Girth at 3 feet from the ground in 1793 Girth in June 1808 Girth in December 1809 Girth in 1812 (Faulkner) Girth in Jan 1835 J.M.
f. i. f. i. f. i. f. i. f. i.
Sophora japonica, [144a] in 1809, about 50 feet in height; it flowered for the first time in August 1807, and has continued to flower the two succeeding years. 8 0 9 4 9 7½ 10 1 0 0
Ginko-tree (Ginko biloba, standard) about 37 feet high. 2 3 3 6 3 9 3 10 0 0
A tree from an Illinois-nut, given by Mr. Aiton to Mr. Ord, about 40 feet high. [144b] 2 2 2 10 2 11 3 0 0 0
A black walnut-tree, (juglans niger), sown where it stands in 1757, about 64 feet high in 1809. 5 4 6 11 [144c] 7 3 10 0
A cedar of Lebanon, when planted being two years old, in 1809 being about 55 feet high. 8 8 9 11 [144d] 9 9 10 0
A willow-leaved oak, sown in 1757. 4 0 5 5 [144e] 5 7 5 10
The rhus vernix, or varnish sumach. 4 0 4 10 4 10 5 1
Fraxinus ornus, which is covered with flowers every year. 3 10
Gleditsia triacanthus, sown in 1759, produced pods 2 feet long in 1780, but the seeds imperfect. 4 8
Acacia common, sown in 1757, planted where it stands in 1758. 7 7
Ilex 6 9
Tulip-tree, sown where it stands in 1758, first flowered in 1782. 5 6
Cyprus deciduus, sown in 1760 5 6
Corylus colurna (Constantinople hazel), between 30 and 40 feet high, bears fruit, but imperfect. 3 2
Virginian cedar, (red) sown in 1758 4 0
Guilandina dioica, or bonduc 2 1
Juglans alba, or white hickory. 3 1
Lombardy, or Po poplar, a cutting in 1766 near 100 feet high. 10 0
Poplar, planted in 1772 8 6

Another column headed 1845, carrying out this view, would be an important addition to statistical observation.

Two agaves, or American aloes, flowered in Mr. Ord’s greenhouse in the summer of 1812, one of which was a beautiful striped variety. The plants had been there since the year 1756. Amid all these delightful associations, there is one melancholy event connected with the place. On the night of the 9th September, 1807, a fire broke out in the garden-house of Mr. Ord’s residence (a cottage upon the site of the present stables): the flame raged so furiously as to burn the principal gardener, an old and valued servant, almost to ashes before any help could be afforded to him. Upon the following Sunday (13th), the Rev. John Owen, the then curate of Fulham, preached so effective a sermon upon the uncertainty of the morrow, [145] that having printed a large impression “without any loss to himself,” a second edition appeared on the 3rd of the following month.

In the second volume of the ‘Transactions of the Horticultural Society,’ a beautifully-coloured representation of ‘Ord’s apple’ may be found, illustrative of Mr. Salisbury’s communication respecting it, which was read to the Society on the 17th of January, 1817. After acknowledging his obligations to Mrs. Anne Simpson, the sister of Mrs. Ord, and who Mr. Salisbury represents as “being as fond of gardening as her late brother-in-law, Mr. Ord,” it is stated that,—

“About forty years ago, the late John Ord, Esq. raised, in his garden at Purser’s Cross, near Fulham, an apple-tree from the seed of the New-town pippin, imported from North America. When this tree began to bear, its fruit, though without any external beauty, proved remarkably good, and had a peculiar quality, namely, a melting softness in eating, so that it might be said almost to dissolve in the mouth. The late Mr. Lee, of Hammersmith, often had grafts of this tree, and he sold the plant so raised first with the name of Ord’s apple, and subsequently with the name of New-town pippin. . . . .

“This seedling tree,” continues Mr. Salisbury, “is now (1817) of large dimensions, its trunk being four feet four inches round at a yard above the ground; but it has of late years been very unhealthy, and scarcely borne any fruit worth gathering, its roots having, no doubt, penetrated into a stratum of unfavourable soil.”

Mrs. Anne Simpson sowed some pippins from this remarkable tree,—

“And two of the healthiest seedlings of this second generation were planted out to remain in the kitchen-garden, which are now (1817) about twenty years old. One of these trees began to bear fruit very soon, which is not unlike that of its parent in shape, with a thin skin; and, being a very good apple, grafts of it have been distributed about the metropolis with the name of Simpson’s pippin. The other seedling of the second generation was several years longer in bearing fruit; and, when it did, the apples were quite of a different shape, being long, with a thick skin and poor flavour, and so numerous as to be all very small. Of late years, however, they have gradually improved so much in flavour, as to become a remarkably spirited, juicy apple, attaining a good size, which has probably been promoted by thinning them, though a full crop has always been left upon the tree; and they are now greatly esteemed by all who taste them.”

This apple is in perfection for eating from Christmas to the middle of March. The skin is thick, and always of a green colour while on the tree, but tinged with copper-coloured red, and several darker spots on the sunny side; after the fruit has been gathered some time, the green colour changes to a yellowish cast. It may be mentioned that, before the death of the late Lord Ravensworth, the house was inhabited by those celebrated artistes, Madame Grisi and Signor Mario.

On the opposite side of the road to Lord Ravensworth’s, and a few yards beyond it, on the way to Fulham, is Walham Lodge, formerly Park Cottage, a modern well-built house, which stands within extensive grounds, surrounded by a brick wall. This was for some years the residence of Mr. Brand, the eminent chemist, who particularly distinguished himself by the course of lectures which he delivered on geology, at the Royal Institution, in 1816; and which may be dated as the popular starting point of that branch of scientific inquiry in this country.

A house, now divided into two, and called Dungannon House and Albany Lodge, abuts upon the western boundary wall of the grounds of Walham Lodge.