192 



THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. 



[ August, 



^here is in the gardens of F. Pryor, Esq., of Digswell, Welwyn, under 



the able management of Mr. Farley, a Eose Hedge about 280 feet long. This 

 hedge skirts one of the principal walks in the kitchen garden, and was originalhy 



a row of half-standards, of which the Crimson Boursault formed the mass ; this row was after- 

 wards trellised over with wire to the height of about 4 ft. 6 in., and 4 ft. in width at the 

 bottom. Many of the original trees were then removed, and some of the best of the old and 

 well-known sorts were planted in their places. They have all sinco been grown on what Mr. 

 Earley calls the " extension system." Plenty of wood is left in, and this is tied to the trellis, 

 and all vacant spaces are filled by budding. The whole of the row is now completely covered 

 with growth, and has been literally loaded with blooms in all stages of development. The 

 •following varieties, which form the principal mass, seem to be admirably adapted for the pur- 

 pose : — Charles Lawson, fine, and a very free bloomer; Lord Raglan, Yellow Persian; 

 Comtesse de Chabrillant. first-rate ; Blairii No. 2, beautiful flowers, very free ; Gloire de 

 Dijon, profusely bloomed ; Jules Margottin, grand ; General Jacqueminot, Caroline de 

 Sansal, Chenedold, Anna Alexieff, all first-rate ; the yellow and copper-coloured varieties of 

 the Austrian Briar ; and last, though not least, the Manetti, which gives relief and variety to 

 its moro showy rivals. That this method of cultivation is a very successful one there can be 

 no doubt. As the trellising can be made to any height or width, the plan cannot be too 

 strongly recommended for furnishing tall or dwarf edgings along the walks of either kitchen 

 ■or flower gardens, or oven to form back rows in ribbon borders. 



£The beautiful Spiraea palmata, now being distributed by Mr. Noble, is 



found cultivated in almost every garden in the more northern parts of the 



Japanese empire, and is a most useful object when in bloom, being by far the 



handsomest of the species of the genus in cultivation ; the deep purple-red of the stems 

 and branches, passing into the crimson-purple of the glorious corymbs of flowers, contrasting 

 most exquisitely with the foliage, which in autumn assumes beautiful tints of brown and 

 golden-yellow. Like all the Japanese plants cultivated in, or indigenous to, the more 

 northerly parts of the empire, S. palm.ita is perfectly hardy in England, and will form a 

 valuable addition to our list of hardy herbaceous plants. 



■ fHR. Fowler's estimate of a full crop of Grapes, such as a vine 



can bear for a series of years, is 25 lb. to the rod. At Oastle Kennedy, in a 



house 35 ft. by 16 ft., and a length of rafter of about 22 ft., there are 10 rods 



•with their complement of laterals which give 250 lb. ; to that must be added, what is taken 

 ■without injury, 251b. from each gable ; giving, as nearly as possible, 3001b. of grapes. In 

 •each of five houses the crop last year justified this ostimate. Mr. Fowler says truly he could 

 double it, but it would be at the expense of quality in the crop. 



®he Apples called Stirling Castle and Small's Admirable bear a close 



resemblance. They are of the same dwarf habit, apparently of the Hawthornden 



race, and prone to bear when the trees are in a very young state, often bearing 



profusely on trees not more than 2 ft. in height, the second year after grafting, if on the 

 English Paradise stock. There are, however, some differences. The fruit of the Stirling Castlo 

 is of the same shape, colour, and size as Small's Admirable, but has its eye set in a much 

 deeper basin. The young shoots are spotted with white like those of the Admirable, but are 

 lighter in colour ; those of the latter being dark brown. The leaves of the Stirling Castle 

 are nearly round, while those of Small's Admirablo are comparatively long and pointed. 



