1870.] GARDEN RECORDS. 471 



baskets, which are usually denominated " sieves, " green nettles being employed 

 in the process. Mr Dancer informed me that he had sent 400 bushels of 

 Gisborne's Plum to Messrs Grosse & Blackwell of Soho Square, for preserving 

 purposes. 



Further, in the way of Apples, there were trees of Warner's King, Cellini 

 Pippin, and Golden Noble, all very fine ; also a good quantity of Hawthornden, 

 which had been gathered by the 20th of August ; of Pears, Beurre Box, a fine 

 Covent Garden variety ; Beurre" d'Amanlis, of which there were very fine crops 

 on large bush trees ; Jersey Gratioli, a great lot, grown on fine young pyramidal 

 trees ; Aston Town also, a small Pear that sells well ; the Hessel, of which very 

 large crops could be seen — this is a Pear of which vast quantities are sent into 

 Covent Garden market ; and lastly, Beurre Capiaumont, a good market Pear also, 

 that bears and sells well. Some standard trees of this had heavy crops. 



Morello Cherries growing on bush trees in open parts of the ground appeared 

 to be quite a new feature, and heavy crops have been taken from them ; notwith- 

 standing, the trees looked remarkably well. Underneath the large trees is grown 

 the American Peach-blossom Potato, a large red round variety that will grow 

 where no other will, and never takes the disease : it makes rank growth, but is 

 said to be a good keeper, and of fine quality at the end of the winter. Among 

 Currant trees, where it is more open, Brussels Sprouts are planted. 



Moss Roses for cut flowers were quite a feature. Of these there was about 

 three-quarters of an acre, and as many as forty-five dozen bunches have been 

 sent to Covent Garden market on one night in the month of June, the average 

 price obtained being about 6s. per dozen bunches. The Roses are well manured 

 over the top to about the depth of 3 inches, the shoots are pegged down, and 

 the young growth pinched back to three or four eyes. The Gooseberries are all 

 gathered in a green state, and this for two good reasons : first, they sell as well 

 as when ripe, and there is no waste ; secondly, they are thus gathered at a season 

 when labour is so not much in demand. The French or Dutch Horn Carrot, 

 usually used for frame purposes, is here grown in the open ground very largely. 

 About 2 A inches in length and 14 in diameter, there is no waste, and it is a 

 delicious eating variety. How truly Mr W. Robinson wrote of them in his book 

 on French Gardens as "pretty dwarf tender little carrots." "They are alwayB 

 fresh, always to be had, and never contain a particle of the tissue which makes 

 the coarser Carrots so much less valuable." Mr Dancer, it is to be presumed taking 

 another hint from Mr Robinson's book, was growing Asparagus after one of the 

 methods employed by the French gardeners. On page 501 of ' The Parks, Pro- 

 menades, and Gardens of Paris,' Mr Robinson states, "I first saw it (Asparagus) 

 growing to a large extent among the Vines. The Vine under field culture, I need 

 scarcely say, is simply cut down to near the old stool every year, and allowed to 

 make a few growths, which are tied each to a stake : they do not overtop the 

 Asparagus in any way, but, on the other hand, the strong plants of that show well 

 above the Vines. It was not in distinct close lines among the Vines, but widely 

 and irregularly separated, say 6 or 7 feet apart in the rows, and as much as 9 

 the other way. They simply put one plant in each open spot, and give it every 

 chance of forming a capital specimen, and this it generally does. When the stems 

 get large and a little top-heavy in early summer, a string is put round all, so as to 

 hold them slightly together (the careful cultivator uses a stake), and the mutual 

 support thus given prevents the plant from being cut off in its prime. We all 

 know how apt it is to be twisted off at the collar by strong winds, especially in 

 wet weather, when the drops on every tiny leaf make the foliage heavy. The 

 growing of Asparagus among the Vines is a very usual mode, and a vast space is 



