218 THE FLORIST AND POMOLOGIST. [ October, 



of its merits, and the sample I send is that which encourages me to speak in its 

 favour. The tree from which the sample was gathered is one of the batch first 

 sent out ; it is planted on the back wall of a Peach case, and is 8 ft. from the 

 front glass. The fruit are not sent as a sample of weight (none of them are 

 8 oz.), but as a fair sample of a fair crop on a young tree. As regards flavour, 

 my impression is that it is not so juicy and sprightly as the Royal George, and 

 the flesh is rather inclined to eat woolly.* In these particulars, however, it may 

 improve as the fruit becomes better developed from older trees. My experience 

 of Peach trees teaches me to believe that the older the trees the larger the fruit, 

 so that in this belief, my intention is to allow the Stirling Castle plenty of room 

 to extend and fully develop itself. 



My mode of training is that known as Seymour's system, and to this system 

 I mean to adhere until I am convinced of a better. Of all trees under a 

 gardener's care I believe the training and cropping of the Peach to be least 

 understood. I have initiated all my young men into this system ; it is easily 

 understood, and when once they know it I have no further trouble with my trees. 

 Several of my young men, after having mastered this system, have told me that 

 now they have a rule to work by, whereas formerly they trained without a rule. 

 If Mr. Carmichael should succeed in raising another peach equally good, I should 

 be inclined to ask him to name it the " Abbey Craig," on the summit of which 

 now stands the abortive monument to Wallace. 



Combe Alley Gardens. Wm. Miller. 



NOTES ON FLOWER-BEDS. 



]T has recently occurred to me that if some of the contributors to the Florist 

 and Pomologist were to give a description of four or six of the most satis- 

 factory of their flower-beds, as they were arranged during the past summer, 

 ^ something would be gained by all lovers of the flower garden. I think I 

 may say that there are very few persons who are not interested in a good arrange- 

 ment of the flowers in their gardens. These notes should be furnished during 

 the winter months, so as to be made use of when the bedding-out time of 1870 

 comes round. The six flower-beds I have described below are selected out of 

 about forty, which were filled with bedding plants this season : — 



1. Pelargonium Amy Hogg mixed with Madame Vaucher. The beautiful purple rose tint of 

 the former blends charmingly with the latter, which is pure white. Amy Hogg is rather the 

 stronger grower, but this little difficulty may be overcome by planting old plants of Madame 

 Vaucher and young plants of Amy Hogg. What I should recommend, however, and what 

 I intend next season to adopt, is to plant the centre of the bed with Amy Hogg, and to use 

 Madame Vaucher at the outside as an edging. 



2. Pelargonium Stella, mixed with variegated Alyssum. This bed is of the same shape and 

 size as No. 1, and is intended in some degree to correspond with it. The effect of the arrange- 

 ment is very good, the large, fine heads of Pelargonium bloom rising above its companion, the 

 variegated Alyssum, and having a very charming effect. 



* Our opinion exactly coincides with this. The fruit sent were good examples, 9£ in. in circumference, 

 very deeply coloured, the flosh also much stained, but rather stringy.— Ed. 



