Jnly 2, 1B68. 



JOUBNAL OF HOBTIOULTUEE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



other plnnts, including tlio taller j'ellow Culccolarin, beioR nil 

 that could bo dusireJ, and when at its best muBt have been 

 much admired. 



In another part of the grnnnds I noticed a flower border on 

 a rather steep bank planted very effectively. The border was 

 about 12 feet wide, and was divided into dinmond-fbaped and 

 triangular compartments by diaj^onal cross lines of Cernstium, 

 making a good-sized diamond shaped compartment iu the 

 centre, and triangles of half the size at tbo outside. The 

 diamond-shaped portions were planted with Tom Thumb Pe- 

 largonium, which still retains a good place in the bedding-out 

 flower gardener's estimation, and the triangles with Lobelia 

 speciosa, the whole being edged with Cernstium. Consisting 

 of only three kinds of plants of as many colours — namely, red, 

 white, and bUio, this arrangement had a very pretty effect. 

 Another border, not so wide, was arranged differently, the lines 

 of demarcation forming a sort of zigzag or serrated iiattern ; 

 but it was on the whole less effective, n, greater number of 

 plants being used : and although all had done well, the sim- 

 plicity of the design previously noticed was preferable. 



Some other beds in the grounds wero very attractive, par- 

 ticularly one — a raised bed of three circles united at the edges ; 

 the central one. larger than the other two. was very good. The 

 only plant showing symptoms of going off was Centaurea can- 

 didissima, which, as with mo both last year and this, was 

 anything but healthy. In another place was Centaurea gym- 

 nocarpa, luxuriant enough, but not so much to be depended on 

 as Cineraria maritima, to which Mr. Skinner, as well as myself, 

 and I believe Mr. Fish, give the preference : for although the 

 Centaurea is of more free growth than the Cineraria, the 

 aptitude of the autumn-struck plants to run to seed early in 

 summer, and when in that condition their liability to die off 

 without making foliage, leave a greater number of ugly gaps 

 than is pleasing. Centaurea candidissima is crrtainly not 

 subject to this, and is less prone to flower and seed than any 

 of the three ; but with me during the last two years the points 

 of the leaves have become crumpled and dead, and a sickly 

 appearance pervades the whole plant. Tbis is much to be 

 regretted, as we have no plant so white, and its habit and other 

 features are all that can be desired. Mr. Skinner had discarded 

 Ireiine Heib^tii ; but Coku-!, Araarontlius, Porillfi, and other 

 plants were introduced with good effect where wanted. 



In the grounds I noticed some good specimens of Conifer;e, 

 particularly one of the best specimens of Taxodium semper- 

 virens that I have ever seen, and which was standing out pro- 

 minently amongst others, while there was no lack of Boses and 

 other shrubs. 



The kitchen garden, which adjoins the eastern side of the 

 pleasure ground, also' contained good examples of ribbon 

 borders by the side of one of its principal walks, and the glass 

 •structures excellent Black Hamburgh and Muscat of Alexandria 

 Grapes. A new vinery devoted to late Grapes showed unmis- 

 takeably that the very popular Lady Downe's requires almost 

 the same amount of heat as the Muscats, for its condition was 

 less satisfactory than that of the Hamburghs, which, as well as 

 the Muscats in another house, were all that could be desired 

 Peaches had been gathered early in the year from another 

 house, and in a central one greenhouse plants were grown as 

 extensively as the house would allow. Perhaps the most in- 

 teresting feature was another kitchen garden separated from 

 the first one by a road passing between. This garden was only 

 formed about four years ago, and yet the walls, 11 feet high, 

 are quite covered with excellent bearing Peacii and Apricot 

 trees on the south and west aspects. Tlie Apricots had done 

 remarkably well in ISGG, but less favourably in 1867, which 

 was amply made up by the heavy crop of Peaclies, some con- 

 tinuing iu bearing till October ; a fine crop of Late Admirable 

 was showing well at that time. The central aud cross walks of 

 this garden were lined with Pear trees trained as pyramids, most 

 of which were in fruit. Of other crops common in kitchen 

 gardens, not the least conspicuous was a fine breadth of Bed 

 Beet, the tops of which might vie with any of the occupants of 

 the flower beds for depth and richness of colour. Strawberries 

 for forcing occupied a sunny corner, and amongst them Sir 

 Charles Napier was conspicuous ; while in the open ground 

 the same variety was much esteemed for its bearing qualities, 

 as well as that of enduring travelling well — a qualilication not 

 sufliciently valued in every case, but an important one in 

 most. 



