings, is now 138 ft. long. The breadth of the house is 15 ft. The last addition to it was made at the eastern end, about a year ago; it will consequently take a year or two more before the vine will have completely filled that end of the house: when it has, I was informed, it is in contemplation to widen the house at the front, in the same way as that has been done which is at Hampton Court. The vine is in a vigorous state, and has made fine long and strong wood this season, at that end of the house which was lengthened last. I was told there were about 2000 bunches hanging on it when I saw it. The berries were finely swelled, and coming to a good colour; and some of the bunches towards the eastern extremity of the plant, upon the youngest wood, must, I think, have weighed 2 lb. The sight was splendid, and left me no room for regret in going a few miles out of my way to see it. If the dimensions which have been given me of the house at Hampton Court be correct, namely, 72 ft. by 28 ft., it will be found that there are 54 square feet more in the area of the house at Cumberland Lodge, than in that at Hampton Court. Hampton Court Gardens. These gardens, now under the control of the Commissioners of Woods and Forests, and under the improving hand of Mr. Johnson, are renovating, and beginning to assume a more pleasing character than they did a few years ago. The fine broad walks are in good order, and most of them now appear nearly full of gravel, which has been effected by the addition of gravel at the sides, and lowering the verges. Mr. Johnson intends to proceed in this way until the whole are completed. The large middle walk, running lengthwise, and formerly of gravel, has been thrown into grass, which, I think, will be considered an improvement. The walks in the wilderness are also being renovated, and, when completed, will form fine shady promenades for the visitors. Mr. Johnson has been introducing as many of the climbing roses as he has been able to get against the long wall, which has been effected by budding chiefly upon the common china rose, in which he has been more than ordinarily successful. He finds a difficulty in bringing many of the showy herbaceous plants and annuals to that perfection which is desirable in the borders, on account of the numerous old yews, hollies, &c., that are growing there, and which, much as they may be considered in character with the place, prove highly detrimental to the flowers. The introduction of new soil for the herbaceous plants avails but little, as, by the time they get established, the roots of the trees are found penetrating through it in all directions, and thus robbing them of their intended nourishment. However, by Mr. Johnson's judicious. management, no doubt all will be done that can be towards embellishment, and particularly with the assistance of such kinds of plants and flowers as will be found to be most in character with the place. The number of visitors at Hampton Court during the summer, months is almost beyond calculation. Sundays and Mondays are the principal days for mechanics, artisans, &c., who pour out of London in multitudes for a day's recreation. On these days may be seen humble vehicles of all descriptions brimful of visitors, to the amount, on a fine day, of from two to three hundred many of these are vans, which hold from twenty to twenty-five persons each. The house which contains the large vine at Hampton Court, having been widened about 8 ft., the branches have been laid out so as cover the whole of the trellis beneath the glass; consequently, the bunches of grapes (whether they are so, or not) appear by far less numerous than heretofore: added to this, a kind of rust has spread itself over a vast number of the berries, which has prevented their swelling; so that, altogether, the vine with its as it has fruit does not present such a striking effect now done in former years. This disease, whatever it may be, has been still more fatal in its effects in a vinery at Bushy Park, in which nearly every bunch of grapes has been affected; and it has so prevented the fruit from swelling, as that the berries of the black Hamburg in some of the bunches are not larger than marrowfat peas. It seems that the disease is nearly, if not quite, confined to the late crops, as in a house adjoining, which has been forced, nothing of the kind has appeared. It is to be hoped that the cause of this disease will be ascertained, as, if not, and should it increase in future on the vine at Hampton Court, it must, in a few years, greatly detract, not only from the beauty, but from the value, of that celebrated vine. - 4 Teddington. In this comparatively quiet and peaceable village are several small places that are interesting, two of which have more particularly come under my view, namely, that of Park House, belonging to Miss Mercer; and Teddington Grove, the residence of J. M. Strachan, Esq. The former is comprised in less than four acres of ground, including the kitchen-garden, stables, &c. Considerable taste has been here displayed in the formation of the walks and shrubberies; and there is as much variety in them as could be well introduced into so small a place. The house, with a conservatory attached, is beautifully situated, immediately opposite the entrance to Bushy Park; and from the upper rooms there is a delightful view of the grand avenue leading to Hampton Court. Bushy Park may therefore be considered as a valuable appendage to this place. Unfortunately, for want of ground on the west side, the stables and kitchen-garden are so placed as to render it necessary to go through the pleasure-ground to get to them; which is objectionable, and should always be avoided if possible. Hence the lawn, which surrounds three sides of the house, is divided by a shrubbery, in order to have a walk through it as private as may be to the stables and kitchen-garden. One portion of the lawn, bounded by a shrubbery on one side, and a walk on the other, forms something like an oval of about 100 ft. in length, in the |