The American Agriculturist. Vol. II. No. XI, December 1843: Designed to Improve the Planter, the Farmer, the Stock-breeder, and the Horticulturist — John Shaqi
The American Agriculturist. Vol. II. No. XI, December 1843: Designed to Improve the Planter, the Farmer, the Stock-breeder, and the HorticulturistVarious
Science
The American Agriculturist. Vol. II. No. XI, December 1843: Designed to Improve the Planter, the Farmer, the Stock-breeder, and the Horticulturist
Various
Agriculture -- Periodicals; Agriculture -- United States -- Periodicals
After leaving the conservatory, we took a zig-zag road, and ascended
through the forest to the crown of the hill by the octagonal tower.
A peasant family was residing here, who permitted us to ascend it to
the top. The view from this is no less extensive than beautiful, of
Chatsworth and the wild broken country around. Descending from this
high perch we had quite a chat with the peasant's wife. She informed
us that the tower was built by a predecessor of the present Duke, for
the purpose of giving the ladies at the palace an opportunity of seeing
the fox-hunting which formerly took place at Chatsworth. Upon taking
leave, the good woman directed a little rosy-faced daughter to show
us the lakes on the hill, the sources of the cascade and fountains
below. After something of a stroll through the woods, we found two
large expanses of water belted in by thick rows of the larch and fir,
and apparently as isolated as if in a wild forest of our own country.
The white swan and the black are kept here, and most other kinds of
curious water-fowl. Our pretty guide answered all our inquiries with
intelligence, and at parting we gave her a small guerdon, for which she
returned a grateful "thank'e zur" and a low courtesy, and then, with
the lightness of a young fawn, skipped into the woods, and immediately
disappeared. Descending the hill toward the palace we came to the
stables. These are very extensive, of quadrangular shape, and large
courtyards within. At a distance, with their imposing architecture,
they might almost pass for the palace itself.
We now bent our steps to the house of the celebrated Mr. Paxton, the
head gardener of the Duke of Devonshire, editor of the Magazine of
Botany which bears his name, and one of the first botanists of England.
His residence is within the park, about a quarter of a mile from the
palace, and is a roomy, beautiful cottage, completely enveloped in
flowers and flowering shrubbery, with a handsome little conservatory at
the end. Much to our regret, he was not at home; but a sub-gardener,
quite an intelligent man, volunteered to show us the gardens. They
occupy 12 acres, and are enclosed by a thick, brick wall, about twelve
feet high. Here are the experimental and kitchen gardens, and hundreds
of fruit-bearing espaliers, trained up the walls. In addition to these
there are forcing pits in abundance, and upward of 20 hot-houses, about
300 feet long each, devoted to different purposes, one of the most
extensive of which is the growing of pine apples. All these things may
be considered very extravagant, but in supporting them, the Duke of
Devonshire has done much for the cause of science, and has conferred a
lasting benefit on his country.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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