I'i 



JOURNAL oy HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



Jauuary 4, 187' 



Bv^rage Biz9, and altogether they were most beautifally 

 finished. One thing I noticed— the Vines at their winter 

 dressing had never had any of the old bark rabbed ofi, and 

 they were (luite free from spider, mildew, and the other ills 

 the Vine ia heir to. The second division contained a mixed 

 collection, including Trebbiano, Mn^cat Hambnrgh, Champion 

 Hamburgh, Trentham Black, and I'nchese of Jjaccleuch, the 

 latter having very small berries ; but Mr. Lawrence, the head 

 gardener, informed me that they were intending to destroy it 

 this winter. The next house was just erected. It was 50 feet 

 by 17, and was for late Grapes, such as Lady Downe'e and 

 Black Alicante. The border was being made, and from the 

 quality of the material employed, and the skill jlr. Lawrence is 

 able to bring to bear on their culture, superior Grapes may be 

 predicted. Between this house and the before-named vineries 

 there is space left for a range of Peach houses, which are to be 

 erected shortly. We next enter a range of span-roofed houses 

 76 feet long, in three compartments. The first was used for 

 Melons during the summer. The crop had been excellent, and 

 the sorts grown were Golden Gem, Hybrid Cashmere, and Little 

 Heath ; the fruit of the latter weighed from lbs. to 11 lbs. 

 each, and three fruits to a pbint. The second compartment was 

 partly devoted to winter Cucumbers, Telegraph and Master's 

 Prolific being the most useful for the purpose. One half of the 

 house was occupied with dinner-table plants. The third part 

 contained a useful selection of plants reipiired for the embellish- 

 ment of the Abbey. I specially noticed as being worthy of men- 

 tion a fine selection of Ferns, including Lomari* gibba, Pteris 

 argyrea— a very fine batch, Crotona in great variety. Begonias, 

 Dieffenbachias, Poinsettia pulcherrima pleniesima, I'raciLuas, 

 Pandanue, and many other fino-foliage plant3, every one useful 

 for the purpose for which they are grown. There was also a 

 geod specimen of the curious Testudinaria elephantipes, a 

 plant only met with occasionally. 



^-everal lean-to pits are used for' forcing flowers and Aspa- 

 rigu'", but now filled with Alternantheras, Bouvardia jasmin- 

 oides, and B. Vreelandii. A most useful plant for the dinner 

 table, and also for cut flowers, ie Abutilon Bcule de Neige. 

 which is grown here in large quantity. Several ranges of cold 

 pits were filled with Echeverias, and cold frames were full of 

 Lettuces for winter salads. Large breadths of winter vegetables 

 bore the traces of superior culture and good management. 

 There is a broad gravel walk down the centre of tbe garden. 

 Ribbon borders were planted along each side during the 

 summer, backed up with pyramid Apples and Pears. The 

 gardener's cottage stands at the east corner of the kitchen 

 garden, the back part overlooking the garden, and the front a 

 portion of the pleasure grounds. The walls were mantled with 

 Roses and other climbirg plants, and both internally and ex- 

 ternally the appearance of comfort was manifest. 



I have now finished my journey through this grand old 

 place, and, apart from its Byron associations, it is of great 

 interest and well worthy of a visit at all seasons of the year. 

 The culinary and fruit departments are undergoing a decided 

 improvement, and the plants are in a flourishing condition. 

 Mr. Lawrence has already made his mark on the place, and 

 progreEswas everywhere appsrent.— Q. H. 



APPLE ELECTION. 



As this ie one of my kindred subjects and emanating from 

 Buch an authority as is Mr. Robeon, I believe if a returning 

 officer can be procured there is no danger but the readers of 

 this Journal will have a treat, and a knowledge of the Apple 

 they bad not hitherto posseseed. It is with very great caution 

 that I offer any suggestion on Mr. Robson's ten claesej, still I 

 am inclined to think they are a little too numerous. I would 

 suggest — first, tJummer dessert Apples six or eight varieties in 

 order of ripening or marked according to merit ; AVinter dessert 

 Apples the same, but as they are more numerous, better say 

 twelve kinds or eo in order according to merit. Then baking 

 summer or autumn Apples, six. eight, or ten, for keeping and 

 baking i|unlities, and winter baking Apples after tho same 

 manner. This arrangement, if carried out, I believe would 

 give general satisfaction. It would meet both exhibition and 

 utilitarian purposes. — B. G., Cv. Douu. 



rOINSETTIA PDLCHERPJMA. 



