The next garden visited was altogether different from the general ruck. Old fashioned flowers occupied borders and beds, and even encroached indoors, for two houses have been built entirely for the culture of the rarer sorts. This is the garden of Mr Joad, Wimbledon Park, one of the most interesting gardens visited. There are, as a matter of course, the generally grown stove and greenhouse plants, Grapes, etc., here, but the great point of attraction is the splendid collection of Herbaceous and Alpine plants, a class of plants that one visit fails to satisfy. This locality is extremely rich in well-kept gardens, but we can only note the more important. One, a report of which appeared in the 'Gardener ' some five years ago, has undergone great changes in the meantime. This is the seat of Sir Henry Peek, M.P., Wimbledon House. Since Mr Ollerhead has managed these gardens, many of the specimen plants have been got rid of, and fruit-growing gone into more extensively. The mode of filling structures with bearing trees is somewhat differently gone about here than in other gardens. Two houses are required for Fig culture: Mr Ollerhead forthwith lifts a tree large enough to fill the house at once, and directly there is a Fig-house in full bearing.

The Grape-Vines are considered unsatisfactory: a crop is cut off them, say this July, the Vines are cut down directly, the house filled with young canes the same season, and twelve months after Grapes are approaching the colouring process in these same vineries. Heavy crops are growing in the Peach-houses, Pines are planted out in beds, pits are full of Roses, Orchids are grown in housefuls, and everything being made the most of. A few miles further on is Lord Londesborough's garden, at Norbiton. A few years ago this was a wheat field, now there are large fruit-trees of all kinds in full bearing in the open, quarters of all kinds of vegetables, hundreds of feet run of vineries in full bearing, Peach-houses, Strawberry-houses Orchid-houses, Rose, Gardenia, and Geranium houses, besides pits and houses filled with numberless other plants useful for furnishing and producing cut-flowers. I may just note that the only kinds of Grape grown are Black Hamburg and Muscat of Alexandria, and these are had all the year round. The Vine borders are merely the top spit of a wheat field, the subsoil 600 feet deep of clay - so says Mr Denning. The Vines have been planted five years, and are in grand condition, the bunches averaging from 2 to 3 lb. each.

Peaches are trained in the shape of the letter Y, one tree to two sashes. Strawberries are grown extensively - Keen's Seedling and Garibaldi the only kinds grown. Fulmer's Forcing is the only French Bean grown; Lord Kenyon's favourite the only Cucumber; Christine, Vesuvius, and Madame Vaucher the only Geraniums to be found here. Mignonette is grown by the thousand potfuls; Hoteias, Lilacs, and other furnishing plants, in like proportion. The collection of Orchids is one of the most extensive and rare in England, and the whole establishment one that it is necessary to see, to fully understand. A short distance along the Wimbledon Road is Coombe Cottage, Mr Baring's residence. "The shades of night were falling fast " before we had seen much of the well-kept gardens. Grapes and other indoor fruits are well grown here. There are many fine specimen stove-plants, and amongst Orchids Mr Baker is obviously quite at home. Some of the strongest grown Dendrobes we have ever seen are here, grand specimen Coelogynes, Pleiones growing in pans close to the roof in robust health, and others too numerous to mention.

Mr Baker has some "wonderful Cauliflowers to show, manured with nitrate of soda at the rate of I 3/4 cwt. to the acre; quarters of Potatoes, some without the soda, the remainder dressed as above, show the value of this as a manurial agent very strikingly. Next day, after a run through Kew, which is as interesting as ever, we called at Gunnerbury Park, Baron Rothschild's seat, near Acton. Mr Roberts unfortunately was not at hand, but his foreman kindly showed everything of interest there was to be seen. As is well known, the Grape-Vines at Gunnerbury Park were destroyed by Phylloxera, so that the vineries themselves are the most interesting things connected with Grape-growing. One lean-to range is some 25 or more feet wide, and proportionate in height. These are heated by means of 11 rows of 4-inch pipes. Another span - roofed house is about 40 feet wide. "When filled and in full bearing, these structures must be a "sight worth seeing." The cool Orchids, Phalaenopsids, and Vandaceous plants are another feature of this garden. The Odontoglossums, as a whole, are the strongest and healthiest we have ever seen. The material used for potting is apparently almost entirely peat, the plants being set on top of a cone of that material.

