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JOUENAL OF HOBTICULTUEE AND COTTAGE GAEDENER. 



[ May 23, 1872. 



to the gal-den is near the garclener's house, and that the main 

 ■walks throw the quarters into triangular forms. The gaa-den 

 is quite flat, and on entering the gates the effect and harmony 

 are very perfect. The whole garden is in high keeping : the 

 broad walks are in proportion to the extent ; the fruit trees ou 

 the borders are uniform, none exceeding feet in height, and 

 chiefly trained in pendulous form. Many of the Pear trees 

 are beautiful specimens. There is a considerable extent of 

 Apple cordons on the borders well done in H form, but we 

 greatly prefer the older stylo of Apple-growing here in the form 

 of the spokes of a wheel. Ou each side of the main walk and of 

 some of the other walks bedding plants are grown in summer, 

 and on a former fisit these borders were most effectively 

 jjlanted. 



It will be observed that the garden is in tlrree divisions. 

 The second division is separated from the third by a Yew- 

 hedge, and the most perfect of its kind. It is 10 feet high and 

 4 feet thi-ough — nothing 'could be more perfect than the Yew 

 hedges at Carton. Along the whole length of the bottom -wall, 

 where the different sections of Cherries are grown on the inside, 



and the Plums, Apricots, and Pears on the outside, there aro 

 a series of buttresses of Y'ew, which extend the width of the 

 borders on each side and grow over the top of the wall in the 

 solid form. These hedges effectually break sweeping winds, 

 and the effect is most artistic. 



A portion of the third or back division of the garden is occu- 

 pied by low standard fruit trees growing on grass. All the 

 other parts of the garden with outside slips is regularly under 

 vegetable cropping. Although the area may to many appear 

 large, Mr. James finds very close cropping necessary to supply 

 the demand. To a practical gardener Uke Mr. James it must 

 be a great pleasure — I might say reward — to see how things 

 have prospered under his care at Carton ; and to see the walls 

 again furnished with such fruit trees and in so few years, is a 

 very high mark in practical gardening. 



It is pleasing to know that a fair supply of manure is always 

 at command for the garden. The supply of water is not 

 equally sufficient, notwithstanding that the garden is in our 

 opinion too near the water. In a gai-den of such extent the 

 carrying of water, whether by horse or handcart, is a very un- 



Carton Kitchen Garden. 



satisfactory labour ; and we were not a little rejoiced the other 

 day to see a water-tower nearly completed, which will no 

 doubt contribute to the much-needed high-level supply of the 

 garden. 



There are many detaUs of culture that have come under 

 our notice in the garden at Carton that would be of much in- 

 terest, if Mr. James would favour his less experienced brethren 

 -srith instructions how such results have been accomplished. 

 The small fruit are well managed at Carton. There are but 

 few varieties of Strawberries cultivated. Keens' Seedling and 

 Sir Harry are preferred for early sorts ; Adniu-al Dundas and 

 Frogmore Late Pine are chosen for late sorts. The latter does 

 extremely well at Carton. The British Queen -will not do any 

 good there, whUe near Dublin it is superb in average seasons.' 



The extent of glass is not so lai-go as might be expected at 

 Carton. The chief range of fruit houses was erected forty-six 

 years ago; they are of the best form of lean-to, and now effi- 

 ciently heated by hot water. 



The first five houses of the range are planted -with Vines. 

 In the first, w-hich is an angle house, there is a fine Fig of the 

 Black Bourjassotte, which bears lai-ge crops of fine Figs : in 

 this house the Muscat Hambm-gh Vine produces fine fruit 

 grafted ou the Black Prince. The second house is a mixed 

 house of good Vines, the Golden Champion showing fine 

 bunches. The third is a Muscat house, from which heavy 

 crops of fine fruit are annually cut. At this time the Vines 



are in fine and promising condition. The fourth house is 

 chiefly planted with Hamburgh Vines, now a fine equal crop 

 of compact bunches of about 2 lbs. each. The fifth is a late 

 house planted with late sorts, and, like the others, is in fine 

 condition. 



A conservatory, which rises considerably above the range, 

 divides the vineries from the Peach houses. In the conserva- 

 tory there is a better class of plants than uijed to be gro-wn in 

 it. The Paxton house affords room to grow a greater variety 

 than could be done in the crowded fruit houses. This Paxtou 

 house is a first-rate style of useful house, and most substan- 

 tially fitted up ; the length is 64 feet. It is 22 feet wide, and 

 14 feet high. Along the ridge is trained a fine Vine of Mrs. 

 Pince's Black Muscat, which bears fine fruit. This Vine is 

 planted inside. 



Mr. .James's Peaches are well known at the show tables in 

 England as well as in Ireland, where the Carton Peaches stand 

 at the head of the prize lists. There are four Peach houses 

 all in the finest condition. The Peaches in the early house 

 are now ripe. There is a fine equal crop of the Bai'rington, a 

 valuable Peach where the fruit has to be sent to a distance by 

 rail. In this house we were greatly pleased with the Pitmastou 

 Nectarine ; it is fine in size and rich in colour. There is an 

 item in the treatment of this tree that merits remai-k. Two 

 years ago the tree w-as unhealthy an 1 the fruit small. It was 

 found the roots were iu bad order. Mr. Jfm^s resolve 1 to get 



