Jane 3, 1870. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



387 



simply protected from frost. This must be studiously pro- 

 vided against, as the young shoots, if unprotected, are very 

 easily injured by frost. They may be placed in a vinery or 

 orchard house where the frost is just kept ont. A very good 

 place to start the Fig treeB into growth in Bpring is the vinery, 

 where they may remain until the Vines have come into full 

 leaf ; then, however, they must be removed to where they can 

 have more light, and be more directly under the influence of 

 the sun's rays. 



It is an extremely common yet most fallacious notion, that 

 Figs like a shady situation, and that they will succeed on the 

 back walls of honseB under the shade of Vines, &c, whereas 

 exactly the contrary is the ca6e. The Fig, although it may 

 grow, will in such situations bear but little fruit. It requires 

 in this respect fully a better exposure than the Vine or Peach, 

 and should be treated accordingly. 



Atmospheric Temperature and Ventilation. — Figs while 

 growing delight in a warm, close, humid atmosphere. A warm 

 dry atmosphere is injurious. To start them into growth a 

 great amount of heat is not required or desirable. A tempe- 

 rature of 50° by night will be amply sufficient, or even less. 

 This may be increased as the season advances. They will, of 

 course, stand a much higher temperature if it is required to 

 have the fruits ripe earlier. During the summer very little fire 

 heat will be required, except in cold wet days and occasionally 

 at night. By day, if by sun heat, the temperature of the Fig 

 house whilst the trees are growing may be allowed to rise to 

 90° or 100°, or even higher, keeping the atmosphere very moist 

 by syringing all over the plants, also the paths, &c. — indeed, 

 keeping the house perfectly saturated with moisture at all times. 

 The brighter the sunshine the oftener should the plants be 

 syringed. It is wonderful how the plants grow and revel in a 

 warm and close saturated atmosphere like this, and it has 

 further the effect of keeping red spider, the great scourge of 

 Figs in a dry atmosphere, completely in subjection. Little air 

 need be given at this stage, but when admitted shut up early 

 in the afternoon, so as to avoid the necessity of fire heat during 

 the night. It is exceedingly important to husband, or " bottle 

 up," as much sun heat as possible, as one degree of this is 

 almost worth ten gained by fire heat. 



When the fruits begin to ripen, more air should be admitted, 

 and a drier and more bracing atmosphere secured, aB by so 

 doing only can highly flavoured fruit be obtained. Air should 

 then be given night and day, keeping up the required tempe- 

 rature, if necessary, by the aid of fire heat. — A. B. C. 



often renewed, the old Boil taken off, and rich fresh soil added. 

 Manure water may be applied when the trees are in flower and 

 fruit. 



"When the plants are used for the dinner table, they must 

 never be taken out of the pots. — Thomas Record, LUlesden. 



THE ORANGE TREE AS A DINNER- TABLE 

 PLANT. 



The gardener from whom I received my first lessons in the 

 profession was a hardworking intelligent Scotchman, and par- 

 ticularly partial to the Orange tree. He used to grow a number 

 of dwarf handsome plants, and fruit them uncommonly well in 

 small pots. He often said they were the most useful plants he 

 could grow, and, to my knowledge, they proved to be so, for 

 besides being often required for the decoration of the entrance 

 hall and for placing in small vases under the verandah, they 

 were also among the best and safest plants to pack up and send 

 by railway for similar purposes. A healthy Orange tree, also, 

 was ever a welcome addition to any collection of plants. 



The Otaheite and the Myrtle-leaved were the varieties grown ; 

 and dinner-table plants being now so much in request, I think 

 as the above varieties are so very suitable and distinct, they 

 should be more gTown for the purpose. I have sometimes met 

 with a batch of the former variety, but I do not remember ever 

 seeing the latter since that time, except as large plants. Al- 

 though both sorts aie charming on the dinner-table, with their 

 healthy foliage and golden fruit, I like the Myrtle-leaved Orange 

 the better of the two ; it can be made a more compact plant, 

 and can be grown in smaller pots. The culture of both is very 

 simple, and can be stated in a few words. 



