That which renders Hendon Rectory altogether unique in a gardening point of view is, a collection of Coniferï¾µ in pots; as remarkable in its way as the collection of fruit trees in pots which was maintained for so many years, for the purpose of proving and describing the kinds of fruit, by that celebrated pomologist, Dr. Diel of Nassau-Dietz, the author of Obst-Oran-gerie in Scherben. These Coniferï¾µ are in part set out on the lawn in the summer season, and in part kept under glass; and all of them are trained into the most beautifully symmetrical shapes that are any where to be seen. As the pine and fir tribe is liable to the attacked by insects in the summer season, it is the business of one gardener to attend entirely to them and to the Cupressinï¾µ; in other words, to the pines, firs, cedars, araucarias, dammaras, cypresses, dacrydiums, junipers, and arbor vitï¾µs, in pots. They are thus kept regularly watered, accurately tied into shape, and perfectly free from insects. Some of the plants of this kind at Hendon Rectory are of great value; one, a dacrydium, in particular, is matchless for its size, beauty, and rarity. The same plan of dividing the labour of the place is adopted with reference to the dahlias, which, from the day they are planted out till the time the roots are taken out of the ground, are constantly under the care of one individual. Another man is solely occupied in propagating by cuttings or otherwise; and one is kept as a man of all work, to assist the others, and to look after the walks. The duty of the head gardener is to see that the rest perform the several works assigned to them, and, in general, to be careful that the whole is kept in perfect health and order.