A plant of 0. vexillarium had 139 flowers open at time of visit. In the East Indian house the Phalaenopsids are in the most robust health. In the same house is the grandest lot of AErides, Saccolabium, and Vandas I have ever had the privilege of seeing. Beside these, the other stove plants, the hundreds of feet of Peach-trees in wall-cases, and the many other good things at Gunnerbury, are denuded of the interest otherwise attaching to them. There are many other places of interest in this neighbourhood which we have not space to notice. The last garden we can make note of is Mr Whitbourn's, Loxford Hall, near Ilford, Essex. This garden is replete with interesting things. Mr Douglas devotes himself to growing so many things well that, although the garden is not a large one, the time flies by unheeded, and the note-book gets filled to repletion. Orchids, though not a large collection, are exceedingly well grown, and many fine pieces are to be found here. In the stove are several fine plants - Dendrobium Devonianum and D. Wardianum in grand order; several plants of Odontoglossum vexillarium, and varieties of 0. Roezlii; a large piece of Dendrobium libuiflorum, Oncidium lanceanum - a large basketful in flower; besides various Cypripediums, Cattleyas, Aerides, etc.

Two fine plants of Adian-tum concinnum latum are also growing here. This is one of the finest of the genus, though somewhat rarely seen in good order. The Pine pits are now devoted to plant-growing. Especially noteworthy here are Anthurium Schertzerianum and Dendrobium nobile - grand plants. A Muscat of Alexandria planted in a small pit and growing overhead in one of these houses, is in grand form. In the Odontoglossum house are a few of the largest and healthiest plants of O. Alexandra? we have noted; a grand Oncidium macranthum, just opening; several large pieces of Epidendrum vitellium majus - one large plant making its growth and flowering the same year. Here are also large specimen Mas-devallias, and Laelia majalis is doing well on a block. The greenhouse is full of specimen plants of such things as Bougainvillea glabra, Erica Cavendishii, and others; large Azaleas, Statice profusa, grand in colour, etc. In a large orchard-house are the last of the pot Strawberries, Loxford Hall seedling, a very late and dwarf variety. In front of this structure are some 500 Carnations and Picotees in pots, and a large quantity of healthy Chrysanthemums. The alpine Auriculas are also grown here.

In a pit are flowering the newest of the show Pelargoniums; a collection of Hardy Orchids in fine health; a large case of filmy Ferns contains a unique collection of these. Amongst others are fine plants of Todea Fraserii, T. plumosa, Hymenophyllum flexuosum, and H. demis-8um. Gleichenias are also grown in this pit, a healthy piece of the scarce G. flabellata doing well. In a small lean-to orchard-house is a quantity of seedling Aquilegias flowering. Behind the late vineries are the frames containing the collection of show Auriculas; there is some 50 feet run of these, named sorts and seedlings. In the vineries themselves are good crops of Grapes. In a line with these is another range of small houses, the first being devoted to Cattleyas and kindred plants. In this house are three pieces of the lovely Oncidium concolor growing on blocks, and which flower profusely. A large piece of 0. Marshallianum is also in this house, and many other species of interest. In the next compartment are two plants of Dendrobium Dal-housiauum making remarkable growths. Cucumbers, Crotons, Oranges, and Pines are also grown in this range. Space does not allow us to do more than mention the collections of Pinks, herbaceous plants, Dahlias, Pyrethrums, Pansies, etc, which are grown here.

There are several good gardens in the district, but the rain, which had held up wonderfully, again commenced, and we made a hasty retreat over the Border, to find the Lammermoors wreathed in mist, and the next day the heaviest flood in the Tyne there had been for the last thirty years. R. P. B.