At this season of tho year the brilliant flowers of Poinsettia 



pulcherrima put all other plants in tho shade, but growing it 



in a pot. as is generally the case, cannot bring it out in its true 



character ; in a pot a plant produces a few dozen flowere, but 

 on tho wall we have 250 or more dazzling heads. 



I planted out one plant about fourteen years ago against a 

 back wall, it now covers a space of '24 fquare yards and has 

 '2.50 flower heads. Its beauty when the snn is out quite dazzles 

 the eyes, and viewed at a distance it looks like a wall of red 

 tire. This plant seems to do so well that I have to take ofl 

 yearly about 10 square yards to keep it within the house. The 

 treatment it has is simply to leave it alone, except to keep it 

 clean and to tack the shoots to the wall when growing. The 

 fire ia discontinued in May up to September, and from Septem- 

 ber to May the house is kept at about .■>5". 



I am told that it is the largest plant in England, whether it 

 is the case I should like to know. Perhaps some of your corre- 

 spondents will state the sizes of any large plants. — R. Dkaiee, 

 S,'ah,nii Hall Gnr:li,.<. 



MADBESFIELD COURT GRAPE. 



This is a magnificent Grape when well grown, but in many 

 places it has been cut out because of that evil propensity — its 

 besettiog fault — cracking of the berries just as they bfgin 

 colouring, which has been fully described in your pages in 

 previous numbers. 



I had almost committed the rash act myself of cutting it out, 

 but I am very glad I did not do so now, for it produces each 

 season a heavy crop of Grapes with scarcely a cracked berry. 

 For the first two or three years it behaved very badly with me, 

 nearly every berry having cracked before it was ripe, cauerd, 1 

 have no doubt, by the superabundance of sap, as this Vine 

 inherits great vigour and strength in its young stages, and the 

 berries are very thin-skinned. But I now find that when the 

 Vines become established and carry a good crop, and the atmo- 

 sphere of the house is kept rather dry when colouring commences , 

 there is very little cause for complaints about cracking, and 

 with the roots entirely under control I consider the results 

 would bo more satisfactory in the early stages of the Vine. 

 As a market Grape I consider it a first-class variety, its noble- 

 looking berries always commanding a high price. — J. A., 7/i7/ 

 Grori\ 



ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



The last paragraph of the circular lately issued by the 

 Council of the Royal Horticultural Society proposes guinfa 

 fellowships without the right of voting. Judging from the 

 tone of very many letters which I have received, conntry 

 bellows will not be satisfied with semi-fellowship. Those who 

 live at a distance who will give a guinea to support a Society 

 they believe to be useful, though they derive little direct good 

 from its shows and meetings, have a right to expect the honour 

 of full fellowship, and will assuredly after a little longer wait- 

 ing obtain it. The first bid for their support was a guinea 

 associateship, a guinea part-fellowship is now oiitered, a full 

 fellowship is not far off. 



The Council have a hard task before them. There was great 

 difiiculty in keeping old and in bringing in new Fellows, even 

 when the South Kensington Garden was well kept up. In its 

 present neglected state the difficulty is greatly increased. Let 

 us hope tho neighbourhood will generally subscribe, otherwieo 

 it is not a pleasant reflection, that however economical the 

 expenditure on the garden may be, as long as it is kept open 

 there will be a charge of soma £(300 a-year for rates and texts 

 — a severe tax for this land of now little use if paid out of 

 horticultural money. 



I hope that those who believe in guinea fellowships, and 

 who are canvassing their friends through the country, will not 

 relax their exertions. A year ago I should have tried to com- 

 monce this canvass, but was led to believe that the Council 

 were likely to undertake it. Judging from the great number 

 of first-class names collected in two months, a year's work 

 would have given us enough Fellows to mate us independent 

 of South Kensington. By this time next year we ought to 

 have completed the necessary number. Strong societies have 

 grown up, starting with supporters less in influence and in 

 number than we already have. 



It is now almost necessary to justify the independent course 

 I am taking, though let me say it is no longer I who am ad- 

 vocating guinea fellowships as the one means of making the 

 Society what it should be. I am merely the mouthpiece of 

 very m?.i\v of the best and most experienced horticulturists of 

 the country of all ranks, who urge me not to let the matter 



