Uay 20, 1869. ] 



JOUENAL OP HOBTIOnLTURB AND COTTAGE GABDENEB. 



337 



in the seedling, it duly protected from foreign pollen ly a gauze 

 in the usual way — bo the moans of reproducing at will either a 

 vigorous and wood-producing tree, or a more compact and fruit- 

 bearing one, one suited for a standard, a dwarf, or an espalier'.' 

 Would not the produce of two (lowers situated on a branch 

 habitually more loaded with fruit than the rest, have a tendency 

 to produce a more productive tree than a promiscuous fecunda- 

 tion ? We usually put it in this way, that a man knows what 

 he sows, but docs not know what will come up. I would say on 

 the contrary, that a man does not know what he sows, and it is 

 in the hope that the practical minds of British gardeners once 

 interested in the question, mill grasp, silt, ventilate, and event- 

 ually bring something out of it, towards euabl.n^ us to know 

 really what it is we are sowing, that I venture to bring the 

 subject under the notice of the readers of your widely circu- 

 lating Journal. One man's whole lifetime would not suffice 

 to experimentally elucidate such a question, and the aggregate 

 observations of very many investigalors can alone do so. 



The subject, of course, is as old as the hills ; but it would be 

 a great mistake to suppose it has ever been disposed of, or even 

 directly treated in the way proposed. Darwin and many other 

 able physiologists collaterally hint at it, but it has never been 

 practically taken hold of, or the results would show it. It can- 

 not be admitted that Nature leaves anything to chance. If only 

 one single pip on a whole Apple tree b9 f:iund to reproduce 

 exactly the variety, or at least sufficiently exactly for our limited 

 mortal senses, that one pip being necessarily created by some 

 rule, there is no reason why man should not find out that rule, 

 and by artificial means obtain a hundred or a thousand. If 

 50 per cent, turn out Crabs, it must be owing to something ; 

 that something may be found out, and sowing Crabs avoided, 

 and the queetion holds good until it be proved that by some law 

 of nature an ovary impregnated by an anther, no matter where 

 taken from, can never reproduce the parents with snfficiei^t 

 accuracy to admit of being considered the identical variety, or 

 that chance alone governs such births, neither of which proposi- 

 tions can, I think, be in any way borne out by facts. — Fkederici; 

 pAiiJiEE, Versailles. 



will do well without glass, I shall try it as a green-fleshed 

 kind. 



Experience has taught me that if it rains, the fruit should 

 be covered either with a bell-glass or with a flower-pot to keep 

 the wet oil, as thoy are rather apt to rot around the stalk. 



The Malvern Hall Melon is quite out of my good books. 0£ 

 five plants that I grew no two bore fruit alike. For frame 

 work this year I am growing Baily's Eclipse and the Golden 

 Queen. 



I shall be much pleased to hoar of the success of others with 

 out-door Melons of good flavour, shape, and size ; also whether 

 anyone has been successful v.ith growing the Eeechwood with- 

 out the aid of glass. As Melons are so deliciously cooling as 

 a summer fruit I think the experiment well worthy of a trial, 

 and as my attempt last year was such a perfect snccess, X wish 

 to make it known. — Hauhison Weik. 



QUEEN WASPS. 

 I DO not think that Mr. Scholfield and others need be much 

 alarmed at the great number of queen wasps which have made 

 their appearance, as it by no means follows that they will pro- 

 duce a nest a-piece. For several years I noted their abundance 

 or scarcity, and certainly for six in succession the numbers in 

 spring and autumn bore an inverse ratio to one another. This 

 is many years ago. The first year I noted it was, I think, 

 1847, but, if I recollect rightly, it was about 1832 or 1853 that 

 some articles appeared in the " Zoologist " on the subject, 

 and it was shown that out of some hundreds of queen wasps 

 dissected in a year when they were exceptionally abundant, 

 none showed signs of impregnation. A neighbour of mine 

 has sometimes paid as much as £5 or £G a-year for the de- 

 struction of queen wasps, but I never found his fruit less 

 damaged than my own. — Ddckwing. 



RIDGE MELON GROWING. 



Last year I determined to try growing Melons out of doors 

 on the ridge principle. I therefore procured some of a variety 

 described as green flesh, and named Achapesnorricher — what a 

 name ! Having planted six seeds in a pot in the early part of 

 May, I placed it in a hotbed, and in a few days five plants 

 made their appearance. In due time these were potted-off, 

 and in the beginning of June were planted out of doors on a 

 ridge composed of good stable dung and covered with soil ; 

 each plant having a hand-glass placed over it, and when fairly 

 started this was removed. 