The general good appearance of the garden crops, not less 

 than the trimness of the flower beds, and the abundance of 

 everything required for a large family, showed that the head 



as well as the hands of the manager was judiciously and skil- 

 fully employed. In looking round it would be diflicult to point 

 to anything which indicated what was the gardener's hobby, 

 which is often enough evident, for at Sutton Park all things 

 were equally well cared for. — J. Eobson. 



WORK FOR THE WEEK. 



KITCHEN OAm>EN. 



Thf. principal sowings aud transplantings will now soon be 

 over for this seoson, and as the nights lengthen a more vigor- 

 ous growth will commence. Hverything lately planted out 

 ought to be watered occasionally till the plants begin to grow 

 freely. Birds are very troublesome to the early fruits, and 

 must be watched, and although the garden has been kept free 

 from weeds all the season, there are thousands of seeds of 

 weeds now floating on every breeze, and those which fall on 

 good ground will soon become troublesome if not looked after. 

 Cabhai/e and CauHflotn'r plants for autumn use should be trans- 

 planted at regular intervals ; those last planted out should 

 have the ground well stirred about them, and a little soil 

 drawn round their stems. Celcnj, the main crop might now 

 be planted out, and the rows formerly planted should have a 

 little earth drawn to them, first taking the precaution to stir 

 the soil on each side of the rows which has been battered into a 

 crust with the watering. If the earliest row does not throw np 

 seed stalks, you may assist it very much by a good dose of 

 liquid manure. Cucumbers under hand-lights, and Vegetable 

 Marrows, should have a little long litter spread over the soil 

 before the shoots are pegged out to their full extent, which will 

 keep the fruit clean, save watering, and bring up the Mush- 

 rooms quickly where spawn was inserted. I'eas and Bcaiis, 

 {ev/ people think of sowing Peas after next week, and this is 

 about the time that mildew is so troublesome on Peas. A 

 liberal supply of water is the best preventive. SiKccxswn 

 Crops, these are now reduced to salad plants, which are always 

 sown according to the demand and the state of the last sowing. 



IRUIT OARDEN. 



Those who thought proper to attend to the stopping of the 

 shoots of Pear trees, &c., against walls, will be gratified by 

 perceiving the buds swelling beautifully at the points of the 

 small spurs, and at the bases of the shoots shortened. Allow 

 the young shoots which have started from the foremost bud of 

 the stopped shoot to grow a little longer, or, if becoming long, 

 merely pinch out its point, as any sudden check to the flow 

 of the sap after such genial rain, would be apt to break 

 into shoots those promising buds which you would rather 

 see adorned with blossom and fruit next season. It is a 

 general observation that fine-looking old Pear trees against 

 walls produce sparingly, and th.at chiefly on the points of the 

 branches. This is partly owing to the fact that the other parts 

 of the tree are so smothered with breastwood during the best 

 part of the summer, that the buds finally left cannot be ma- 

 tured by the juice-elaborating influence of light, and to the ob- 

 jection of employers to leave the borders uncropped ; the conse- 

 quence of which is, that the roots are incited to go so deeply 

 that they absorb juices of so rank a character that our longest 

 and best summers are insufficent to ripen the buds on the 

 puny shoots. The remedies for this are raising the roots 

 nearer the surface, timely foreshortening, and slight or no 

 cropping. By taking off the young wood from every alternate 

 branch on old trees, choosing good shoots about a foot apart 

 on the other branches, and, commencing at the top of the tree, 

 tying these shoots in a pendant position to the denuded branches, 

 and taking out these branches in the succeeding year, in a 

 year more, other circiamstances being favourable, the tree will 

 be regularly covered with young fruitful wood. The prin- 

 cipal work now is to guard' fruit from birds, i-c, to gather 

 and preserve Strawberries, and to procure plants of these for 

 next forcing time. Fill a number of GO-sized pots with rich 

 compost, take a dibber and make a row of holes alongside of a 

 row of Strawberries, push a pot into each hole down to the 

 rim, then single out the runners and pinch-off the tops just 

 below the newly-formed plant, double the runner on the other 

 side of the plant, aud with the forefinger push the doubling 

 down to the bottom of the pot, and by this means the bottom 

 of the young plant is just brought within the soil, and is firmly- 

 pegged down by its own runner or string in half the time you 

 could do it with a peg, or with a stone or lump of soil. 



FLOWER GARDEN. 



There is little to attend to in this department at the present 



