Of Town Gardens adjoining houses we entered none in Chester or in Lancaster, unless we except that of the jail in the latter place, which was good, though inferior, in point of extent, to that of the jail at Aylesbury. All jails, we think, ought to have large gardens, for the sake of the moral training which they afford. The large garden at the Lancaster Lunatic Asylum is found a source of great benefit to the least afflicted of the inmates of that place. The garden of Charles Horsefald, Esq., at Liverpool is very neat, and has one hothouse already heated by hot water in close pipes, and another about to be so heated in an open channel, to contain water plants and gold fish; but which channel may be covered with tin covers during winter, when the plants are under the water, and when the steam arising from it might render the air too moist. The garden of - Appleton, Esq., also in Liverpool, contains several hot-houses, very neatly constructed of wood, in the old style, and having excellent crops. The garden of Mr. Thom, at Annan, is laid out in terraces, and is finely situated on the banks of the river; which is, however, nearly hidden by his plantations. The garden contains numerous fruit trees of large size, and also forest trees and shrubs transplanted and supported in the manner described by him (p. 445.), and all of them succeeding completely. Mr. Thom, when speaking of his success in his own garden, we were most happy to find, has kept far within the limits of exaggeration. He has a number of ingenious garden contrivances, of which he has promised us details. There are some detached town gardens in the neighbourhood of Lancaster like those at Birmingham (noticed p. 409.), and vegetables, gooseberries, and florists' flowers are grown in them to great perfection. We examined those of Mr. John Richardson and Mr. Walmsley. In the garden of each we tasted several varieties of the large Lancashire gooseberries, and we must state, that, contrary to our previous prejudices as to the flavour of these berries being inferior to that of the old ones of smaller size, we were compelled to acknowledge it to be superior. Much depends on growing them in an open airy situation; much on the season; and much also on the kinds, for some are bad, or with little flavour. The sorts we tasted, and found decidedly superior, were the following: - Reds: Prince Regent, Huntsman, and Top Sawyer. Yellows: Sovereign, Rockwood's, and Smuggler. Green: Niger, Greenwood, and No Bribery. Whites: Whitesmith, Wellington's Glory, and Queen Charlotte. Mr. Richardson declares that he finds the large gooseberries superior to the small sorts for preserving as well as for eating, and that they take both less boiling and less sugar. We recommend gardeners to cultivate the above sorts at least, and to let us know how far their opinion agrees with Mr. Richardson's and our own. It is but justice to Mr. Saul, to state that he informed us to this effect long ago, as some of his communications will testily. It may be well to grow both large and small sorts, for in cold or wet climates and seasons small-sized fruits are always the best flavoured.