The plants soon began to grow vigorously, and from time to 

 time ten well-set fruit made their appearance, which grew to 

 the average size of 7 lbs., some being over and some a little 

 nnder. Contrary to my expectation, they all turned out to be 

 scarlet-fleshed, with few seeds, and a very excellent flavour, 

 being superior to the Malvern Hall, which I had in a pit close 

 by. That excellent horticultural judge, Mr. William Barnes, 

 of Camberwell, tasted one of the fruit, and pronounced the 

 flavour equal to aiiy scarlet-fleshed Melon he had had submitted 

 to his judgment that season, and requested me to let him have 

 some of the seed, which I have done. So pleased am I with 



THE VINEYARD. 

 "OBSEnvEK's" estate, named as above, is situated not far 

 from the north-eaBtern boundary of Sussex, and ig exactly 200 

 acres in extent ; part of that area, however, is occupied by the 

 home farm, but the remainder, by far the larger portion, consists 

 of lawns, shrubberies, and flower and kitchen gardens. The 

 natural advantages of tho position are very great ; the ground 

 is rising but not hilly, sheltered for the most part from the 

 north by hills, but open towards the south, in which direction 

 from some parts of the grounds beautiful views are obtained of 

 Brightling Hill, and Fairhght, thirteen or fourteen miles off. 

 Fairlight Mill was once vi.'ible, but all who have visited Hast- 

 ings will regret to learn that it exists no longer, having been 

 burnt down a short time ago ; still it is believed that steps will 

 be taken either to restore it or replace it with some suitable 

 landmark. The old mill has passed away, but not so the 

 memory of Fairlight's romantic glen, which will long remain 

 with many a sojourner in its neighbourhood. 



Thus sheltered from the north, thus open to more favourable 

 aspects, far from the smoke of towns, and in a county re 

 markable for the mildness of its climate, the grounds present 

 conditions peculiarly favourable to vegetation, and as a result, 

 among the great variety of trees and shrubs there are many 

 specimens of unusual size and beauty. Cryptomeria jiponica, 

 the Deodar, Cedar of Lebanon, Picea Pinsapo, Cupressus Law- 

 soniana, Wellingtonia gigantea, and many other Conifers, as 

 well as the Purple Beech, Evergreen Oak, and all shrubs com- 

 monly planted, are represented by numerous flourishing speci- 

 mens. The Portugal Laurels by the side of a walk 300 yards 

 long, form of themselves quite a feature ; they are very nearly 

 uniform in size and shape throughout, and densely clothed to 

 the groimd, forming roundish, somewhat conical bushes 9 or 

 10 feet in diameter. On the opposite side of this walk it is in- 

 tended to plant Picea Pinsapo, and it may be added that in the 

 borders in front of the shrubs 10,000 bedding plants are turned 

 out in summer. 



Passing an archery and cricket ground we reach a rustic gate 

 on the left, which opens into a hardy fernery, where there are 

 150 kinds planted in road scrapings among blocks of Kentish 

 rag, and thriving well. On returning to the walk glimpses are 

 obtained of a museum and conservatory, with an aviary at- 

 tached, covered with shingle, the weatherworn look of whieh 

 adds to the rustic character of the building — no modern one it 

 is either in appearance or reality, for it most resembles an old 

 monastery, but, as " Observer " remarked, it might in one 

 sense be said to belong to the composite order of architecture. 

 An old oak chimney-piece in the inside is of the reign of 

 Henry VII., though the bulk of the building is much more 

 recent. The conservatory contained a large plant of Wistaria 

 sinensis, whose splendid clusters of lilac flowers hung in dense 

 clusters from the roof ; fruiting Orange trees, .Azaleas, and 

 other plants in flower, giving it quite a gay appearance. In the 

 aviary were a score of Golden Pheasants in full plumage, 

 radiant in scarlet and gold. Silver Pheasants have also been 

 kept for forty-seven years, and this has been the first year there 

 has been a pied hen. In the grounds near the aviary there 

 are several fine old Yews, notably two Irish Yews, among the 

 first ever planted. They are about 25 feet high, and ex- 

 tremely handsome ; two others not far o£f are less in height by 

 about 5 feet, and though well furnished are not such fine speci- 

 mens, owing to their having had a less favourable position. 

 Several bushy-headed Portugal Laurels aredeserving of mention. 



the result that this year I intend growing two or three dozen 



plants on ridges, and as I have heard that the old Beeohwood I not because of their height, for that is little more than a yard. 