The best way is to purchase small plants, which are not very 

 dear, or they may be raised from cuttings of last year's wood in 

 heat ; when rooted pinch off the top of every plant, give them 

 slight shifts as required, and use rich turfy loam, sand, and 

 cow dang. They will grow without bottom heat, but succeed 

 much better with it, especially with dung heat. Cleanliness is 

 another important part of their treatment, and should be par- 

 ticularly attended to in respect to frequently washing the stems 

 and leaves with soft soap and water used warm. To keep the 

 plants dwarf and in suitable-sized pots the drainage mast be 



CALCOT. 

 " Go with me to Calcot to-morrow," waB the imperativo-in- 

 vitation uttered on the 19th ult. " Where's that ?" "Never 

 mind, there's something worth seeing there." Now, there are 

 some persons and some times in whom and in which yon feel 

 confiding, and the inviter and the season were congruous on 

 this occasion, so I assented; and the next morning I was at 

 Reading, and thence, staff in hand, strode forth debonairly for 

 Calcot. " How far is it ?" " Two miles ;" but my friend is a 

 Scotchman, and like his countrymen, whose " mile and a wee 

 bit" has its "bit" as long as its "mile," so on the present 

 occasion the distance was full three miles, and the sun was 

 very hot ; but the Hawthorn was in masses of bloom, and the 

 westerly breeze was in our faces, and we kept the step lightly, 

 chanting — 



" Marching along, marching along, 

 Gardening gentlemen singing this song." 

 And the road was that noble " Bath Road," which many and 

 many a time, some forty years now gone, I glided over behind 

 those gallant fours, the driver of one of which observed, when 

 the road to Reading was improved, " It is Reading made easy." 

 At length the time " Right shoulders forward " came, and that 

 turning us to the left, we passed through gates left, as I like 

 them to be left, wide open — it seems a welcome ; yet there were 

 two big mastiffs, and we were glad to see illustrated, though a 

 little modified, the line, " Chained at the gate two canine 

 demons dwell ;" but then in the Ivy by the gate was a nest of 

 blackbirds, though Cherries were in prospect. Soon after we 

 were introduced to ten more dogs, and then to sixteen cats, 

 fathers and mothers of fourteen kittens, all alive and not doomed 

 to a brick-and-water death. " Their master must be a kindly 

 man," and so we found him — a lover of animal and vegetable 

 life too — a man who does firmly what he thinks has to be done 

 rightly, and the evidence was before us. There was a stone 

 monument bearing this inscription — 



" Beneath this stone lies buried 



Onr race's deadliest foe ; 



Myriads he has hurried 



Down to the realms of woe. 

 " More mischief he produces 



Than filled Pandora's box, 



And more disease induces 



Than plagu'd th' Egyptian flocks. 

 " Evils attend his reign, 



Yet thousands owu his sway, 



And madly hag the chain 



That drags their souls away. 

 " Reader ! beware his wiles, 



He lurk? within the bowl, 



And stabs you while he smiles. 



Then oh! shan Alcohol." 



The burial took place more than forty years since, and there 

 were on the occasion committed to their grave three hogsheads 

 of strong beer, two casks of homemade wine, and some dozens 

 of foreign wines and spiritB. After the ceremony a harvest- 

 home supper was provided on the lawn under a tent, when 

 nearly 150 persons sat down to a good substantial meal con- 

 sisting of a roast sheep, two rounds of beef, barley puddings, 

 and a copper of coffee, after which they listened to a good tem- 

 perance lecture, and then returned home free from any intoxi- 

 cation. There has not been a drop of alcoholic drink allowed 

 in the house or on the premises since, not even for medicinal 

 purposes, nor has the deed ever been repented of, but, on the 

 contrary, rejoiced over. The high-priest of this hecatomb is 

 Mr. R. Webb, a private gentleman, F.R.H.S., and proprietor 

 of Calcot, his birthplace, and so genial and hearty is he, that 

 I think, after drinking a few more pipes of 1847 port wine, that 

 I shall think whether it would not be well to bury the bottles 

 — but they shall be empty. 



Calcot includes ten acres, entirely enclosed with a brick wall 

 about 8 feet high, hollow, and with mock chimneys at uniform 

 intervals, justifying a popular comment, " He may well have 

 good crops of fruit, for he warms the walls ! " I can only note 

 a few general features within the enclosure. It is especially 

 devoted to fruit-growing, and trees— Pears, Apples, and Plums 

 — all most healthy, and free from disease and moss, are there 

 mostly at judicious distances ; but the underwood, for the term 



