234. The garden at Dalmeny Park lies on the face of a hank having a considerable declivity to the south and south east. It is bounded on the north by a low hill crowned with trees, perhaps about 40 years old ; on the west, by rising ground with trees of the same standing ; and on the east, by hollow marshy ground, likewise covered with trees. On the south flows a little rill, the bed of which terminates the slope on which the garden is placed : from this lowest point the ground rises gradually to the south, to some height. Part of this rising ground on the south side of the streandct is included within the ring fence which surrounds the garden, and is laid out in shrubbery and parterres ; through these the walk from the braise to the fruit-garden is conducted. The soil of the lowest part consists chiefly of bog or peat earth, admirably adapted for the growth of American shrubs, such as rhododendrons and kalmias.
The garden contains about two Scottish acres within the walls. The fruit-tree borders are 18 feet wide, and the walks seven feet broad ; the soil beneath the gravel of the walks was prepared with the same care as that of the bor ders. The walls in general are 14 feet high ; the cast wall is somewhat more. They are built of bricks manu factured at Leven in Fife, and regular bricklayers were brought from Newcastle for the purpose of rearing them. The whole extent of the south wall, 361 feet in length, is hued, the heat being supplied by twelve furnaces placed on the north side of the wall, six on each side of the central door. The tops of the furnaces arc covered with flags, which arc on the same level as the soil of the garden ; and the stock holes or entrances to the furnaces have hatchway covers, in which are two ventilators to admit air. In this way the furnaces produce no disagreeable appearance. The trees on this wall may, at the same time, be covered with the osnaburg canvas mentioned in § 84. From the corners of the walls, where they meet at right angles, a wall is extended diagonally about 17 feet. This exten sion is lound very useful in breaking the force of the wind when ranging along the walls. At the same time it does away in a considerable degree the formal box shape of the garden, when viewed from the higher grounds in the neigh bourhood. The apex of the projecting wall is rounded : here a jargonclle pear-tree is planted ; the branches are trained to both sides of the wall, and the fruit of course ripens at different times.
235. The contrivance for watering or washing the fo liage of the wall-trees in this garden deserves particular notice. Water is supplied to the garden from a reservoir, situated on an eminence a considerable height above the garden walls. Around the whole garden, four inches be low the surface of the ground, a groove between two and three inches deep has been formed in the walls, to receive a three-quarter-inch pipe for conducting the water. About 50 feet distant from each other are apertures through the wall, two feet and a half high and ten inches wide, in which a cock is placed, so constructed, that on turning the han dle to either side of the wall, the water issues from that side. It has a screw on each side, to which is attached at
pleasure a leathern pipe, with a brass cock and director, roses pierced with holes of different sizes being fitted to the latter. By this contrivance all the trees, both outside and inside the wall, can be most effectually watered and washed in a very short space of time, and with very little trouble. One man may go over the whole in two hours. At the same time, the borders, and even a considerable part of the quarters, can be watered with the greatest ease when required. The conveniency and utility of this contrivance must at once be perceived by every practical horticultur ist. The same plan of introducing water is adopted in a garden which Mr Hay planned and executed for Lord Vis count Duncan at Lundie House near Dundee ; and, after the experience of several years, it has been greatly ap proved of. The water at Lundie is conveyed to the garden from a considerable height, and is thrown from the point of the director with great force and to a good distance. A sketch of the cock, pipe, and director, is given in Plate CCCX. Fig. 6; a the cock ; b b the leathern pipe ; e the director.
236. In the middle of the north wall of the garden is the great range of hot-houses, consisting of seven, a cen tral one, and three on each side. The entire suite extends from east to west 181 feet. The elevation of this fine range is seen in Plate CCCX. Fig. 2. The houses differ ing considerably in breadth, the eye is not offended with monotonous uniformity ; and the addition of a central door, with a diamond-trellis arch, ornamented with tender and showy climbing plants, is a great improrement in point of appearance. The ground plan of these houses is given at Fig. 1. of the same Plate, The middle division A, with those on the right and left of it, B and C, are peach-houses. On the back wall are placed trellises, to which the princi pal peach-trees are trained. Small trees are also trained on low sloping trellises in the front, over the flues. The farthest east division D, is what is called a Double Peach house ; peach trees being trained on the back wall as in the other houses, and likewise in front on a wire trellis on the roof of the house, reaching upwards as far as the first or under sash only. The trees on the front part of the house may be forced before those on the back wall. To ac complish this, the upper sashes of the house are kept off, thus admitting air freely to the trees on the hack wall ; while meantime the front trees are inclosed within the first two returns of the flues, by means of moveable shutters made for the purpose, one of them being placed on hinges, and used as a door. Hence the name of Double Peach house. The partition remains only until the fruit be set ; at which time it is removed, and the roof-sashes put on. By these means the fruit season in this house is protracted a considerable time, perhaps a month or more. Fig. 5. in Plate CCCX. is a section of this double peach-house.